It appears that over at Desiring (I don't know what kind of ) God website, headed up by John Piper, ex-pastor, they are really trying to a "sanitized" version of the perversion of sodomy, by blurring lines that don't need to be blurred if one reads and believes Scripture. Here is their latest attack on the truth. I dealt with their article "An Alternative Script for Same Sex Attraction" here.
By posting four articles (five if you count the one that is an interview of an author on a book) about sodomy, it really seems that Piper's ministry is trying to push a new and radical and unbiblical view of sodomy onto Christians. The term they like to use for sodomy, "same sex attraction" or "SSA" as if its some sort of syndrome, is merely a device to sanitize the reality of the heinous nature of sodomy. In other words it is a way to normalize the perversion.
This is the way I said it would be eventually accepted into "Christianity", first by accepting the mere "desire" or temptation---(aka "celibate" sodomy) -- and then secondly the full on lifestyle. As long as you can call the UNNATURAL, DISHONORABLE PASSION not a sin, but merely a "struggle" and something that may never go away (EXACTLY like humanist/quasi New Age Alcoholics Annonymous says about always being a "recovering" alcoholic and never a FORMER DRUNK) then sympathy and acceptance MUST BE DEMANDED. And it is.
These men such as Piper and his group at his ministry are thinking just like the world in this area, just merely sprinkling Christianese into the mix to make it sound better. But the fact remains they ARE perpetrating a worldly, damnable philosophy regarding Sodomy which is not only completely contrary to Scripture, but its absolutely dishonoring to the true God of Scripture.
This is pure deception, underhandedness, and quite evil. There is no such
thing as a sodomite Christian. One either IS or ISN'T a sodomite. Scripture
doesn't give an in between, which is the one thing that NO ONE is
saying. The fear that people have in saying this merely proves how far down the downgrade we've gone in Evangelical Christianity: most have bought the deception that the world COULD be right on this clearly spiritual issue! I believe that is why up until a few years ago we've NEVER EVER EVER had ANY Christian claim one can be a sodomite of the HEART. They've only recently created that NEW category thanks to the damnable doctrines of psychology and hard hearts that are hating God.
On top of that, I still hold that according to Romans 1, sodomy is the result of not acknowledging God as Creator. It is a curse. Once a person has not only acknowledged God as Creator but gets saved out of sodomy, they are NO LONGER in that category and under that curse.
As long as people buy into the psychology dung that one "could" be born that way and/or put it on the level of any other sin (which, by the way, God did NOT), then it can be claimed as a "normal" sin and thus must be accepted. God didn't destroy entire cities for stealing. He didn't destroy entire cities for polygamy or for drunkeness nor for bitterness or lying. To leave "room" for the possibility of sodomy being part of one's nature, one might as well say that evolution COULD happen simply because some people claim it. Its the same mindset: afraid to stand by Scripture and instead leave room for "science" just in case they "discover" a truth (biblical truth isn't discovered, its revealed).
If you substitute sodomy (cleanly sanitized by the worldlings over at Desiring I Don't Know What Kind of God) with PEDOPHILIA, perhaps it will give you a clearer picture of how this claim of sexual perversion of the heart is acceptable like "any other sin", is destructive, evil, and perverted.
I've said it before, but it apparently needs to keep being said:
Here is Don Green's post on Facebook regarding the latest sodomy article over at Piper's website:
End quote.
I would add that Scripture commands, even demands, that the true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is to think on certain things:
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
We are commanded to think on whatever is true, honorable, pure, lovely, etc....and God says that sodomy is not only unnatural, but at heart, "dishonorable passions". This is the opposite of what is "honorable" and "pure". So to lust after another, particularly one of the same sex is to violate the command on what we are to even think about. It fails the test of Scripture on the level of one's own thoughts.
On top of that, I still hold that according to Romans 1, sodomy is the result of not acknowledging God as Creator. It is a curse. Once a person has not only acknowledged God as Creator but gets saved out of sodomy, they are NO LONGER in that category and under that curse.
As long as people buy into the psychology dung that one "could" be born that way and/or put it on the level of any other sin (which, by the way, God did NOT), then it can be claimed as a "normal" sin and thus must be accepted. God didn't destroy entire cities for stealing. He didn't destroy entire cities for polygamy or for drunkeness nor for bitterness or lying. To leave "room" for the possibility of sodomy being part of one's nature, one might as well say that evolution COULD happen simply because some people claim it. Its the same mindset: afraid to stand by Scripture and instead leave room for "science" just in case they "discover" a truth (biblical truth isn't discovered, its revealed).
If you substitute sodomy (cleanly sanitized by the worldlings over at Desiring I Don't Know What Kind of God) with PEDOPHILIA, perhaps it will give you a clearer picture of how this claim of sexual perversion of the heart is acceptable like "any other sin", is destructive, evil, and perverted.
I've said it before, but it apparently needs to keep being said:
A little leaven leavens the whole loaf.
In Matt. 5 Jesus says that the lusts in the heart are tantamount to doing the sin with the body before God. Moreover in Romans 1 sodomy is listed as "LUSTS of their HEARTS" that God finally turned those who refused to acknowledge Him, over to; that He gave them up to "a debase MIND".Scripture also lists sodomy as "unnatural", "dishonorable passions", and"consumed with passion for one another". Such is the description of those who refuse to acknowledge God as Creator. For those in Christ, they DO acknowledge Him as Creator and moreover, love and obey Him, therefore they don't suffer such hardness of hearts. They have a NEW heart at regeneration.
