A deadly scourge is gaining ground in our nation. Its roots can be found in the doctrine of “separation of church and state” which came from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists who were worried that the government could install a particular Christian believing denomination as the national religion and deny others the right to worship in their chosen manner as did England. It was never intended to mean that Christians couldn’t influence government or that government could deny the Christian belief and prevent those who so believe from practicing their beliefs and speaking and writing those beliefs.

However, the “separation of church and state” is now used to deny any influence on government and has opened the door, by twisting Jefferson’s meaning, to some of the vilest beliefs known to man. Christians are being placed in the position of not being able to speak freely, as individuals and collectively as a church, to teach God’s message concerning a certain type of sin. 

Along with the false doctrine of separation and the First Amendment, which is erroneously applied (and which only applies to Congress–Congress shall make no …), those two have been twisted to prohibit religion—most specifically belief in God, Jesus Christ, and all the moral teachings that are found in the Bible. Due to the twisting, our church and political leaders are bowing to atheists, Muslims, (Islam) and all others who call preaching the gospel hate speech. In school after school, young people who profess a belief in God and Jesus Christ are being censored, suspended, and expelled for their belief, but yet pagan witchcraft, Satan worship, drugs, sex, and all the other immoral conduct is allowed in the name of freedom of expression.

Now we address that certain sin and the effort being made to silence those who speak against it. In Oregon, a bill is being introduced to give homosexuals civil rights protection. In other words, anything that would be said or done (such as not hiring) regarding homosexual conduct being a sin would be discriminatory and hateful. (Read the article for the full story http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55069).  The goal of the queer nation (let’s be honest and call it what it is) is to gain legitimacy through legislation and that at the expense of the truth of the gospel and freedom to practice the truths taught by God and His Son. David Crowe who is rightfully opposing the bill says: "The law – and this is onerous – has a clause that talks about developing a program of education to change our attitudes. To change our attitudes? Is it the government's business to change attitudes? But that's precisely what's in the bill." The politicians will try to change attitudes when they are as godless as the people clamoring for change.  

The quest for legitimacy comes to avoid a guilty conscience. The writer of Hebrews declared: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:12-13) God said homosexual conduct is sin. Nothing that man can do will change that truth. Putting churches under the control of the government regarding matters of morals or any other matter won’t change the truth. Only those who know not the truth, those who refuse the truth, pagans, heathens, and spineless politicians will attempt such action as is taking place in Oregon.

The founders made the freedom to practice religion, and the attendant freedom to speak it, a cornerstone of our republic. Now the powers that be, catering to the sinful crowd, are attempting to suppress what the founders gave us. The homosexuals can’t gain acceptance of their sin by legitimate means, so they use the force of the state to bring it about. Tragically, Paul himself would be in violation of the proposed Oregon law, if it is passed, when he wrote to the Corinthian church: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11)

In Sorting It Out, the government needs to step aside and let the church be the church so that the homosexuals can hear the truth, obey the gospel, change their behavior, and become as Paul wrote, “and such were some of you.”

© 04-07-2007 DEC