3 Reasons Why It's Okay To Be Narrow-Minded

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary the word 'narrow-minded' is defined as, not willing to accept opinions, beliefs, or behaviors that are unusual or different from your own. 

Culture has assimilated our thinking to believe that narrow-mindedness is bad. Perhaps when it comes to every single opinion, or every single subject, or every single dogma it is unacceptable. But when it comes to the area of religion, and especially soteriology (salvation), narrow-mindedness is not a bad thing. In fact, I argue three areas in which narrow-mindedness is good.

Narrow-mindedness defines the gospel

The gospel is exclusive. Jesus is the only way a person can have a relationship with God. By its definition that makes the gospel narrow-minded. Jesus Himself admonishes His hearers that the way to God is narrow

(Mt 7:13-14)  “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Jesus' narrowness did not stop there. In John 14:6, conversing with His disciples, He stated, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. 

Jesus left no room for any other way to have a relationship with God. He is it! He is the sole and only gate to the Father. His way is narrow and only those with a narrow mind to believe this will enter.

 Narrow-mindedness is logical

If Jesus is the only way to God then it is logical to say that no other religion can claim something different and be true at the same time Jesus' statement is true. It is the law of non contradiction. In other words, all religions CANNOT co-exist. We've all seen the bumper sticker. You know? The one in the picture below.

Containing all the symbols of the world's major religions, it is a statement that everyone should put aside their religious beliefs and live in harmony. However, it has become more about all religions being valid and no other religion is better than any other.

Religiously speaking this is a logical impossibility. Can peoples of different religions live together without blowing each other off the face of the planet? Absolutely! But different religions cannot all be true, for that would be a contradiction. If one is true then by logic the other cannot be. If Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh and the only way to have a relationship with the Father then His statement is either completely true or completely false. The claims of truth made must be able to be validated, and if they are it leaves no room for any other "truth" because nothing else will be true except the said, validated truth.

Narrow-mindedness is not a bad thing

Given that being narrow-minded in the area of absolute truth is essential then we must conclude that not all narrow-mindedness is bad. Everyone is narrow-minded in one way or another. Even those who are opposed to narrow-mindedness are narrow-minded of their narrow-minded peers, if you think about the definition given above. If you are not willing to accept my narrow-mindedness because it differs from your opinion, you are narrow-minded.

But standing for truth cannot be qualified as narrow-mindedness. Why? Because there is only one truth. And if that truth is absolute then there is no other truth. And if there is no other truth then it is not narrow-minded to claim that there is only one truth.

After all, either Jesus is who He claimed to be or He is not. He cannot be both God and not God at the same time (John 1:1, 8:58). He cannot be Savior and not Savior at the same time (Matt 1:21). He cannot atone for sins and not atone for sins at the same time (Heb 9:12). He cannot claim exclusivity and not claim exclusivity at the same time (John 14:6). Either He is, or He isn't (Heb 1:3). And that is the absolute truth!

Soli Deo Gloria
Steven

5 Things Christians Should Do in Response to the Supreme Court's Ruling on Homosexual Marriage

By now, every blogger in every corner of the Net has either written on or otherwise elaborated on yesterday's history-changing decision of the Supreme Court's ruling on homosexual marriage.  To boot, many Christians have responded with articles and blogposts about how Christians should respond. I don't propose to offer anything new or insightful, or even anything significant. But I would like to offer my two-cents worth on five things that I think that true (and I emphasize that word) Christians can do in response to this ruling.

1. Focus on the gospel (Rom 1:16, Mt 16:18). Politics will never change hearts and minds. Too many Christians have seemingly equated Christianity with political agendas. Do politicians make evil laws? Yes. Should we be salt and light against these laws? Again, a resounding yes! But to mistakenly believe that somehow Christian politics will cure the root of the problem is a faux belief and should be abandoned.
   
   But the gospel is different. It reaches a person at the deepest level. It cuts through all of their agendas, hatred, bigotry, and most importantly, it breaks every stronghold in their life, allowing them the freedom from their sin and self-destruction. What a powerful weapon we have in the gospel! It is the same gospel that turned Paul from a Christian-hating mongrel into one of the most beloved and Christian-loving apostles. No wonder Paul stated his unashamedness in the power of the gospel. The gospel raises dead souls to life. And that is what we as Christians need to focus on.
2. Evangelize (Acts 2:42-47, John 14:6). The one thing that stands out to me in the Acts 2 passage is verse 43, which states, "And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles." 
   
   The preceding verse tells us that the early believers were focused on two things: the apostles' teaching and the fellowship (doctrine & other believers) and prayer and breaking of the bread (supplication/intercession and the Lord's Supper). It's a very simple formula that the modern church needs to repeat once again. They were concerned about learning God's Word and then going to their neighbors and co-workers to share that word with them. It was bathed in fellowship with each other and prayer that was dependent upon the Holy Spirit's power.
   
   In other words, they were living church rather than playing church. And the result of their genuine efforts was, "And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."
3. Stand firm (2Tim 4:2, Eph 6:10-19). The gospel has always been an unpopular message. It is contradictory to the normal pattern of this world. This is why Paul instructed Timothy to continue to preach the Word even when it was unpopular. It is also why he exhorted the Ephesians to take up the whole armor of God.
   
