| If we accept the Bible as the literal Word of God, | | | | principles is self-destructive (1 John 3:4; Ezek. 18:31). |
| and believe that God says what He means and | | | | God forbids any hanky-panky, plain and simple! He |
| means what He says, then we can't escape the fact | | | | doesn't target homosexuals or put them first in the |
| that God expressly forbids any premarital or | | | | line-up of sex-offenders (1 Cor. 6:9).We need to put |
| extramarital sex. The Bible doesn't fool around, it | | | | everything in context, within perspective and Biblical |
| gets straight to the point. The Hebrew God isn't shy. | | | | focus. Too often today, especially on the too many |
| He's also not ashamed of the anatomy He's equipped | | | | talk-shows (Mat. 12:36), things are too easily |
| humans with. He pulls no punches and doesn't allow | | | | distorted, twisted, and confused. These vital issues |
| anyone to pervert His plans. Within the Instruction | | | | are usually viewed from the wrong angle, broached |
| Manual that God gave to Israel (to give to the | | | | with dishonest motivations and questioned by |
| world), were explicit blueprints for building successful | | | | prejudiced people (Gen. 3:1). How they live for the |
| relationships between both God and man. That | | | | applause of their "broad-minded" crowd (John 12:34)! |
| scriptural foundation assures us of strong and stable | | | | Generally, you can't reason with such a |
| bonds, blessed by God (Ps. 127:1). Anything that | | | | mob-mentality or argue with their sick minds (Mat. |
| contradicts God's building codes undermines and | | | | 7:6). God condemns those "enlightened" hosts who |
| condemns itself.The Bible bluntly states: 1) There's no | | | | turn things upside down (Isa. 5:20; 2 Cor. 11:14). |
| room in its quarters for "gay rights." Homosexuality | | | | Regardless of their ratings or rantings, they're not |
| isn't within the bounds of acceptable behavior. It's | | | | too popular with God. We don't have to remain |
| practice isn't permissible within the Christian Camp and | | | | slaves to sin. Christ can set us free (John 8:36). |
| will quickly find itself dumped outside of the City limits | | | | Should the living dwell among the dead (John 5:25)? |
| (Rev. 22:15). Anyone who dares to defy this ban | | | | Why stay down and out, when you're able to |
| automatically excludes himself from society at large | | | | improve your situation, rise above your |
| and brings the death penalty upon himself (Gen. 2:17). | | | | circumstances, and be within God's grace (Col. |
| We're not supposed to tolerate any deviation, | | | | 2:13)?Once gay always gay? How about once an |
| whatsoever, from the "strait and narrow" path of | | | | adulterer always an adulterer? Better yet, once a |
| our God. 2) Cross-dressing, transvestism, is also out | | | | sinner always a sinner (1 Cor. 6:11; 1 John 1:9)? WHO |
| of the question (Deut. 22:5). God doesn't want any | | | | says so? Only if you choose to become a "hardened |
| "half-breeds" to promote their hybrid ideas that don't | | | | criminal." You can make progress toward perfection! |
| mix too well with God's Word (Lev. 19:19). There's no | | | | You can refuse to go with the flow, change the |
| ifs, ands, or buts about it - no quack psychological | | | | course of your thought-patterns, and escape from |
| explanations or accepted justifications: it's not allowed! | | | | the belly of the beast (Ephes. 2:1-6). You can stage a |
| Everything's to be black and white, right or wrong, | | | | revolt and go free! You don't have to die in |
| male or female; there's no sense in blurring | | | | "Egypt."Once a sinner, NOW a saint! There isn't any |
| distinctions or causing unnecessary confusion (Ezek. | | | | sin too great, or problem deep-rooted, or mind that's |
| 22:26). 3) Gay prostitutes shouldn't even attempt to | | | | scarred, that Christ can't reach or touch or heal (Ps. |
| walk the streets, because they'll find out the hard | | | | 139:7-12; Mat. 15:30). Who would dare condemn |
| way that it's a dead end (Deut. 23:17-18).God wants | | | | whom God has forgiven (Rom. 8:1)? God sent Christ |
| to spare us all and safeguard our homes and mind. He | | | | into your world to save, not destroy; to forgive, not |
| doesn't want us to go past the point of no-return! | | | | damn; to help, not hurt (Luke 9:56). Even Jesus' |
| Once you break down one moral barrier it's easier to | | | | Hebrew name declares His good intentions toward us |
| break down another. Once the floodgates of hell are | | | | (Mat. 1:21).Pulls From the PastWithout a doubt, there'll |
| opened, everyone's swept away and sexual anarchy | | | | be strong pulls from the past and pressure to revert |
| reigns!The barometer of a nation's fall from grace and | | | | to old, familiar ways: testing our resolve, trying our |
| descent into depravity - just before national captivity | | | | mettle, and cross-examining our conversion (Deut. |
| and deportation - is whenever homosexuality begins | | | | 8:2-3). They're to be expected (1 Pet. 4:12), but |
| to lose its purposeful stigma (Rom. 1:28). That and | | | | should be put in proper perspective (Heb. 12:11-13). |
| every other Biblically-attached stigma is to help keep | | | | The very fact that you're now a part of the |
| us in line, remind us of what we're doing, and force | | | | "Resistance Movement," and engage in bitter conflicts |
| us to pay the fine. Instead of attacking the doctor's | | | | (refusing to surrender), proves your patriotism and |
| diagnosis, we should concentrate on improving our | | | | displays your determination to win (Ga. 5:17). God |
