LGBT Pride Month: An Abomination to the Lord
Joe R. Price

     An ancient king once said, “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.” (Prov 17:15) King Solomon’s warning should be heeded today.

     A modern ruler has proclaimed June, 2009 “LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH”. In his proclamation, President Barack Obama extols the virtues of the LGBT rights movement in America and commits our citizenry to “achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans”. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/)

     This president has told us that LGBT issues are matters of civil rights. As such, we are told to view them as a discriminated minority entitled to equal rights, “regardless of sexual orientation”.

     These are word games. With rhetorical dexterity he shifts away from the true nature of the issue. We can no longer define homosexuality as an issue of immorality (sin), but as a “civil rights” issue. Opposition to homosexuality will increasingly be viewed as discrimination and “prejudice”. (If you are against homosexual behavior you are against “civil rights”!)

     June, 2009 is the month the U.S. Government recognizes this collection of sexual sins as something in which to take pride (instead of being moved to deep remorse and godly sorrow for this great sin against God and man). God overthrew the nation of Israel because she gloried in evil and rejected truth and godliness: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa 5:20) God will not exalt sin today, either (Prov 14:34).

     By framing the discussion of LGBT issues as “civil rights”, President Obama calls evil good. Opponents of LGBT conduct do not advocate or condone violence against the LGBT community by identifying their conduct as sinful and disgraceful (to themselves and to God, Rom 1:27). To conclude that one cannot object to homosexual behavior without being a “homophobe” who incites discrimination, hatred and violence against LGBTs is as wrong as concluding all who oppose abortion sanction the murder of Dr. Tiller, the pro-abortion doctor who was gunned down in Kansas on May 31!

Proclaiming June 2009 as LGBT Pride Month justifies the wicked in their evil. Homosexuality and all its derivatives is not worthy of honor. The city of Corinth was filled with homosexuality, but the light of the gospel shined in that dark place, “And, many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized” (Acts 26:18; 18:8). Among the “unrighteous” there who “would not inherit the kingdom of heaven” if they remained in their sin were the “effeminate” (KJV) and the “sodomites” (1 Cor 6:9). The first word (malakos, lit., soft) is used “of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness”. The second word (arsenokoites, sodomite) is used of “one who lies with a male as with a female”. Only when these sinners heard, believed and obeyed the gospel were their sins “washed” away (1 Cor. 6:11). The same is no less true today.

As our President likes to say; let me be clear: all such vile behavior (LGBT) is sin. Homosexuals dishonor their bodies among themselves (Rom 1:24). While the U.S. President exalts such immorality as worthy of honor, God’s word is clear; “such will not inherit the kingdom of heaven” (1 Cor 6:9).

The day has arrived when standing against the sin of homosexuality will subject Christians to persecution; not only from our fellow citizens, but also from our government. Although many may mock us for our faith in God’s word, like the prophet Jeremiah we must not shut our mouths (Jer 20:7-9). We must obey God rather than men; we cannot sanction such moral corruption (Acts 5:29; 2 Jno 9-11).

For example, one brother in Christ who works for the USDA shared a current memo from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in which all USDA Headquarter employees are encouraged “to attend the Department’s Gay and Lesbian Pride Month observance on June 4, and employees outside of the Washington D.C., area to hold and/or participate in appropriate Gay and Lesbian Pride Month Celebrations at their offices or worksites during the month of June.” Christians are indeed being affected! May God grant them (and us all) the courage of faith to withstand these pressures to compromise with evil.

Even now, the President’s proclamation attempts to condition Americans to fully accept this perverse conduct as normal. He proclaims: “Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration.”

While “LGBT Americans” are called out of the closet to places of honor by this administration, those who resist and speak out against these sins are being shoved into the closet! My fellow Christian, will we pledge loyalty to Caesar to protect our life and livelihood at the expense of faith? Or, will we “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” when persecution comes? (Rev 13:15-17; 14:12) That choice is being set before us even now.

God sent His Son to this world to save sinners from perishing, not to champion sin as a “civil right” (Jno 3:16). Those who justify the wicked in their wickedness are an abomination before God (Prov 17:15). Presidential proclamations will not change this sobering truth.

A nation that turns its back on God cannot long endure. America will not endure when righteousness collapses and sin is exalted by its leaders and its citizens (Prov 14:34).

Top

You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

Open Our Eyes that We May See

1. Elisha surrounded by Syrian forces; delivered by God’s power (2 Kgs 6:8-23).
2. Christians must live by faith; means making choices in life to flee sin and to pursue righteousness in faith, cf. 2 Cor 5:7; 1 Pet 1:8-9.
3. Our enemy is powerful and crafty (1 Pet 5:8-9); Our God is all-powerful and wise, Jas 4:7; 1 Jno 4:4. Keep faith in Him!