   Christians, we too must continue to preach the word in season and out of season. Though we may be viewed as "freaks" and out of step with modern society, we must resolve that because God's Word never changes He will accomplish with it that which pleases Him.
4. Expect retaliation (John 15:18, Mt 5:11). There is one simple point I wanted to make with this one: expect lost people to act like lost people! Scripture clearly tells us that those who are unregenerate are alienated from God and therefore hate Him (John 7:7). Jesus warned His followers that because the world hated Him it would also hate them. Jesus lays this out well in the gospel of John : "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19).
   
   Expect the persecution to come, my brothers and sisters. Expect that the world will seek your property, your freedom, and maybe even your life.
   
   
   
   
5. Remain calm (Psalm 37:7, Psalm 46:10). Don't fret over the High Court's ruling. God is still God and He is still sovereign. David recognized this in both the preceding Psalms and quieted himself with this comfort. Remember that David was continually pursued by his enemies, and even his own son. But God finally gave him rest and brought him to the place that He had promised him. All David needed to do was to wait patiently for the Lord.
   
    The Lord has promised His people that He will come again and take us home to be with Him and the Father and the Spirit for eternity. He is in the midst of preparing a place for us that we may be forever free from the taint of our own sin and away from the sinfulness of the world into His holy and beautiful presence. Let us comfort one another with this thought. Let us remain calm and wait patiently for that day. 

Christ-less Self Examination, Judging My Salvation by My Sanctification

One of the most sobering questions a Christian can ask is, "How do I know I'm saved?" This is a question that every Christian has had to grapple with at one time or another.
If this is a question you're struggling with now, you're not alone. Many Christians are struggling with assurance, even to the point of despair.

Assurance Does Not Lie Within Us

Although the Bible does teach us that the sanctification process begins at conversion, and that every Christian should be becoming more and more like Christ, it doesn't make sanctification the primary test of one's salvation. Assurance does not lie within us, but outside of us.
For years I was told, and I taught, that the key to assurance of salvation, i.e. "how do I know I'm saved," lied in self examination. In other words, I know I'm saved if I'm progressing in my sanctification.
So, I need to look at my works to see whether or not I'm becoming more and more holy. If I'm not, well, it could mean that I'm not a genuine Christian. If I am, then there's good evidence I'm really saved.
This is what I call "Christless self examination," a looking away from Christ as my substitute in life and in death, and a constant looking within to see if there is any evidence of conversion.

The Way to Despair

What a horrible way to live the Christian life. Living this way will either lead to despair or even worse, spiritual pride.
Sanctification, the process of becoming holy, can be a tricky thing.
First, not everyone grows at the same rate. Certain sins can take a long time to be rooted out. But even the process of dropping particular sins from one's life doesn't mean a person is holy. I know plenty of unsaved moral people.
Second, how do you measure spiritual growth between say, someone who was converted as a child and never had to deal with certain outward immoral behaviors, and someone converted from a long life of immoral behavior?
And third, how do you know whether or not your "holiness" is nothing more than legalism? There's a big difference between obedience to biblical commands, and obedience to personal standards.

Assurance Lies in Christ's Work for Us

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for holiness. The Bible makes it clear that we should:

Hebrews 12:14 (ESV) Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Romans 8:29 (ESV) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

What I am saying is that our assurance lies in Christ's work for us, not in our works for Him.

Just and Sinner

Every Christian has to deal with the problem of indwelling sin. And because we are at the same time just and sinner, we need to know where to look when we blow it. And we will blow it.
The answer to assurance lies outside of us to something objective, the work of Christ on our behalf.
The work of Christ was twofold, active and passive. Active in that He obeyed the entire Law of God perfectly on our behalf, and passive in that he paid the penalty God required from us for breaking His Law by "bearing our sins in His body on the tree," 1Pet. 2:24.
The work that Christ did for us is objective. It actually happened. All of our sins were punished at the cross. The judgment of God against our sins has already taken place. Christ was judged on our behalf. No more judgement remains for us.
Looking to the objective work of Christ alone is what gives us great comfort and assurance. Looking to the subjective work of our sanctification can be deceptive.

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Jesus Did Not Die to Fulfill God's Wonderful Plan for Your Life

I listen to Christian radio sometimes while I'm driving. I'm not too big on Contemporary Christian Music, but I do enjoy some of the worship and praise songs that my local station plays on occasion; occasion being the key word, there. Most times, I hear self-absorbed, self-centered music with a few God and Jesus lyrics thrown in for good measure.

Because our culture has been on an ever spiraling decline of selfishness the church has seemed to follow suit. With a large majority of churches now catering sermons about self-help and improving your life in general, it didn't take too long for Christian music to pick up the mantle. I'm certainly not accusing all Christian artists of being plagued with the self-help mentality, but by and large a good number of songs reflect the current trend of our culture.

For example, just on the way home today I heard song with the lyrics (I'm paraphrasing) that talked about trusting God because, "what else do you have to loose; you were made for something more." Of course, there is nothing maniacal at all with those words. But I still have a problem with it. A HUGE problem!

