In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he was dealing with the teaching that the law had to be observed for salvation to be effective. Before launching into the specific subject he wrote: [Gal 1:6] I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: [Gal 1:7] Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. [Gal 1:8] But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [Gal 1:9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. [Gal 1:10] For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Paul said that any other teaching than which he delivered, which he received from God, was to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All kinds of teachings abound that attempt to justify the sin of homosexuality. The catch all is “love your neighbor as yourself” as found in Galatians 5:14: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  The foregoing and other verses are used to justify practicing homosexuals being members of a church and to be able to be married. That the scripture is taken out of context to prove a false teaching doesn’t concern those who teach false doctrine.

A writer wrote to a mid-western newspaper that “as we want love, marriage and family for ourselves, we must extend it to our homosexual brethren who are entitled to equal protection under our law.”  The writer is confusing rights and liberties (origin is God which doesn’t include the sinful practice of homosexuality) protected by the Constitution with what the scripture teaches on the subject. The Constitution doesn’t mention morals as such, though it is built on the moral foundation of God. That the practice of homosexual marriage was entirely foreign to the founders is missed by those who hold such perverted and erroneous views.

Jesus came to fulfill the law. [Mat 5:18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. He met the demand of perfection (fulfilled the requirements) which the law required if one was to be saved and we know that he did because he rose from the grave. But to say that his love and the corresponding love your neighbor as yourself negated the need to abstain from sin or to ignore the sin of others (did ne not tell the woman at the well to go and sin no more and in this case the refusal to cease the practice of homosexuality) is to pervert the work of Christ and the gospel.

One of the more common practices is the ignoring of the doctrine that excludes those who refuse to stop sinful practices. The idea that homosexual sin is acceptable to God is ludicrous when verse after verse speaks against it and no amount of love your neighbor as your self to justify it, scriptures out of context, and name calling will change the teaching. Paul said it plainly of those who believe God accepts all regardless of behavior. [Rom 1:24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:[Rom 1:25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. [Rom 1:26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: [Rom 1:27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. How much plainer can it be said that God doesn’t approve such behavior or accept those who practice it?

Those who believe and teach that there doesn’t need to be a change in behavior to show a new life in Christ are delusional. Perverting the gospel isn’t wise and will lead to grief. Heb 10:31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

07-12-2006 DEC                                          

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