Homosexuality

Recently, a friend of mine asked me to give my opinion on an email she had received on the subject of homosexuality. I realize you do not have the original email available but I believe as you read my response, you can get an idea of the content.

To my Friend: I will attempt to share some of my thoughts on this. I don't know that they will be complete but I will make an attempt. I do believe that there is an "agenda" by the gay and lesbian community at large to bring an acceptance of their lifestyle as "normal". I know for a fact that there are schools that are teaching children that homosexual marriage is as normal as heterosexual marriage... that as long as two people love each other, that's all that matters. Anyone with any degree of morality or "normalcy" knows that is not true even by the very nature of things and the way our bodies are designed. Man and woman go  together, like a key in a lock. “Marriage” between two keys or two locks is an exercise in futility. (This last statement is from a blog by Dorothy Vining.)I believe it goes much deeper than the natural. I believe that bottom line it is a Spiritual issue. There are many reasons same sex relationships are wrong in the eyes of the Lord. I believe what gets missed in the whole "sin" issue regarding homosexuality is covered in Ephesians chapter 5. That portion of Scriptures talks about marriage between a husband and wife, man and woman. It talks about the two becoming "one flesh". In other portions of Scripture if you look it up, it states that when a man and woman have sex, they become one with each other. It isn't just a trivial thing. Back to Ephesians... marriage between a man and woman is likened to Christ and the Church. The Church is referred to as the Bride of Christ in the Bible. The Church, of course, is the people of God or Believers in and followers of Christ. Now, bottom line... we have an enemy... the Devil or Satan. He hates God's kids but more than that, he hates God because he was defeated on the Cross by Jesus’ death and resurrection. So, any way he can destroy or degrade something that so beautifully exemplifies the everlasting relationship between Christ, the Bridegroom and the Church, Christ's Bride whom he redeemed from the Kingdom of Darkness by His precious Blood shed on the Cross, he will do it. Salvation was provided for every human being and every human being was created in the image of God. The enemy loves to bring mankind down to his level and then heap every kind of degradation, filth and shame as possible on him/her. I have had homosexual neighbors. It could be difficult to "divide the line" if it weren't for the Holy Spirit within me. I treat them as neighbors because I see them almost daily at home and in the workplace. I don't dwell on the fact of their relationship all the time or I could not handle it. Whenever I begin to become comfortable, so to speak, with them, the Lord reminds me of the "facts" of their relationship, for example, lifestyle intimacy and I become sickened that there could ever be an acceptance of such practices. I spend a lot of time praying for them. If they were ever to engage me in the subject of their relationship, I would definitely tell them what I believe to be the truth and that I don't accept it as "marriage". Other neighbors have asked me what I think and I have told them. I think it grieves the Lord deeply that any of his people would accept or heaven forbid, embrace that lifestyle as acceptable. I believe the old adage of "hate the sin, love the sinner" applies. I know it goes deeper than the eye can see. There are those that get sucked into such relationships because of abuse issues for one and many other reasons that could be discussed. There are those that are what I believe "possessed" and are on the front line so to speak to bring about the agenda of the enemy to destroy God's most precious creation. I think there are many people speaking out and trying to educate the true Church as to the importance of this. The thing to remember is John 3:16 & 17 "For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him." Once someone confesses their sin as sin and receives the Lord, he says "Go and Sin no more." As far as how each of us handles or approaches this, I believe the following Scripture says it best: Jude²²And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; ²³and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. ²⁴Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, ²⁵to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, now, and forevermore.”