My problem is that the gospel has been reduced to Jesus dying simply to fulfill God's plan for your life. Since the majority of songs that I hear reflect this same thing it is no surprise that many Christians have bought into this lie! I am sorry to inform you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, but Jesus did not die fulfill God's wonderful plan for your life.
Jesus did not die to heal your broken heart because your boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with you.
Jesus did not die to give you a second shot at fulfilling your dreams.
Jesus did not die to give you better self-esteem.
Jesus did not die so that you could pursue a dream of becoming the next American idol.

Jesus died for a specific purpose. What was it? Scripture tells us that:

1. Jesus died to satisfy the wrath of God due to His elect people (Isa 53:5, 10, 1John 2:2)
2. Jesus died to demonstrate the justice of God in punishing sin and imputing righteousness to the undeserving (Rom 3:21-26)
3. Jesus died to save His own people from their sin (Mt 1:21)
4. Jesus died fulfill the Law for sinners because it was impossible for us to meet the demands ourselves (Gal 3:10-14)
5. Jesus died to show His incomparable love to humanity (Eph 2:1-9)
6. Jesus died to to make His people His workmanship (Eph 2:10)
7. Jesus died to reconcile sinners to God (Rom 5:10)
8. Jesus died to present His people as holy and blameless unto the Father (Jude 24-25)

I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. The most important thing to remember is that Jesus died for the glory of God! So the next time you're sharing the gospel with someone please, please, please, do not tell them that Jesus died so that He could fulfill God's wonderful plan for their life. Just tell them that Christ died to save sinners. 

Keep on standing for truth,

Steven

5 Reasons Why Hell Is a Message of LoveSteven Long 9/21/13

Condemnation; judgment; unloving; mean-spirited.

These are the words that usually come to mind when a person hears another talking about the subject of Hell. And these are the first accusations that are laid upon my fellow open air preachers when we attempt to share the Gospel of Grace with them. It seems that most people cannot get past the part of the bad news long enough to hear the good news; that is, that Christ came to save us from Hell!

The sad reality is that most open air preachers have been lumped together with all the other shock-and-awe preachers. We have been labeled and lumped together in this "hate batter" because of the actions of a few other individuals. For example, a preacher and his crew entered a Muslim festival in Dearborne, MI a couple of years ago and walked around with a fake pig's head on a stick! [source 1- their video], [source 2 - pig's head]. They were immediately met with hostility; and no wonder! Of course, you will never see the pig's head or offensive signs in their video but Reuben Israel and his band of "evangelists" (I use that word loosely) are infamous for these kinds of actions. How grotesque! And how do they expect to reach Muslims with the gospel of Christ when they pull stunts like this? This one incident alone may be the cause of Dearborne from truly ever being reached for the gospel for a long time to come. Anyone who claims the Name of Christ at this festival will always be looked upon with suspicion.

This must not, however, keep Christians from preaching about the coming doom of unbelievers. While they may continue to call us haters, bigots, unkind, unloving, and a slough of other things we must not give up hope that God is sovereign and His Word shall accomplish that which [He will] purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which [He] sent it (Isa 55:11).

For this reason I would like to propose to you, believer, 5 reasons why preaching about Hell is actually a message of love. After each reason I will give a few verses in parentheses for further reading and consideration:

Firstly, it warns the unbeliever of pending judgment. Scripture is clear that life after this earth is inevitable. Hebrews 9:27 states, It is appointed unto man once to die; and after this, the judgement. As uncomfortable as it is for you to think or talk about judgment, it is a reality! We cannot escape it. We must all stand before Christ to give an account of our actions. NOT talking about judgment doesn't make it go away. So be bold. Note, that I said 'bold' not 'arrogant.' (2Pe 2:9, 2Pe 3:7, 2Cor 5:10, Re 20:12, 2Thess 1:7-8).

Secondly, it reminds the unbeliever of his/her mortality. The brevity of life is talked about throughout Scripture. It never hides the fact that our lives will one day end. In fact, it often describes our life as "vapor," indicating just how quickly life can end. A year and a half ago I myself was reminded just how quickly life can end. (Proverbs 27:1, Psa 90:12, Psa 104:29, Jas 4:13-14).

Thirdly, it exemplifies the love with which Christ loved the world. Christ came into the world to save sinners; to seek and to save that which was lost; to reconcile men to God. The demonstration and humility in which He displayed this love is insurmountable. Christ, very God, became very man in order to save His people and present them before God. Scripture declares God's love for His people. It describes it as an everlasting love. The cross is the culmination of that love. But how does this tie in with Hell being a message of love? Simply put, as Hebrews 10:26-27 states that once there is knowledge of Christ's sacrifice then there is nothing left to cover sin. In short, a person's only hope is Christ's love demonstrated on the cross (Ro 5:8, John 3:16, Eph 2:4-5, 1Thess 1:4).

Fourthly, it demonstrates God's unwavering justice Justice was done at the cross! It is hard to fathom but nevertheless it is true. But it was not justice in our traditional sense. In our realm the guilty party pays the fine, goes to jail, or otherwise is expected to pay retribution. But in God's world it was the guilty that went free while the innocent paid the price. The dear Lamb of God, perfect, holy, and sinless, was the payment of His people's sin in order to propitiate God's wrath from us. In fact, Scripture tells us that it pleased the Father to bruise His Son for us. And we are clearly told that justice was accomplished on behalf of the elect. God was just in punishing sin but He was also merciful in pardoning the guilty and imputing His Son's righteousness (Romans 3:21-26).

