“The scariest verse in all of scripture.”

 When God created Adam and Eve He gave them all the advantage for which they could hope. They were flawless. No physical, mental, genetic, circumstantial, or any other flaw one could bring to mind. So perfect, in fact, that they did not even know of error. It was in this condition that they failed. The best mankind has ever had to offer, and they made a mess of everything. God declared that not only actions condemn us, but our blood condemns us as well. Passed down from father to child, blood guiltiness would forever hang over the whole human race because of Adam. The price for sin and blood guiltiness is the spilling of blood and death. But we are not just flesh and blood we are also spirit, and sin was so abhorrent to God that He made a place where those souls tainted by sin (all of us included) would be forever purged by unquenchable flame and forgotten forever - a second death. 

God humbled Himself and took on human flesh. Jesus (God in human flesh) had to be born of a virgin to be spared the blood guilt from a human father. He, although tempted to the fullest degree, never sinned. Being without sin or guilt of any kind He paid the price of sin and guilt. In doing so He created an infinite payment. The price of sin is infinite, but Christ’s payment is also infinite. He offers access to His infinite account, and to receive is to be declared righteous as Jesus is righteous. To collect one must only believe that He was who He claimed to be (God), who He claimed we are (sinners), believe in His infinite payment for our sins (the cross), and believe in His power over death (the resurrection). To believe is to be forgiven of all sins, both blood guiltiness and sins we commit, and sealed for all eternity and to spend that eternity with God in perfect bliss. It is a free gift, no work required, because Jesus completed the work. He will resurrect us as He was resurrected and sustain us forever - a newness of perfect life.

That is Christianity in as few words as I can explain it. The perfect conclusion would be John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  We are far too prone to stop there. That is not where the gospel ends, at the promise of eternal life. In what John MacArthur calls, “The scariest verse in all of scripture” Jesus has this to say: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in haven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” Matthew 7:21 – 23 NASB

If these words from our Lord do not shake you to your core, you don’t get what He is saying here. This statement comes at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. It’s a long section of scripture and contains many famous verses. This sermon starts back in chapter 5 with what has become known as the “beatitudes.” The Jews of Jesus’ time believed that God gave earthly blessing to those who He loved, and to the strong. A “God helps those who help themselves” kind of idea. Jesus turns that idea on its head. He said the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are merciful, pure, peacemakers, and persecuted for standing up for the truth are the blessed ones.

He then tells believers they are to be the light of the earth, shining Gods truth in a dark and lie-filled world. We then are treated to a very long list of how to live like a Christian, where even our very thoughts are called into account. He teaches us to give to the poor, how to pray, not to lust for money, to do good deeds for the praise of God and not man, to trust God and not worry, and many other details. He ends this long list of “this is what the Christian life looks like” with the warning, “Do these things or I will turn you away at the end.”  

You might have noticed a seemingly very large contradiction. I said earlier that the gift of forgiveness was free, that Jesus Christ had accomplished all the work already. Now I am telling you to do good works or He will turn you away. Well there we go, the bible has a giant contradiction and we can stop believing, “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Not so much…

What Jesus is saying, what the New Testament book of James says, what Paul and Peter wrote, is that this is what you will do if your faith is genuine. Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith.” You see calling Jesus “Lord” is not enough “.. the demons also believe, and shudder.” (James 2:19) Your faith must be genuine, and the test of genuine faith is perseverance through persecution (Romans 5:3-5 and 1 Peter 1:6-7), and obedience. These things don’t save you, Jesus saves. These things give you assurance that your faith is real. So be real and hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant” do otherwise and you have no assurance, and you may hear the words, “I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”

While We Have Opportunity

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. -- The First Amendment to the Constitution

 

When I was a kid I remember thinking: so long as these words were contained in the US Constitution my religious liberties would be protected. Well, that was then and this is now.

An Oregon bakery, Washington florist, Indiana RFRA law, and the Supreme Court. These are some of the relevant instances that have spurred this blog post today.
 

Sweet Cakes by Melissa, an Oregon bakery owned by professing Christians refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding, and may owe a fine of $135,000. There was a GoFundMe fundraising website established, and raised $109,000 before GoFundMe took the site down.
 

Arlene’s Flowers, a Washington florist owned by a professing Christian refused to provide flowers to a gay wedding. There was also a GoFundMe funding website established for her florist shop, and GoFundMe just took the site down last week.
 