| condition!We're free to ignore or reject the scripture's | | | | respects and will reward your efforts (Heb. 6:10; 11:6). |
| counsel against homosexual activities, but we | | | | They've been brought to His attention repeatedly |
| shouldn't pretend that the Bible's silent on the subject. | | | | (Ps. 116:15). You're not left to fend for yourself! You |
| If someone continues to smoke even after they've | | | | might feel like it, but you're not all alone. We have a |
| read the Surgeon General's warnings against it, so be | | | | Great Helper, an Unseen Assistant, who can handle |
| it. But they shouldn't deny that they've voluntarily | | | | anything that might befall us during this battle (Heb. |
| increased their risks of contracting a variety of | | | | 4:14-16).When we're pardoned, WE'RE EMPOWERED |
| diseases.Reason for LivingOur reason for living | | | | to overcome our past (Jn. 1:12). God enables us to |
| shouldn't be sex - but to develop a proper | | | | withstand the onslaught of sin, and remain within the |
| relationship with God! Life is meant to be far more | | | | good graces of our Governor (Isa. 9:11; Jude 24). |
| meaningful that momentary physical pleasures. When | | | | Although you may still feel "gay," your reorientation |
| Jesus said that "man shouldn't live by bread alone," | | | | hasn't taken full effect yet (Ephes. 4:23; Jas. 1:4), |
| He revealed there's another dimension - the spiritual - | | | | DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! Be happy that you've |
| that completes us and transcends the mundane. Our | | | | made progress, and that you're even trying to better |
| daily request for "bread" (in the Lord's prayer sample) | | | | yourself. That's a miracle in itself. Trust in God (Philip. |
| isn't only a humble petition to meet all our physical | | | | 4:13). He'll see you through thick and thin, and He'll |
| needs, but that we'll also be spiritually sustained (John | | | | stay by your side "come hell or high water" (Isa. |
| 6:35).The supreme purpose in our respective lives | | | | 43:1-2). It's true that "We conquer by continuing." |
| should be to know and become more like out Father | | | | DON'T GIVE UP! Keep up the struggle: everything |
| in Heaven (Mat. 5:48). Especially when you consider | | | | you believe in is worth fighting for (Matt. 11:12). You |
| God created each kind after its kind, and then He | | | | can rest assured that you're very precious to God. |
| made mankind after the Godkind! We're offered the | | | | He knows you by name."Once gay always gay" is a |
| opportunity to increasingly bear the divine image and | | | | damn LIE! It denies Christ's ability to save and |
| more closely resemble Him (in characteristics) daily. | | | | slanders His sacrifice as insufficient! We don't have to |
| We're urged to live compatible with His glorious | | | | believe that propaganda though it's repeated a |
| Kingdom. At the resurrection, we'll be born again and | | | | thousand times. It's nothing more than psychological |
| enter the Kingdom of God.If we want to be on | | | | warfare (2 Cor. 2:11). It's jealously directed against |
| God's wavelength, come up to His level, and live in | | | | those who've sobered up and have made an |
| peace and harmony (with the law and order of His | | | | about-face in life (1 Pet. 5:8).Conversion - change - is |
| universe) - we need to realize and accept that | | | | possible, but it demands patience. Purification is a |
| certain "trees, food, and fruits" aren't kosher, but are | | | | process that takes time ( 1 John 3:3; Isa. 48:10). It all |
| off-limits, taboo! We need to avoid those pitfalls and | | | | begins in the mind. We don't have to remain subject |
| steer clear of such danger-zones if we're to survive | | | | to sin's every whim and desire (Rom. 6:14). Slowly |
| this unique journey (Prov. 4:15). We don't want to | | | | but surely, the homosexual obsession will lose its hold |
| become another casualty along the way (Prov. 15:10). | | | | over our lives. God can rid us of its side-effects, |
| God hasn't singled out the gays for any special | | | | break our hobbling habits, and release us from the ball |
| treatment - or persecution! He's not homophobic, | | | | and chain of our past (Isa. 45:2).Christ will gently |
| racist, or sexist: God is Love.And because God loves | | | | assist and energize us as we carry on (Isa. 40:29). |
| us all, He has high hopes and dreams for us. That's | | | | We're to unburden ourselves before the Father in |
| why God's graciously given us some guidelines and | | | | heartfelt prayer (Mat. 11:28-30; 1 Pet. 5:7), like Jesus |
| helpful instructions for happy, healthy, and | | | | did when He was here (Heb. 5:7). Everyone's offered |
| wholesome living: the Tree of Life (1 John 5:3). These | | | | this opportunity of a lifetime: to start over, have a |
| voluntary restrictions (you are a free moral-agent) | | | | new lease on life, and to wipe the slate clean. It's our |
| are intended to enhance our lives and enable us to | | | | option. It's your choice.David Ben-Ariel is a |
| truly enjoy our experiences as humans (John 10:10; | | | | Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: |
| Deut. 4:40). They gently regulate our food, thoughts, | | | | Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle |
| worship, behavior, drink - every facet of our lives - | | | | East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others |
| and benefit every fiber of our being. Sin is sin (Rom. | | | | improve their understanding of that troubled region. |
| 3:23). Transgression - the breaking - of these practical | | | | Check out the Beyond Babylon blog. |