Fifthly, because Jesus spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven. Our culture has turned Jesus into this super nice guy that always loved and never said a harsh word to anyone. This picture has led many to believe that such a nice guy would never condemn anyone by mentioning the 'H' word. But the truth of the matter is that Jesus spoke more about judgment and Hell than He did about Heaven and eternal life with Him. Most critics of this fact would try to point out that most of Jesus' harsh words came to the religous hypocrites. But some of His harshest sayings came to the crowds that followed Him (cf, Luke 14:25 ff, John 6:22 ff). Jesus was clear about what happened in the afterlife. He spoke of those who were unbelievers as being in outer darkness, a place of torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth, and never ending punishment. His words were sobering and a harsh reality for those who only perceive Him as a "nice guy." (Luke 16:19-31, Mt 8:12, Mt 22:1-14, Mt 25:30)

While it may be hard thing to digest talking about Hell is not an unloving thing. In fact, it is the most loving thing that a person can do. If you knew a person was in imminent danger and you refused to warn that person because you were afraid to "offend" him then you would be doing the opposite of loving: you would be hating that person by letting him wander off into his own destruction.

So be brave, Christians and continue to plead with those that are still lost. But at the same time make sure you speak with love and grace, and most of all with a humble spirit. Amen!

Links to Make You Think

Here are this week’s links to make you think:
"Jesus comes to us, having qualified, competed, and won. He doesn’t give us work to do, he gives us a work completed. He hands us the gold medal he’s won, and we find that it’s inscribed with our name. His victory is attributed to us."
"In this four minute video, Pastor Tullian suggests that, really, there’s no such thing as a strong Christian. Christianity isn’t about our strength…it’s about Christ’s."
The death of Robin Williams was tragic, and many asking "why?" Here is a good post by Just and Sinner entitled "Why Did Robin Williams Die?"
Is it ever ok to attend a "gay wedding?"

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Do Not Play With the Dagger that Stabbed our Lord

Sin is the Dagger that stabbed our Lord. At the cross He experienced the shame and guilt that should have been ours. And it was ours. Our sin was there, upon Christ. All of the vile thoughts and deeds that we have ever done were placed on Him. Christ hung on a tree absorbing every drop of wrath due us. How then can we live in it any longer (Rom. 6:1-2)? Christ not only died to pay the penalty for sin, but to deliver us from it as well. Let us remember the infinite price that was paid for our freedom, and let us flee from every sin that Christ died to set us free from.

Here is a portion of a sermon by Charles Spurgeon entitled "The Object of Christ's Death." You can find the entire sermon here. I pray it helps you in the worship of our Lord this Sunday morning.
The answer of the text is, "He gave himself." I will not say that he gave his royal crown, that diadem which did outshine the sun; I will not say that he laid aside his azure rest, and hung it on the sky as he came down to earth; I will not say that he gave up for us the thrones and royalties of heaven. You know that he did all this, and far more; nor need I remind you that, when upon earth, he gave up all that he had, even to his last garment, for they parted his raiment among them, and for his vesture did they cast lots. I need not say that he gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, nor that he gave his hands to the nails, and his feet to the cruel iron. I need not say that he gave his body, his soul, and his spirit, but you have it all in these three words: "He gave himself."

"He gave himself for our sins." That is the wonder of Christ's death, our sins could not be put away except by his dying in our stead. There was no expiation of our sin, and consequently no deliverance from its condemnation, except by Christ's bearing in our room, and place, and stead, that wrath of God which was due to us; and he did do it. "He gave himself for our sins." I need not say more upon that point except just this. Do not, I pray you, let us permit him in any sense or measure to fail of his supreme object. "He gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world," therefore, out of gratitude to him, if for no other reason, let us not be of the world, and like the world, servants of the world, slaves of the world. What! did Christ die to deliver us from the world, and do we go back to it, and deliberately put our necks under the world's yoke, and wear the world's yoke, and become again the world's slaves? I am ashamed of myself, and of you, whenever we for a moment act as the ungodly world acts, and become as the world is, self-seeking, rebellious against God's will, living contrary to the divine law of Christ. Oh, let every drop of blood he shed on Calvary purge you from all resemblance to the world! Let the dying Savior's cries move you to hate the sin which the world loves; from Calvary, hear him cry, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing." By the blood with which he bought you, be ye not of the world, seeing that he hath redeemed you from among men that you might be altogether his own.
How does the death of Christ deliver us from the world? It does this by removing from us the condemnation of our sin. Having borne our sins in his own body on the tree, Christ has for ever freed us from the penalty that was our due. You know that is the very essence of the gospel; and you also know that I preach this truth every time I stand here, so I need not enlarge upon it now.
Christ has also delivered us from the world by making sin hateful to us. We say to ourselves, "Did sin kill Christ? Then we cannot play with that dagger that stabbed our Lord. How can we be friendly with the world that cast him out, and hanged him on a tree? O murderous sin, how can I give thee lodgment in my heart when thou didst kill the altogether lovely One?" Men speak hard things of regicides, but what shall I say of deicides? And sin is that deicide which slew the Christ of God; yet, marvel of marvels, by that death on the cross he hath crucified us to the world, and the world unto us, and so he has delivered us from this present evil world.
I may add that Christ has also delivered us from the world by the splendor of his example in giving himself to die for his enemies, and by the glory of his infinite merit, whereby he purchased back that image of God in Adam which sin had obliterated. He gave himself, the very image of God, and more than that, God himself, that he might give back to us that image of God which long ago we had lost. Thus has Christ delivered us from this present evil world; judge ye, sirs, whether he has thus delivered you.