The state of Indiana had a state version of the federal RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act), which caved under pressure from the media and our culture, and have since changed the law.
 

And just last week, the Supreme Court heard the oral arguments for why same-sex couples should have the right to marry.
 

With each of these examples, I find myself a bit overwhelmed. It’s simply incredible to me that this is the subject matter of our conversation today. I never would have imagined that (1) gay people would want to be married, or (2) Christians living out their faith would face governmental persecution in the US. But these are the times in which we live, and well, Christians can’t ignore this issue any longer.
 

When I am given an opportunity to respond to this issue, I generally begin by leveling the playing field. I make it plain that I believe all people, including myself (especially myself), are sinners. We are all guilty of breaking God’s Law and are deserving of death and eternal punishment in Hell. I also take the time to say up-front that I don’t have any negative feelings towards LGBT people, and I would reiterate again that I am equal to them. We’re all created in God’s image, and therefore, they are deserving of equal treatment, respect and love as fellow human beings.

 

I believe that government’s laws and ordinances should take a back seat to the gospel when we discuss these issues with people. Not because we shouldn’t discuss them - we should - but because they are of lesser importance when compared with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why I strongly believe that we explain the reason for our beliefs first, then if appropriate, touch on the role of government.
 

You see, people are told what we believe through the media, social media, and by the culture at large. What they’re basically told is that we are a bunch of moronic bigots who hate gay people. I’m tired of hearing the accusation, “Stop trying to hide your bigotry behind the excuse of religion…” This kind of argument has a strong affect on people in our society today. Therefore, since the world is loudly announcing our bigotry and mean-spiritedness, why don’t we take the time to respond?
 

Peter said this in his letter: “15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” (1 Peter 3:15, NASB). I’ve started to recognize that the non-Christians in my life are always watching me. They wonder what I will say and do. They wonder what I think about things. Sometimes I hope to surprise them, while other times I hope to give them exactly what they expect. All the time I hope to present Biblical Christianity to them.
 

Were I to continue on with a discussion of LGBTism, having leveled the playing field, I then move straight onto God’s right to define how human beings are to live. This includes His right to define what sin is - which includes LGBTism, among many other sins. Having established a definition of sin, and many other topics about God and humanity, I then move into the good news of the gospel.
 

I point out that the gospel is good news, because God’s salvation not only justifies us in His sight, but he begins sanctifying us so that we forfeit our old sinful lifestyles. Paul listed a great many sins and then said of Christians: “Such were some of you” (1 Corinthians 6:11, NASB). This means that God has the power to change our behavior and our desires so that we can live the way He wants us to live.
 

Taking this loving and patient approach, has allowed me many opportunities to have effective and clear conversations with people that I know - all by the grace of God. I think what it is, honestly, most people have never heard Christianity explained to them by Christians. It’s always told to them by liberal media, or social media … and we know what views they have of us. We should take the time and the opportunity to be bold witnesses for our Lord. I know this is what He wants from us.
 

Finally, I will conclude with a few additional thoughts. At this point in a conversation with someone, it is pretty clear on whether you would (or could) be involved in an LGBT ceremony. It is obvious that Christians can’t be. But now what is obvious to the one you’ve talked to, is that you don’t have any special animus towards them. In fact, it’s actually out of concern for God’s truth and because you cannot endorse sinful behavior.

 

Don't get me wrong here: I'm all about being involved in the legal process, and in caring about our current government. But our first priority must be the spread of the gospel and the strengthening of Christ's Church.

 

"9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Galatians 6:9-10, NASB).

Thinking God's Thoughts After Him

Poor poor logic. It's considered such a dreary and dull subject today, but I'm here to tell you: it's fun. Well, let's not kid ourselves: it may not be "fun" when compared with an evening of friends shooting each other in Halo 1 from our college days. But hey, it is at least enjoyable to the thinking among us, and has an ever-present impact on our thinking because no thought can happen apart from it.

I have a tendency to write about what I've been reading, and I have a tendency to read about what I'm passionate about at the time. Recently, I finished a book recommended to me last year by my Professor, the one and only Gobbler: Mike Porter. I put it on my birthday wish list, and my parents bought it for me. It had been sitting on my shelf until not too long ago. The book: Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought by Vern Sheridan Poythress.

