What is your method of reaching homosexual's for Christ? Do you have any ministry with them? Do you avoid them? I have been working with a homosexual preacher, via email for some time. He believes the Biblical plan of salvation, if you can believe that!! He used to be so hard nose, and brash when he first contacted me. He has changed a lot, but still believes his lifestyle is ok, and defends it strongly. Have any of you had any success at reaching homosexuals? If so, what approach did you use?

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2000

Answers

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, NOR HOMOSEXUALS......shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such WERE some of you......"

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NASB)

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2000

Bob, I'm as straight as they come, but I cannot believe your attitudes to those whom lead a homosexual life. In your castigation you've somehow segregated homosexual's to something unworthy in the eyes of God. Put your personal prejuidices to one side, homosexuality cannot be seen as morally wrong and seeing as it doesn't have a direct effect on your life I think you should leave it be; or are you perhaps under the impression that a homosexual preacher would try to promote his own lifestyle unto others?

Why would God condemn such people? I think the prejuidce lies with yourself.

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2000

Bob:

You are not wrong to condem homosexuality as you have been criticised for doing. Read these very harsh words from the Apostle Paul who was inspired by the Holy Spirit:

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptable Godfor the likeness of corruptable man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God GAVE THEM UP unto UNCLEANNESS, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: for that they exchanged the TRUTH of GOD for a lie, and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto VILE PASSIONS: for their women changed the natural us into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, BURNED IN THEIR LUST one toward another, MEN WITH MEN working unseemliness, and RECEIVING in themselves that RECOMPENSE of their ERROR which was DUE..." "Who knowing the ordinance of God, THAT THEY THAT PRACTICE SUCH THINGS ARE WORTHY OF DEATH, not only do the same, but ALSO CONSENT WITH them that practise them." Romans 1: 22- 27, 32.

Sounds pretty clear to anyone interested in the truth.

Your Brother in Christ,

E. Lee Saffold

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2000

Amen Danny and Lee. Scripture says it all. What's your authority Gareth? I hope it is more than your subjective opinion.

Matt.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2000

I posted this article I wrote once before, and it's on my church's website, but since the subject came up again, I feel it appropriate to post it again. I have revised it to encorporate a couple more arguments I have heard recently.

---

HOMOSEXUALITY IS STILL A SIN! (There, I said it.)
Contrary to liberal opinion, the Bible is not at all ambiguous on the subject of homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Leviticus 20:13 says, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable." I have heard some say that Leviticus doesn't apply, because "we don't follow the old law anymore" (unclean foods, ritual cleansings, etc.). Both of these passages are sandwiched between incest, bestiality and child sacrifice. Are we also to say that these, too are OK in God's eyes now, because "we don't follow the old law anymore"?

As if God wasn't clear enough in Leviticus, Paul makes it all too clear what he is talking about when he says, in Romans 1:26- 27, "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." I don't see how anyone could possibly misunderstand what Paul is getting at here. And in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 we find, "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

I have heard the claim that all expressions of love should be accepted, because after all, God is love! How could a loving God condemn people, just because they love (are sexually attracted to) members of the same sex, they ask. Should we then accept pedophilia, sex between men and young boys? Isn't it also an expression of love? Recently in Missouri there was a case of a man who was having an ongoing sexual relation with his horse! Should we also accept bestiality as a form of expression of God's love? How far down this perverse road do we go in the name of "God's love"?

"But I was born this way ... God made me this way." Born that way ... perhaps. But God didn't make anyone that way. God created man perfect, but sin entered the world through one man (Romans 5:12). Since that Fall, all men have a predisposition to sin. How is homosexuality any different than stealing, adultery, or murder in that regard? If I am a kleptomaniac, does it make it right for me to steal? No! It is still sin; it is still rebellion against God's will.

"But it's genetic!" Really? This has not been proven. But even if it is proven, what difference does it make? Supposing (and I don't doubt that this will eventually happen!) they find a gene that makes people predisposed toward pedophilia? Does that make it OK to be a pedophile? Of course not, what absurd logic! How is homosexuality any different? It is still a sin! God expects us to rise above our fallen nature, and holds us accountable when we willfully refuse to do so. "There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). It was Jesus who said to the sinner, "Go, and sin no more."

You cannot say you "love" someone, and at the same time tell them that God approves of something He specifically says He abhors. That is the same as patting a starving man on the head and saying, "Be well fed" (James 2:16). Woe to those who call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20)! It would be better for them if they tied a millstone around their neck and jumped into the sea (Mark 9:42)! God also holds accountable those who are in positions of spiritual authority yet fail to proclaim His will. Just as spiritual leaders are to be counted worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17), they shall also receive a greater condemnation (James 3:1). Like Ezekiel (33:6), the sinner's blood will be on their head.

I believe we should embrace the sinner, yes, even the homosexual, as a lost soul that God loves and Jesus died for, while at the same time still renouncing and reviling the sin of homosexuality. We need to stop being afraid to speak the truth in love, just because of the current politically correct winds or societal "enlightenment," or because of ad hominem crys of "homophobia." God hasn't changed, and His Word hasn't changed. Let God be true and every man a liar!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

PREACH IT Caped Crusader!!!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

A couple of responses to my article from another forum, pertinent to the discussion: one person wrote,

"many cry out that 'God is love!' but His love is not in question -- our sinful behavior is" [how true!]

and another wrote,

"I am so happy someone finally came 'out of the closet' with the truth about how God feels about homosexuality!!!" [Ha ha ha!]

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

John,

I appreciate the humor there :~)

But isn't it kinda sad to think that the sharing of God's truth is now having to be referred-to as "coming out of the closet"?

For way too long, those who should know better, have hidden the Light of God's Will & Gospel under the blanket of "God is Love".

Keep sharing that Light, Brother - the world sorely needs it!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

I still raise this question. Has anyone had any success at reaching homosexuals? Or do you just shun them? I need help in reaching a man for Christ. I am serious, and open for methods. So far we have discussed the sin of homosexuality. But what are the methods at reaching them. Love you. Bob

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2000