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4 Theological Flaws of Joseph Prince

Joseph Prince, Pastor of New Creation Church in Singapore, is becoming extremely popular in the Word of Faith movement. His popularity comes because of his teaching on grace. Even Word of Faith heretic Creflo Dollar seems to be jumping on the grace wagon lately.

The problem with Prince is not his teaching on grace. He teaches correctly that it is only the work of Christ on our behalf that saves, not our works. He also makes it clear that the Law has no power to to make us holy. However, there are huge theological problems with his teaching. The main problem is that he teaches the heretical Prosperity Gospel, mixing Word of Faith Theology with grace. The Prosperity Gospel is a false gospel. So even though Prince is clear when it comes to the work of Christ for sinners, he teaches that because of Christ's work, the sinner is not only forgiven, accepted and loved by God, but is entitled, and should pursue health, wealth, and prosperity. This is heresy. This is mixing the Word of Faith prosperity heresy with the gospel. Not only is this a problem, but there are other theological problems with his teaching as well. Here are four that you need to be aware of.

1. The problem with repentance

In his book Destined to Reign Prince says this about repentance
"For all of you who feel that there should be more preaching on repentance, do you know what the word ‘repent' means in the first place? The word ‘repent' is the Greek word matanoeo, which according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, simply means ‘to change one's mind.' But because we have been influenced by our denominational background as well as our own religious upbringing, many of us have the impression that repentance is something that involves mourning and sorrow. However, that is not what the Word of God says. Repentance just means changing your mind."
Prince is not being honest with the Greek word metanoeo. Here are the Strong's definitions of the word
Greek Definition
g3341. μετάνοια metanoia; from 3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication, reversal (of (another's) decision): — repentance.AV (24) - repentance 24;a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done
Notice the word compunction in the definition. Here is the English definition for compunction:
Webster -Compunction: a feeling of guilt or regret ( chiefly US)
Full Definition
1 a : anxiety arising from awareness of guilt b : distress of mind over an anticipated action or result 2 : a twinge of misgiving : scruple synonyms see penitence, qualm com·punc·tious -shəs adjective
So, to repent does not just simply mean "to change ones mind." There is much more to it than that. The word that Prince used in his above statement makes this even more clear.
Repent: metanoeo: "to think differently or afterwards to reconsider (morally feel compunction) To change ones mind. To change ones mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of ones past sins."
As you can see, this definition means more than simply "to change ones mind.

How did Christ define the Gospel?

Luke 24:45-47 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Christ makes it clear that repentance and the forgiveness of sins is to be preached. In other words, we must preach Law and Gospel. No one can be saved without repentance. A gospel without repentance is no gospel at all.

Examples of repentance from Scripture

Matthew 11:20-24 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."
Acts 26:19-20 "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
2 Corinthians 12:21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

2. The problem with discipline

Joseph Prince says that Believers are never punished for their sins
"You will never find an example of God punishing a believer for his sins in the new covenant." ( chapter 5, p 57, Destined to Reign)
There is no tension between temporal and eternal punishment. The Scriptures speak of both. The eternal punishment for sins has been taken care of by Christ at the cross. However there are several examples of God's discipline of His children in the NT.

Examples from Scripture

Hebrews 12:5-6 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
"chastise" in the Greek means "to scourge"
Acts 5:3-6 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
1 Corinthians 11:28-30 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

3. The problem with suffering

Being a Word of Faith teacher, Prince has made, and continues to make numerous statements about God's desire for Christians to be healthy.
The problem with this thinking is that Scripture is replete with passage that state the opposite. What about passages that actually promote suffering in the Christian life? There are also passages that speak of Christians suffering sickness.

Examples from Scripture

Suffering in general
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Revelation 2:10-11 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
Suffering because of sickness
2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.
Why didn't Paul heal Trophimus? Is it not God's will that all of His people be healed?
1 Timothy 5:23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)
Why didn't the Apostle Paul have someone lay hands on Timothy to heal him from his frequent ailments? Also notice Timothy's ailments were frequent.
Galatians 4:13-15 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
Certainly of all people, the Apostle Paul could have healed his own "bodily ailment" right? Wasn't it his handkerchief that brought healing to the sick in Acts 19?
Acts 19:11-12. And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

What about our brothers and sisters around the world suffering persecution

Dozens of Christians in the village of Attagara, Nigeria, were killed in two separate attacks carried out by Boko Haram militants on June 1 and 3. Militants dressing in army clothing shot and slashed people while bombing and burning homes. One of the assaults lasted for more than five hours.

4. The problem with money

In chapter one of Destined to Reign, Prince states that God calls His people to enjoy wealth.
"You are destined to reign in life. You are called by the Lord to be a success, to enjoy wealth, to enjoy health and to enjoy a life of victory. It is not the Lord's desire that you live a life of defeat, poverty, and failure."
This is heresy. The Bible is against storing up treasures on earth, and seeking worldly pleasure.