Poythress' premise is simple:

"Human thinking about logic needs redeeming" (pg. 25) ... "There are two radically different ways of understanding logic, not just one. There is the Christian way, and there is the usual modern way, which has also been the dominant way within the history of Western philosophy. The Christian way is to listen submissively to the instruction of Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of the universe. The modern way is the way of autonomy, where we treat our own human powers as ultimate when we engage in the process of evaluation" (pg. 35).

Have you ever spoken with an unbeliever about your beliefs and the unchristian response goes something like this: "But I don't believe in the Bible, or in your God. Why should I believe what the Bible says? And why is the Bible more right than anyone else's opinion?" I've heard enough variations of this sentiment to now recognize that this is the basic non-Christian perspective. At the heart of non-Christian conviction is the desire to be autonomous; to be one's own god.

This was Satan's great mistake, and the sinful error that led to Adam and Eve's fall that condemned the human race. Today we are now born corrupted by sin, and it is not something easily overcome. People don't want to be subject to an all-powerful Creator God, because that means they will have to answer for their behavior. Instead, they would be much happier being their own little god, who does what is right in his or her own eyes. This seems to me to be the root of all evil: loving the self more than the love of God. We become our own little idols that we worship.

"The resistance to God's message is serious. It is not merely that people may defiantly stop their ears to argument (Acts 7:57). First Corinthians 1:18-31 indicates that the gospel seems "folly" to those who consider themselves wise. How can a criminal death on a cross, which looks like an ignominious defeat, really mean salvation? People also consider the Christian message foolish because it threatens their pride and position. They already have their own standards for evaluating claims; they have their own views of what is wrong with the world and what a reasonable remedy would be like. They have their autonomous standards for evaluating the Christian message" (pg. 43).

The funny thing about logic, and the overarching point of this book, is that logic is not something that is "just there" as if appearing by accident. Logic is not something human beings invented to better explain the world, or assist with our rationality. No, logic would exist if human beings never existed because it exists in the mind of God first. In fact, if one were to deny the existence of logic, one would have to use logic to try to refute its existence, which is self-defeating (a point Poythress makes in the book).

"We can transcend our immediate situation by reflecting on it. And we can transcend our reflections by reflecting on them. We can take a kind of God's-eye view, viewing ourselves from above, as another human being might see us or as God might see us. This transcendence is then one way in which we think God's thoughts after him. God is transcendent in an absolute sense. He is infinite. We are creatures. But we do have a kind of imitative, creaturely ability to transcend our immediate environment or our immediate thoughts or our immediate speeches. And we use this transcendence when we investigate logic. Every time we think, we imitate God's thinking. Every time we think about logic, we also imitate God's transcendence over the immediate" (pg. 78).

"Thinking God's thoughts after him" is a point that is made again and again and again in this book. I'll be completely honest that I never even thought about how our thinking is imitating God and his thoughts. He spends a good deal of time explaining that aspects of our humanity are analogies to God. For example: our thoughts are an analogy to God's thoughts. It would be unjust to say that God thinks like us completely because He is infinite, and His thoughts are not limited by our finite-ness. But in some way (or ways), our thoughts resemble God's thoughts. In another example, many human relationships are imitative of God's triune Being. The 3 divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have eternally been in communion with one another. They have also had eternal relationships with one another, for example: the Father and the Son. In an analogous way, human beings have fathers and sons. All human beings are also very relational and we desire fellowship and companionship.

Genesis tells us that we are made in the image of God, in His likeness. I've previously believed that this primarily was limited to our ability to communicate, to be self-aware, and to think rational thoughts. The marvelous contribution that Poythress makes in this book is that being made in God's image also includes how we imitate God's attributes by our behavior and even our very thoughts. This includes our use of logic, whether it is recognized formally or not.

"The things God has made testify to the logical ordering of the world. And logic itself, as an aspect of the mind of God, is reflected in human minds. Our own minds and their reasoning reflect the logic of God, which is eternal and all-powerful. We cannot escape this testimony because it is there indelibly whenever we think or reason. Whenever we use language we exhibit logic in our speech. Here, as well as elsewhere, God's attributes "have been clearly perceived." As a result, "They [ultimately all human beings everywhere] are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20). ... We are in rebellion against God, and we do not like to submit to him. We do not like the obligation of being thankful to him, because we have failed to be thankful. We are in flight from this God because it is too morally painful to contemplate our guilt and our failure. We make substituted gods in order to soothe our conscience. An impersonal something, or an impersonal logic, can safely be ignored, and lets us off the hook morally and religiously. We thereby fool ourselves" (pg. 81).

