|
Okay, I know many of you probably don't beleive in The Bible, but there have been a few people who have been concerned with what it says. So, I went ahead and brought out some notes on my study with it. So... here it goes. (And just to keep pretty neutral, I'm doing this study out of the NIV of The Bible.) Leviticus 20:13 " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Yeah... that one sounds pretty harsh, right? Well, I could be led to beleive that it is a pretty big deal to God. And before some of you jump to conclusions... No, it does not say to kill people. In the greek translation, the word that this translation put as "put to death" actually has a closer meaning to excommunicate. Also... for those who think it's saying that it is okay for women to sleep with women, and not for men to sleep with men: In John 3:3 It says 3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.[1] " Does this mean no women have a chance to be born into Heaven, because it says "he"? Romans 1:21-27 21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. 26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In 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. This is a curse carried by our bloodline that we are to overcome. Yes, it is of God. Because of our ancestors, we need to work harder. Think of it this way though, even if there is a chosen people like the Jewish say... All homosexuals were in that bloodline, though not all people in that bloodline are homosexuals. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9Do 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 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. No, people who act upon their homosexual desires will not go to Heaven. As Christians, you have the power to overcome this obstacle. As long as you ask forgiveness, you WILL be forgiven. That's deffinately good news. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. I don't think I could say anything more for that. It's a wonderful passage for giving a Christian more determination. I really hope this helps some of you understand what some of the other people in the community are going through, and why it means so much to them. But even more, I hope it gives comfort and strength to those who are dealing with this. Please, don't say that I am being prejeduce... I understand how hard it is to overcome some of these things. I reallize that for some reason our bodies are atracted to the hormones of the same sex instead of the opposite sex. I know it seems hard beause much of society doesn't accept this. But please, accept the fact that I am like you, I'm glad to admit it, but I don't believe it's somthing that I can allow myself to act upon anymore.
|