Examples from Scripture

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
1 Timothy 3:2-3 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay Up Treasures in Heaven "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:15 And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.
Keep in mind, Joseph Prince has no problem calling himself a Word of Faith preacher. Here are some of the heretical teachings of the Word of Faith movement.
1. Adam was created a little god.
2. God used the "force of faith" to create the universe, and continue to use the "force of faith" to accomplish His work on earth today.
3. Man sold his godhood to Satan when he fell, making Satan the god of this world.
4. Because of this God lost all control in the earth realm and is reliant on man. God needs an invitation by man in order to work out His plans.
5. According to Kenneth Copeland, this made God "the biggest failure in all the Bible."
6. The reason it took Christ so long to come is because it took God this long to find people to cooperate with His plan to take back control of the earth from Satan.
7. Christ's atoned for our sins in hell and not on the cross.
8. Jesus ceased to be the Son of God at the cross, taking on the nature of Satan.
9. Jesus was born again in hell, in other words, He had to be saved just as we do today.
10. Because God conquered Satan through the death of Christ, we are entitled to health, wealth, and prosperity.
11. The Christian is now a little god.
As you can see, these are dangerous teachings. Does Joseph Prince believe these teachings? I must assume so since he calls himself a Word of Faith preacher. Even if he doesn't believe the majority of these teachings, he's still guilty by association since he promotes and preaches in their churches.




Here is a PDF paper on Joseph Prince written by Lisa Cooper entitled ,"The Law is Holy, Just, and Good." Lisa Cooper does a fantastic job showing through her extensive research how Joseph Prince is not only a Prosperity Preacher, but also an antinomian.

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The Cup of Wrath: A Sermon

This is a sermon I preached at Capital City Rescue Mission on July 19, 2014.

 

Matthew 26:36-46 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

The point of this passage is the anguish, terror and suffering of of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Listen to His words spoken to His disciples in verse 38.

Verse 38 "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death."

The KJV says, "exceeding sorrowful." the word "sorrowful" in the Greek carries the idea of being "overcome with sorrow so much as to cause one's death." And this is exactly what Christ says in verse 38.

Why is He overcome with sorrow? Why is He suffering such extreme terror and anguish? The answer is found in the very next verse.

Verse 39, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me..."

What is the "cup" referring to? It refers to the cup of God's wrath.

The word "cup" that Christ uses often signifies the wrath of God in the Bible. For instance Isa 51:17; Job 21:20; Ps 11:6; Ps 75:8; Jer 25:15

Christ was about to suffer the wrath of God for sinners. He was about to drink the "cup" of God's wrath intended for you and me?

Think about it for a moment. This holy and righteous man. God in the flesh, who was from eternity in sweet fellowship and communion with His Father, One who had never sinned, nor had ever experienced any guilt over sin whatsoever was about to experience the full weight of His Father's wrath for sins that were not His own. And not just a a few sins, but the sins of the whole world!

This terrified Him. Why? Wayne Grudem in His book Systematic Theology

Now Jesus was perfectly holy. He hated sin with his entire being. The thought of evil, of sin, contradicted everything in his character. Far more than we do, Jesus instinctively rebelled against evil. Yet in obedience to the Father, and out of love for us, Jesus took on himself all the sins of those who would someday be saved. Taking on himself all the evil against which his soul rebelled created deep revulsion in the center of his being.

Having to take upon Himself our sins brought Christ overwhelming sorrow.

Think about the many times your own soul was overcome with sorrow from your own sins. Think about all the times you felt the weight of your own guilt and shame over the sins you committed. How horrible you felt. All of us with a conscience have experienced this.

Now imagine Christ, the holy One, Creator of the Universe, second Person of the Trinity, the God Man, perfect in righteousness and purity, about to take upon Himself the disgusting, putrid, rebellion and sin of the world "in his body on a tree," 1Peter 2:24, 2Cor 5:21

But not only did Christ suffer overwhelming sorrow over bearing our sins in His sinless body, He also trembled in anguish over bearing the full weight of the wrath of Almighty God. Listen again to Wayne Grudem:

As Jesus bore the guilt of our sins alone, God the Father, the mighty Creator, the Lord of the universe, poured out on Jesus the fury of his wrath: Jesus became the object of the intense hatred of sin and vengeance against sin which God had patiently stored up since the beginning of the world....at the cross the fury of all that stored-up wrath against sin was unleashed against God's own Son.

God's wrath against sin is so terrible that it brought Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, to such anguish that His sweat was like great drops of blood, Luke 22:44. If the wrath of God terrified Christ for sins that were not His own, imagine the terror that sinners will face as they suffer the full wrath of God for their own sins.

Now, I want to apply this passage to three potential groups of people:

1. To those whom the Holy Spirit has awakened. You know that you are a sinner, and that you deserve the wrath of God. The judgement of God makes you tremble and quake with fear. You may even be questioning whether or not God will forgive you because your sins are too great. I want to encourage you not to be afraid to come to Christ. The reason that you feel the terror and guilt of sin is because God has awakened you, and if He has awakened you He will definitely save you. The arms of Christ are wide open. He has already drank the cup of wrath for your sins. He has already had the punishment of God poured out on Him for your sins. He was your substitute on the cross. Since He has already suffered for your sins, it is impossible for Him to turn you away.

