Down through the years one who has been born again cannot help but notice the things that distinguishes a believer from an unbeliever in this world. One of the most important factors is what one believes (or doesn't) and deems important (or doesn't think is so important) concerning what God says.
For example, my wife and I believe everything the Lord says concerning the deceit of riches, the cares of this life, rioting, disobedience, and homosexuals, along with everything else.
The reason for this is simple: "Because we know it is God's word" - meaning that God has already spoken it, and as such it is a done deal to be obeyed, but many do not associate His word with Him.
This is because there is no "Light" in them! If there were then they too would no longer take God's word as something unimportant to be ignored and begin to realize that it is "God" who is inspiring and saying these things, and that His word is holy as well as final.
That too is why those who have a healthy fear of God also have the wisdom to know the difference between those who do hear and obey (the born again) verses those who don't. This is the wisdom wrought in the fear of God that the world; having and showing little or no fear of God, considers "foolish". In the end it will be this same "Word" and what they did with it when they heard it that will judge them!
I rarely ever write about myself or someone close to me, but I will do so here...
This is not a message towards the practicing homosexual who needs to be delivered and freed from his sin by coming to the Lord (there's plenty of proof in God's word against them in what they do!), but it is about those (unregenerated relatives) who comfortably tolerate this kind of a lifestyle and companionship proving they need to be saved and come to the Lord just as much as the homosexual in their perversion does.
They end up making plans and getting together with the homosexual relative, even to the detriment of their wilfully alienating themselves (by doing and condoning what they do) from the heart-broken parent(s) who would be totally overwhelmed and devastated by all of this goings on if it weren't for their Lord. Not considering her feelings and her stand and why in the least!!!
By getting together with the homosexual relative and their "lover" means that they think silly and unloving those who stand and speak out against tolerating this most unGodly, abhorring and sickening homosexual lifestyle that is an insult to God and to every God-fearing / God-loving person everywhere....
........."My wife is a Christian", and her son is a practicing, continuing and unrepentent homosexual whom she has cut off from her after several warnings and attempts, with him using the usual excuses as, "I was born that way and can't help it" - or - "that is how God made me".
However her family invites both him and his lover over for outings and dinner get-togethers whenever they come to town, making sure of avoiding any contact with my wife and I in their doing so. Then after he leaves to travel back home, they call us and invite us for get togethers as if nothing happened.
But it has!
Their doing so shows that they not only "approve" of his chosen homosexual life-style and in doing so are actually condoning his sin, but also completely disregarding the feelings and the objections of the mother who raised and taught him Godly qualities as well....
and yet...
Paul (in relaying God's word to men) listed homosexuals among "the unrighteous" who would not inherit the kingdom of God - 1 Cor. 6:9, and declared that God's wrath stands against such behavior, whether practiced by men or women - Rom. 1:26-27.
By cutting ourselves off from those who practice these things, we do so not because we HATE those who do them, but because we LOVE God, and it is because we do that is why we do what we do.
By our remaining in touch with them; as the rest of the family does, would only go to show them our approval of their continued life-style.
But by our cutting ourselves off from them not only shows them that we stand ashamed of them (in what they do), but that they may come to recognize their shame and repent, showing that we will not associate ourselves with them in any way until and unless they turn to Christ and repent of their sin!
They not only violate and wilfully sin against God (to their own destruction) but violate and wilfully sin against their own body as well, after being warned! A double sin! It is the lowest kind of behavior and shows a deep sickness that nothing less than a totally seared conscious can live with and condone.
That is precisely why it bothers my wife and and I so much when the members of her own family; who know exactly where she stands on this matter and why, end up questioning her, ignoring her, showing by what they do that they have no respect for her or God and end up hating her by loving what her son does enough to invite both him and his lover over for family dinners and get-togethers. Otherwise; if it were their son and they were the Christians, they wouldn't invite them over at all! Pure and simple!!!
How can they tell him that he lives in sin, when they live in sin themselves??? They disobey the voice of God. Where's "Jesus" in their lives???
How can they not condone what he does when they continue to condone some of the things they do??? They have no fear of God!!!
Why should I expect them to listen to or treat my wife any better than they treated the Lord??? I don't!!!
To which the devil replies: "No!" but we reply: "Yes, that is exactly what 'God' said!"
So this is my testimonial against all who condone homosexuality and all sins against God's word, and why.
23:19 7/2/02
By doing what they do they only end up questioning God! ..., "Yea, did God say?"