We cannot escape logic because everything that exists is a testimony to the logical order of the universe. Logic also makes sense to us because it is an aspect of the mind of God. This is why we have defined laws of logic, and recognize that improper human reasoning can lead to improper conclusions, which we call logical fallacies. We know, at the core of our being, that there is a proper way to think and to reason, and to do otherwise is improper. How do we know this? The temptation is to claim that what logic really is, is our autonomous ability to create the most useful way of organizing and fine-tuning our thoughts. The problem is that logic transcends you, me, and all of humanity. The whole of Creation proclaims a logical order to it, and there is no denying this. If the source of logic is not the mind of human beings, then what is it? For the Christian, we know it comes from God, who is the source of all things.

This is why when we speak with unbelievers about the truth, we aren't speaking to those who are ignorant of God's existence. The Scriptures tell us that all of us are made in God's image. This means we imitate Him in many ways - "We twist good purposes, and still reflect in our perversion the good purposes of God" (pg. 441). Therefore, it is helpful to remember that our friends, co-workers, or whoever else, are just like you and me. They were created in the image of God and reflect him in many ways. They have the Lord's moral requirements written on their hearts, and they know the truth you're telling them is true. They may deny it in many creative and fanciful ways. They may fall back on some religious system, or some formal scientific or philosophical system of thought (such as logic), in an attempt to continue in their rebellion against the Christian message. But one thing we know for certain: they know it be true.

"Sin cannot easily be uprooted. It takes the redemption of Christ, not autonomously motivated critical thinking" (pg. 187).

Just a few weeks ago I was speaking with a pair of very nice Jehovah's Witnesses who were making up contradictory answers as to why Hebrews 1:10-12 wasn't discussing Christ. They were literally coming up with any and every answer to avoid the clear teaching of Scripture. We have met for 3 weeks discussing this one passage, and though it is as clear as can be, Poythress is right: sin cannot easily be uprooted. Conversion to the truth requires more than the presentation of a logical argument. The Holy Spirit of God must regenerate the dead sinner, causing him to be born again. Only then can he repent and believe in the true and the living God.

Poythress' work has a few challenging sections to work through, but his point is this: logic is a beautiful reflection of the mind of God, and it is inescapable that we utterly rely on him for our use of it. We see it at every turn, and we must use it with every thought. I will conclude with the appropriate Scripture cited at the end of his book:

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36, NASB).

A Chapter Concluded ... For Now

The train has come into the station, the curtains have closed, we've reached the end of the road at the end of the line, and the final finale is upon us in the culmination of a last and closing conclusion of accomplishment. Well maybe. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

But I did finish a period of study that began last year of the LGBT movement and what a Christian response ought to be. Some years ago, I read through Michael Brown's A Queer Thing Happened to America: And what a long, strange trip it's been, which is a wonderful book explaining the history and impact of gay activism in American society.

Recently, I finished reading three additional books. First, I purposefully read James Brownson's Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships so that I could hear the arguments of the religious-liberal and political Left. I wanted to see their best arguments attempting to explain how one can be a true Christian and practice homosexuality. Brownson ultimately fails to prove his point from the Scriptures, but was oh-so-valuable to see his arguments firsthand, rather than just see liberals cited by conservative scholars. Read this book, but read with discernment.

Second, I read Robert Gagnon's The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics. I would simply say that if you want the end-all-be-all book regarding LGBT issues and a Biblical response to them, this is the book you will want to have on your shelf (or Android-based tablet). Gagnon does a masterful job discussing the history of homosexuality in the ancient world, and debunks the claim that the Biblical authors could not have been familiar with the concept we see today of monogamous, loving, committed same-sex relationships. History proves this revisionist claim to be utterly false. He also discusses every relevant Biblical text involving homosexuality, both in the Old and New Testaments. Most important is the time spent responding to liberal attempts to change the plain meaning of the Bible - in fact, he mentions Brownson on more than one occasion. Still, what stuck with me most of all was his interaction with and discussion of the Holiness Code found in Leviticus 18-20.