Listen to His comforting words in John 6:37. He promises that He will never drive away anyone who comes to Him. God requires two things from us. First, that we obey His Law perfectly, without flaw. And second, that their be punishment for every sinner who breaks His Law at any point. This is bad news because all of us have failed to keep His Law, and are deserving of punishment. But there is good news! Because the very God who demands we keep His Law has done for us what He requires from us. He sent His Son to keep His Law for us. And then to go to the cross and suffer the punishment for every time we broke His Law! Again, it is impossible for Him to turn you away, because He has already drank the cup of wrath for you. The Father will gladly receive you, because His anger has already been poured out on His precious Son. Now by faith and faith alone you may receive this precious gift of forgiveness free of charge because Christ has paid the full cost required for your forgiveness!

2. The Second group I would like to speak to are Christians who are struggling with sin. Every Christian struggles with sin, and any one who claims to be a Christian and says that they don't struggle probably is not a Christian, 1John 1:8. Christians can find great comfort and encouragement in this passage because Christ drank the cup of wrath. We never have to fear that because we struggle with a particular sin, or sins that God will put us on a shelf, or even abandon us. Satan however, often whispers in our ears saying, "Now look what you've done. You have gone too far now. God is angry with you beyond measure. He will never forgive you for this sin. He has given you chance after chance and you've blown it again! Don't even bother going to Him for forgiveness. You are ruined. You might as well just quit." Now it is true. When a Believer sins he or she does bring displeasure to the Father. But that should never discourage us from coming to Him forgiveness and mercy. Remember, He is no longer our great Judge, but our loving Father. His discipline in our lives is for our good. Hebrews 12:5. God will not put His children on a shelf, or abandon them. He will not waste the precious blood of His Son. Christ drank the cup of wrath for all the sins of God's people. We have the promise of Philippians 1:6. We also have the assurance of our election: Ep. 1:4. Those whom the Father elected, or chose before the foundation of the world He will not ever abandon. We have these preciouse promises that speak of our election and are meant to bring us great encouragement and comfort; Ro. 8:28-29; 2Th 2:13. Election is meant to give us great encouragement by showing us that,

1. Our salvation is not dependent upon us.

2. God will never abandon His elect children that He forknew before the creation of the world.

3. The third group that I want to speak to are those here tonight who could care a less about what I am saying up here. Christ means nothing to you, and sin is a small matter to you. You love your sin, and you hate your Creator. You may have had some seemingly godly desires in the past, but those desires have been for your own personal gain. God's wrath doesn't scare you, and there is no fear of God before your eyes. This should terrify you because it means that God hasn't awakened you to your sin. Jesus trembled over bearing the wrath of God for the sins of the world. The Holy, Righteous One, the Creator of the world trembled over the wrath of God for sins that were not His own; How much more should we tremble for the sins that we have committed. Pray that God will awaken your hearts tonight so that you will be saved. Pray that God would show you your sinful state and would grant you repentance, because repentance is a gift from Him; 2Tim 2:25; Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18.

So again, tonight, you whom the Spirit has awakened, believe that Christ died in your place, repent of your sins and be saved!

And you who are saved, but are struggling with sin, remember, the loving arms of the Father are waiting for you, no matter how many times you have blown it! He will forgive you because Christ has already suffered for your sins. Don't be afraid to return to Him

And finally, you who are mocking this message in your heart, you have no guarantee that you will not meet your Maker tonight. "What is your life? It is but a vapor that appears for a moment and then vanishes away." I assure you, if you die tonight having rejected the only way of salvation you will stand in judgment before God for your sins, and be cast into hell until that final day when you will be thrown in the lake of fire. Repent, and turn to Christ that you may be saved! Amen.

 

 

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5 Reasons Why Morality Won't Save You

Why is it that so many sermons, teachings, and even blog posts are about a moralistic Jesus that always did good deeds but wasn't concerned too much about doctrine. Why has doctrine become such a dirty word in our day? I even saw a blog post this morning called 5 Ways You Can Spot a Jesus Follower. According to this blogger Gandhi could have been a "Jesus follower". They forget that our Lord talked much about doctrine. He was concerned about truth. And the whole reason He came was to work for us, not have us work for Him. They focus specifically on the moral acts of Jesus not understanding that these acts were for us. These moral acts of Christ would one day be applied to all of God's elect by faith. So here are 5 reasons why morality won't save us.

1. All are born in Adam

1Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die.....
We all have two major problems. First, Adam’s sin is counted as our sin. As our Representative Adam was acting on our behalf. When he sinned we sinned. God counted his disobedience in the garden as our disobedience. This means that even if we never committed any sin of our own, we would not be innocent. Our Representative failed therefore we failed (Romans 5:12-14). Second, we inherited Adams nature. Because of this we are all born dead in our trespasses and sins. We are slave to sin and children of the devil. So to try to do good before a Holy God is futile. Our works are tainted with sin.

2. God demands perfect obedience to His Law

Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
God does not grade on a curve. There are no second chances. His standard is perfection. James makes it clear that if we keep the whole Law and yet fail in just one point, we are guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10).
So if it were possible for you to go throughout your entire life loving God with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself and then right at the end of your life have a covetous thought, everything good you have done up to that point will count as nothing. Failure to obey the Law at one point is failure to obey it at all points.