I. OPEN OUR EYES THAT WE MAY SEE…

  A. The Power of God.
    1. To create, Rom 1:18-21 (Ac 17:26-28)
    2. To save and protect, Exo 13:13, 30; cf. 2 Chrn 20:15-18 (21-30); Rom 8:30-39; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 1:6-9.
  B. The Power of Truth, Heb 4:12.
    1. Truth is an attribute of God, Deut 32:4 (Exo 34:6); Jno 14:6; 17:17.
    2. Power of truth, Jno. 16:8, 13; Rom 1:16; Eph 6:10-17.
  C. The Power of Love, 1 Pet 4:8.
    1. Power to forbear, forgive and bind together, Col 3:12-14.
    2. Power to overcome evil, Rom 12:19-21 (Matt 5:43-48).
  D. The Power of Unity in Christ, Col 3:12-17.
    1. Strength in unity (1 Cor 1:10); Eccl 4:9-12.
    2. Weakness of division, 1 Cor 3:3-4; Gal 5:13-15; 1 Cor 11:18, 30.
  E. The Power of Forgiveness, Matt 18:21-27.
    1. Reflective of God’s forgiveness, Eph 4:31-32 (Matt 6:12, 14-15).
    2. Power of forgiveness.
    3. Its influence, cf. Matt 18:28-31.

Conclusion
1. God’s power at our disposal as we walk by faith, Phil 2:12-13

Top

You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

God Shut the Door

1. The longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, 1 Pet 3:20.
2. Noah and family entered ark and God shut the door, Gen 7:16-24.
3. Teaching truth opens the door to heaven; door is shut by God when one does not obey in faith (Heb 11:7).

I. LESSONS FOR OUR CONSIDERATION.

  A. Sinners will be Punished for their Sins, Gen 6:11-13; Ro 2:2, 5-11.
  B. God Provides a Way of Escape from the Eternal Punishment of Sin.
  C. God is Gracious to those who Walk with Him, Gen 6:9, 22-7:1; Heb 11:7 (Eph 2:10).
  D. God (not Noah) Judged Who went into the Ark and Who Perished.
  E. There is No Partiality with God, Gen 7:23 (Rom 2:11).

II. WHO SHUTS THE DOOR TODAY?

  A. When We Preach/Practice the Plan of Salvation, Mk 16:15-16; Acts 2:38.
  B. When we Preach/Practice the Gospel Teaching of One True Church, Matt 16:18; Eph 1:21-22; 4:4.
  C. When we Preach and Practice the Benevolent Work of Local Church, Acts 11:27-30, et al.
  D. When we Preach/Practice the Word of Christ on Divorce and Remarriage, Matt 19:9; 5:32 (1 Cor 7:10-11).
   E. When we Preach/Practice Christ’s Teaching on Fellowship, 2 Jno 9-11 (2 Cor 6:14-7:1).

Conclusion

1. Jesus used the days of Noah as a reference point for “the days of the Son of Man” Lk. 17:26-27 (30) (judgment against Jerusalem’s sins).
2. Where will you be when God shuts the door at the Judgment Day?

Top

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Militancy or Silence?
Joe R. Price

The British are in their own struggle against attempts to silence faith from militant Islam and militant secularism.

     Bill Muehlenberg recently posted an opinion piece, “Is This the End of Christianity in England?” in which he warns against the increased Islamisation of England as well as the “the militant homosexual lobby” and its ongoing effort to silence the faith of Christians. Muehlenberg is Anglican, but his observations are astute and worth repeating here:

   “It is all about the privatisation of a faith which by its very nature is a most public faith. Believers are commanded to go into the whole world and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. But the secularist mafia want (sic) believers to be shut at up home in their little prayer closets, or have church services which have absolutely no bearing on the world around them.

   “Sorry, but that is not biblical Christianity. Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The secularists are seeking to de-salt Christianity and remove its light, hiding it under a barrow. This of course is the very thing Jesus said we should not be doing as believers (Matt. 5:13-16).
   “So these anti-Christian bigots are being quite sneaky about all this: “Sure, you can still practice your faith. Just make sure it impacts no one, affects nothing, and influences absolutely zippo. We are quite happy with a faith like that.”

   “This is a war of worldviews. Just as the early Christians clashed head-on with the ruling powers of the day, proclaiming Christ – not Caesar – as Lord, so too today we have a full-on battle taking place. The secularists want us to be a silent, obedient and docile bunch who do not ruffle any feathers or make any waves.”

   “But that just cannot be. It is said of the early church that they turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). That forever must be the true nature of the church of Jesus Christ.”

(Read Muehlenberg’s full article at: http://www.virtueonline. org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10538)

Top

Created by Chuck Sibbing.  06/13/2009