Third, Michael Brown's new book Can You be Gay and Christian? Responding with Love & Truth to Questions about Homosexuality. Michael Brown did it again, he really did. The overall impression I was left with at the end of this book is this: Christians need to lovingly and patiently explain what we believe about human sexuality, and offer the gospel of Jesus Christ to the LGBT. I was impressed with the passion and the heartfelt love that Brown has for this group of people. You can tell that he genuinely cares about them, and I am going to strive to have the same measure of love towards this segment of our society.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Brown's book:

Of course, Christians are quick to say to homosexual men and women, "We love you, but we hate your sin," to which they reply, "That means you hate me. This is not what I do. This is who I am." Well, I want to challenge that. You are more than your romantic attractions or sexual desires. You are more than someone attracted to the opposite sex or the same sex ... and it is Jesus who tells us that the first step we must take in following Him is not to affirm ourselves but rather to deny ourselves. (Brown, 23).

I wrote in the margins next to this quote: "Yes! Amen!" Our message to the LGBT community must be centered entirely on the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must not succumb to the temptation that we are the sum of our genes, or that we are defined by our romantic attractions. Human Beings are so much more than the product of random chance having evolved from animals over hundreds of millions of years. We are created in the image of God Himself, and that carries along with it inherent value and purpose in how we are to live. People were made to worship and to serve God, and when we willingly rebel against His guardrails of the road to life - found in the Scriptures - we produce pain, difficulties, and death. The gospel of Christ requires that we turn away from sin, and from our own desires, and turn to Christ who can alone provide the way of salvation.

When we abandon our true purpose for living, the void that is left will be filled with something. Our culture has filled it with utter confusion. For example, Brown lists a few terms the LGBT community use to describe themselves:

Androgeny, Androgenous, Bigendered, Bi-Dyke, Boi, Boidyke, Bro-sis, Butch, ButchDyke, Camp, Cross Dresser, Cross-Living, Drag, Drag King, Drag Queen, Dyke, FTM (Female to Male), Femme, Femme Dyke, Female Bodied, Female Impersonator, Fetishistic, Transvestite, Gender Illusionist , Gender Neutral, Gender-Bender, Gender-Blender, Genderqueer, Genetic Boy, Genetic Male/Man, Genetic Female/Woman, Genetic Girl, Grrl, Half-dyke, Heteroflexible, Hir, Intersex, MTF (Male to Female), Male Impersonator, Metamorph, Monogendered, Multigendered, Neuter, No-gendered, Non-op, Omnisexual, Pansexual, Pre-operative Transexual, Polygendered, Post-operative Transsexual, Queer, Queerboi, Shape Shifter, Stem, Stud, Trannyboi, Trannydyke, Trannyfag, Transboi, Transgendered, Transgenderist, Transitioning, Transmale, Transexual, Transvestite, Transidentified, Trisexual, Two-Spirit, Ze. (Brown, 41).

If this isn't confusion I don't know what is. But again, our response to this needs to be that even gender is a gift from God! If you are created physically male, then you are a man, regardless of how you feel. And the appropriate sexual relationship for you is one woman within the covenant of marriage.

The beautiful thing about the truth of the gospel is that when you speak God's truth to other people, you are speaking to fellow image-bearers of God, and therefore the truth will resonate with them even if they don't acknowledge it as truth. Fallen mankind will go to great lengths to suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18), but they already know of God's existence, attributes and moral requirements (Romans 1:18-21). It isn't our job to convince people of the truth, only that we try to with a faithful proclamation of the good news of Christ. We can plant and water the seeds of truth, but God causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3).

The Guardrails of the Road for Life

My wife and I have a three year old and a four month old. Translation: "My wife and I don't go to the movies very often." LOL. My parents are kind enough to watch our kids every so often, and last night had our daughter spend the night. What were Emily and I to do with our new-found, albeit temporary, freedom? Why, see a movie, of course!

It seems that whenever these blessed scenarios come about there aren't the big, huge movies that we were dying all year to see, but you know what, we get to sit down in a dark theatre, chomp down some unwholesome popcorn, and watch a whole movie in peace. My wife is the smart one. She suggested we see "American Sniper," because of the massive turnout and its popularity. We ended up seeing another movie instead: "The Imitation Game." All I knew was that Benedict Cumberbatch was in the film, and that it was based on a true story about code-breakers during WWII. I mean, how could that movie not be good? Every trailer that I saw (if you know me, you know I saw them all) looked incredible. Good actors. Good setting. Fascinating plot potential.