3. The Law was not given for the purpose of salvation

Romans 5:20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
The Law has no power to make us obey. As a matter of fact the more we try to obey it the harder it becomes to obey. This is because the purpose of the Law is to show us our sin and not to save us (Romans 3:20). Paul speaks about his struggle with obeying the Law even as a Christian. He says in verses 14 and 15 "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." At the end of the chapter he cries out "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" Then he gives the answer, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" The Gospel is what fuels our obedience, not the Law.


4. Christ obeyed the Law for us

Just as Adam was the Representative of the entire human race, so Christ represented those He came to save. Adam was placed in the garden by God and given this one command: Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Adam broke God's Law and as a result plunged the entire human race into sin. Christ came as the New Adam (1Corinthians:15:45) and kept all of God's commands. He represented us by doing what none of us could ever do, keep the entire Law perfectly. This is freeing news! God has done for us what He demands from us, perfect obedience to his Law, and punishment for every time we broke His Law. Christ did both as our Substitute.

5. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone

God has provided for us in Christ something we could have never achieved for ourselves- perfect righteousness. This righteousness is outside of us. It is not something that comes from us. It is a gift given to us for free.
Romans 5:17 For if, because of one man 's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Any non Christian can do "good works." Morality will never save. Only the work of Christ on your behalf received by faith will save!

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7 Reasons Why God Does Not Accept the Homosexual Lifestyle

Before I state the reasons let me start by saying that real Christians struggle with the sin of homosexuality. The key word is struggle. They fight against sinful desires in order to obey their Savior. Christians fight sin. Whether it is lust, drunkenness, slander, gossip, laziness, pride, or homosexuality the Christian must fight the evil desires that still reside within, even after being regenerated by the Spirit of God. So in this post I'm not saying their aren't genuine born again Believers who struggle with same sex attraction. That being said, the Bible is clear about it’s position on homosexuality. Here are seven reasons why God does not accept the homosexual lifestyle. Again the key word in the last sentence being "lifestyle."

1.God created man and woman

I know this may sound simplistic but creation itself testifies against homosexuality. God did not create another man for Adam. He created a woman. The command that God gave both the man and woman was to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth and subdue it:
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Two men or two woman cannot multiply. The parts don't fit. God did not design the male body with the capacity to join with another male body in the proper way. The woman was designed for the man, and the man for the woman.

2.God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the sin of homosexuality

"Gay Christian" advocates will say that God destroyed Sodom for being inhospitable to others as well as not aiding the poor. They get this from from Ezekiel 16:49.
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom:she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.
Now certainly these were grievous sins. But what "Gay Christians" do not quote is the next verse:
Ezekiel 16:50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.
The Hebrew word for "abomination" is to‘eba. It's the same word used in Leviticus 18:22 where God calls the sin of homosexuality an abomination- to‘eba: Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination-to‘eba.

3.God destroyed the surrounding nations for sins such as homosexuality

The nation of Israel was commanded to drive out and destroy the inhabitants of the land of Canaan for such sins as, human sacrifice, bestiality, and homosexuality.
Leviticus 18:22-24 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it:it is perversion. "Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean,
Notice homosexuality is one of the abominations for which God is driving out the surrounding nations and giving them to Israel.

4.Jesus only recognized marriage between a man and a woman

Mark 10:6-9 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. ’ ‘ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."
Notice what Christ says- "from the beginning God made them male and female." There was never any intention on the part of God for a male to be with a male or a female with a female. He also said that "the two shall become one flesh." Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman. This is something "God has joined together" and His command is "let not man separate." Gay marriage destroys the covenantal relationship of marriage.

5.Jesus never mentioned the homosexual lifestyle.

This is the common objection by the homosexual. The argument goes like this: "Since Jesus never even mentioned homosexuality you have no right to use Him in your arguments against it." The problem for the homosexual is that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality. Weren't there homosexuals in His day that wanted what homosexuals want in our day, just to be accepted? Since people are supposedly born gay shouldn't Jesus have addressed the issue? Shouldn't He have stood up for the rights of gay people who were obviously treated worse than they are today? And yet He said nothing. Since "sexual orientation is from birth" homosexuals are born the way they are right? And yet nowhere does Jesus even mention it. Which brings us to the next reason.

6.Nothing positive is ever said about homosexuality in the Bible

Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
Romans 1:26-27 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Notice the phrase "and such were some of you." Why would Paul say this if "men who practice homosexuality" were not in sin? "Were" is past tense. These are people who were saved out of the sins listed in this passage which includes homosexuality.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
Jude 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

7. Homosexuality undermines the gospel

How can those in the Church who accept the gay lifestyle as normative preach the gospel to homosexuals, or anyone for that matter, without destroying the gospel? In order to preach the gospel correctly, the way Jesus intended it to be preached, you must preach repentance!
Luke 24:44-47 Then he said to them, " These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, " Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
How can the Gospel be presented without repentance? It can't. The Gospel apart from repentance is a false gospel. Accepting and affirming the gay lifestyle is cruel and unloving. It leaves a person in their sin and will ultimately condemn them to hell.














For more information on this topic, listen to the debate between Michael Brown and Mattew Vines:

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