The movie started out great. More than great. I was really getting into it. It was everything I thought it would be and more. Until about half way through when the main character was revealed as being a homosexual, and the entire movie became about his struggle. The rest of the plot faded away, and by the end of the movie, that's all it was about really. It had the potential to be such a fantastic film, and in many ways it was. The acting was superb, the initial plot was incredible.

I just didn't realize that I was watching a gay rights activist movie until it was too late.

On our walk out to the car, my wife made this remark: "Can't we just watch a normal movie without having this LGBT propaganda shoved in our face? It's like we can't watch anything anymore..." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Earlier in the year we made the decision to stop watching one of our favorite shows, "Parenthood," because they introduced a gay story arc into the plot. Oh sure, we expect television to portray worldly culture, but we have to draw the line somewhere. And improper expressions of human sexuality are one of those areas we don't want broadcast into our home. I never want to have to explain to my children why we're being entertained by these kinds of sinful behaviors. I would expect a show about "Parenthood" to at least incorporate proper roles for men and women in the show; and I don't think I'm asking too much.

We stopped watching "Modern Family" not too long ago. We watched through a couple seasons before we started questioning whether we should find humor in a show based on redefining the family. I agree with Al Mohler who argues that to laugh at something is to make oneself vulnerable to accepting the truth-claims behind it. I want to guard myself and my family from unnecessary worldly intrusions. The way I see it: the world gets to spend enough time bombarding us with their views, their opinions, and their loose sense of morality. The last thing I want to do is afford them another opportunity in the time we have to relax as a family.

Swerving back to "The Imitation Game," I walked out of the theatre disappointed and glad that I saw the movie. Disappointed because it had such amazing potential as a WWII movie. Glad because I'm now familiar with the movie in case it comes up in conversation. Alan Turing was the main character, and the genius behind inventing what may have been the world's first computer. Ultimately, his work helped save 14 million lives, and allowed the Allies to win the war. He sounded like a brilliant man who did some remarkable things, worthy of commendation.

According to the movie, Mr. Turing also struggled with his homosexuality throughout his life. He was persecuted as a boy and as an adult for being a bit odd. He didn't quite fit in. And you know what, I feel bad for him. I empathize with him. I recognize that he, and many LGBT individuals have internal struggles about the way they feel about other people, both sexually and otherwise. I want to also take the time to say that anyone who mistreats LGBT people are sinning. I believe that homosexuals are my fellow human beings, and are equal in value to me in every way. They are made in the image of God, and therefore have inherent value. They deserve our respect as human beings. We ought to love them and care for them, just like we would love and care for anyone else. Period.

But what I would say to my homosexual friends is this:

I believe that mankind is much more than our society is allowing them to be. I cannot lower man to the level that you are asking me to. What I mean is that man is actually capable of making choices, and ruling over his desires. We are not the sum total of our genes. (James White, PRBC Sermon from 2/1/15).

Amen to that. I would add that just because we have desires or urges to do something doesn't mean we are required to act on them. Sometimes I get angry, but that doesn't mean I should live out my anger. God calls us to specific purposes as human beings. He is our Creator, after all. He has the right to tell us how to live and what we were made to do (and not to do). We aren't defined by our desires; rather, we are defined by God who made us in His image.

Later on in this same sermon, James describes Leviticus 18 as not just a list of "Thou shalt not's," but as the guardrails along the sides of the road for life. Is that an incredible analogy or what? He then added, "God hasn't left us in moral darkness, rather, He has given us His light" in the Scriptures. This needs to be our message to people: we aren't against homosexuals, but we are against homosexuality because it will lead you down the path to destruction. I want you to experience life, and that only comes by obeying the Law given to us by God, and ultimately through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I also thoroughly agree with James' point that if we really believe what God's Word says about this, then it would be hateful for us to live in this society and not say anything about it. If we love our neighbors, we will talk about this, and relate it back to the power of the gospel that can bring abundant life here and now, as well as eternal life to sinners who need it.

A Little of This; a Little of That

I had another kid, so I think that bought me an excuse to take a few months off from the blog? LOL. I sure hope so, anyways. Yes, I am a father times 2, and what a great adventure it has been since my son was born. Wanna know a secret, just between you and me? I can't say the phrase "my son" without thinking of Darth Vader's conversation with the Emperor. Haha ... I am imagining the readership of this entry dropping in half after that little excerpt ... we went from 6 to 3 readers before the end of the first paragraph =)

Here's my favorite shot of the little guy, so far. Behold, I present to you, my son, Connolly Kevin:

The trouble with taking such a long vacation from the blog is knowing where to begin again. What I'd like to do is briefly catch y'all up on a few personal items, transition to what I'm studying and reading, and conclude with a few thoughts on the primary book I should have finished months ago (but will finish next week). Here goes nothin'...

My family is wonderful. God continues to bless Emily and I, and we now have two marvelous kids that fill our home with laughter, and other high-pitched screams =). As a quick side-note, I recently tried to watch "Children of Men" for a second time and couldn't finish it. It was too depressing. The idea of a world entirely without children is very sad to think about, and I'm thankful that is not the world we live in.

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. You have to understand that Christmas for me begins the day after Thanksgiving, and goes well into the first week of January. It is quite an event. Decorations galore - we had TWO Christmas trees this year (both fake, of course), multiple parties, friends, family, presents, the whole bit. The best part this Christmas was being able to explain to my three year old the real meaning of why we celebrate Christmas: the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Isn't it remarkable that God the Son condescended by willingly taking on a second nature of humanity to live a perfect life of obedience to God's Law so that He could die and raise again for our justification? We've also started going through a children's version of the Bible together; what a joy and an honor it is to teach my children about the only true and living God who came to save sinners.

Last year I chose to do something that would further increase my geek-dom (is that even possible?) by beginning to collect the 1991 X-Men comic book series. There are approximately 207 total, so it won't be terribly difficult to own them all (and thankfully, not too expensive either!). Also reading the original Superman comics, at least the first two volumes of reprints, then I'd like to move onto a more modern Superman series. And the last two geeky things I'll comment on here is that I've also begun reading the Star Wars novels beginning at shortly before Episode IV, and would someday like to read everything after. Ambitious, but hey, I've got time ... at least, someday I'll have time =). It would be unconscionable for me not to mention that December 18 will be a day long remembered. Star Wars: Episod VII arrives in theaters. 

Finally, just a few thoughts on a book that I'll (finally) be wrapping up this coming week: "The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics" by Robert Gagnon. If you haven't heard of this book, let me be the first to recommend it to you. I am about four-fifths of the way through and there have been many "aha" moments that quite-metaphorically blew my socks off. Gagnon's book is *the* book if you're looking for an all-encompassing overview of the subject of homosexuality in history and with how it relates to Biblical Christianity.

It is a sure thing that I'll have more to say about Gagnon's book in the coming weeks, so for now I'll hone in on two examples that have helped me. The first is simple, but very impactful. He takes the time to respond to a common argument made by homosexual advocates:

The concept of a homosexual couple in a loving, committed and life-long monogomous relationship was utterly foreign to the ancient world. Therefore, the Old Testament Jews and Paul in the New Testament were only condemning exploitative relationships, and not the kind of relationship the modern LGBT movement is promoting.

Gagnon takes the time to look at the nations surrounding Israel that practiced homosexuality in the Old Testament, as well as periods leading up to the 1st century A.D. What is clearly seen are all forms of imagined homosexual practice: exploitative, non-exploitative/consensual, pederastic (another form of exploitative), homo-eroticism related to cultic worship. Just a few hundred years prior to the New Testament, the Greeks and Romans had seen all of these, and then some. Therefore Gagnon makes a strong case defending both the Old and New Testament witnesses were aware of this type of relationship, and yet, God still condemns the practice because it goes against the general revelation given to all people - the complementarity of men and women, and even that the biological parts match (go figure).

Next, Gagnon responds to the argument that we shouldn't use verses that condemn homosexuality because they may be used in a cruel fashion. Rather than comment, I'd like to quote part of this beautiful response:

"If the eternal destiny of unrepentant, practicing homosexuals is at stake, or even a full relationship with God in the present life, then it would be a "cruel abuse of religious power" to give false assurance that these texts do not condemn homosexual behavior. It can be as much a cruel abuse of religious power not to say what Scripture says, however unpleasant it is to hear, as to say what it says in a cold and callous manner. To think otherwise is to indict Jesus himself, who was not shy about using Scripture to warn people of impending judgment. Similarly, within the story line of Genesis 2-3, should we say that the serpent, upon reassuring Eve that she would not die if she ate from the tree forbidden by God, was adopting a more loving and inclusive stance than God?" (Gagnon, pgs. 331-332).

You can expect this kind of brilliance throughout his book. I recommend it.


Until our next meeting,
Rusty