In Matt. 5 Jesus says that the lusts in the heart are tantamount to doing the sin with the body before God. Moreover in Romans 1 sodomy is listed as "LUSTS of their HEARTS" that God finally turned those who refused to acknowledge Him, over to; that He gave them up to "a debase MIND".Scripture also lists sodomy as "unnatural", "dishonorable passions", and"consumed with passion for one another". Such is the description of those who refuse to acknowledge God as Creator. For those in Christ, they DO acknowledge Him as Creator and moreover, love and obey Him, therefore they don't suffer such hardness of hearts. They have a NEW heart at regeneration.
Previously I posted on God's plan for the homosexual agenda. In it I quoted John MacArthur and I think it bears repeating:
God's condemnation of homosexuality is abundantly clear--He opposes it in every age.
- In the patriarchs (Genesis 19:1-28)
- In the Law of Moses (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13)
- In the Prophets (Ezekiel 16:46-50)
- In the New Testament (Romans 1:18-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Jude 7-8)
So if God is so clear on homosexuality, there is no way to accept it on any level, but that's what the liberals are doing as they secretly sneak in among us and then redefine things by trying to cloud the issue regarding sodomy. They try to use "science" and psychology, and even try to equalize the unnatural passion and lust of sodomy as if its like any other sin. That way they can play the victim and say it's merely a struggle like, say, drinking (eternal victimhood is a play right out of psychology's playbook---you never have victory over the sin or its desire but rather always struggle, thus always "recovering" but never recovered). The sins of Sodom and Gommorah were sexual in nature and therefore earned God's special judgement. If He destroyed not only those two cities, but the surrounding ones because of such heinous sexual immorality, then how in the WORLD can "Christians" think He's any less angry and less holy now with sodomy? Both the Old and New Testaments show God's absolute consistency regarding sexual immorality. Or do these "Christians" fancy themselves more tolerant and "loving" than the HOLY HOLY HOLY God of Israel Himself?
If liberals can't get sodomy into the churches by full frontal attack, they'll do it by a more subtle means--incrementalism, psychology, the great sin-equalizer, and victimization.
End quote.
Blessedly Don Green, who used to minister as a pastor at Grace Community Church but is now at another church, shared his disagreement on his Facebook page. One wonders why, so far, it seems GTY, John MacArthur, and Phil Johnson are silent thus far.Here is Don Green's post on Facebook regarding the latest sodomy article over at Piper's website:
I just saw an article from Desiring God arguing that same-sex attraction is not sinful. I beg to differ, and there is too much at stake for me to maintain silence. The following are my sermon notes from a message I delivered this summer in Singapore.
You'll need an open Bible to follow along.
Forbidden Desires
Is it okay to be attracted to the same gender as long as you don't have sex? Short answer?
No. The sin of homosexuality is more than the external behavior. The disposition toward homosexuality is also sinful.
This may surprise you if you have approached Christianity as a series of rules to be kept and going to church on Sunday. But biblical righteousness is far more than avoiding physical sin.
1. The Bible Condemns Sinful Desires
The Bible teaches that God looks on hearts, not just behavior.
God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
It’s rooted in the tenth commandment.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor (Exodus 20:17).
Jesus condemned heart sins like anger and lust.
Read Matthew 5:21-28.
What keeps people from going to heaven?
Read Galatians 5:19-21.
Notice the “things like these.” God condemns promiscuity and sensuality. We make no provision for them.
Read Romans 13:13-14.
This is not unique to homosexuality. Sinful desires provoke God’s wrath, not just sinful deeds. We can’t reduce the sin of homosexuality to homosexual acts.
The desires themselves are sinful.
2. Sinful Desires Come from Sinful Hearts
A sinful heart produces sinful desires that produce sinful deeds.
Read Mark 7:21-23; James 4:1-2.
We are to be pure from the inside out. We cannot whitewash sinful desires; otherwise we reproduce the spirit of the Pharisees.
Read Luke 11:39-40.
He condemned the Pharisees for making of show of external compliance while inside being full of robbery and wickedness.
God forbids us to want things that are contrary to His will. Homosexual desires and behavior are sinful because they violate God’s created order.
For a man to desire a man as a sexual companion is to sin from the heart against God’s order that a woman be the sole sexual companion of a man, and that in the context of a marriage relationship.
3. But I Didn’t Try to Be this Way!
It is common to hear homosexual stories that say, “I was always this way. I noticed I was different from the youngest age.” I didn’t choose to be this way.
The implication is that therefore I am not responsible for my immoral behavior.
That is the wrong conclusion. The truth is just the opposite. The fact that those desires come so easily simply shows how badly sin has infected the human race.
Read Romans 5:12.
When Adam fell into sin, he brought a whole host of evil upon the human race. We all share in the responsibility for it. We inherited a guilty nature from him, and we are responsible for that. Even more, we add to our own guilt with our own sin.
Why do some people feel same-sex attraction early in life? They were born with sinful hearts. When they act on their sinful desires, they develop sinful habits that gradually take control of them.
It’s the old saying: sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.
The fact that sinful desires come naturally is not unique to homosexuals. Anyone who has raised children understands this.
Even though no one has taught them to do so, children instinctively know how to lie when they get into trouble. They instinctively get angry if they don’t get their way.
No one teaches children to be naughty. They just naturally are naughty. It’s not genetic. They’re born with sinful hearts. No one says that lying and anger should be unrestrained.
The fact that wicked desires come naturally shows how lost we are. Christ must save us because we cannot save ourselves.
Read Jeremiah 13:23, 17:9.
These are different manifestations of the same root problem of sin and our fallen natures. The fact that sin comes naturally to us doesn’t excuse our guilt. It proves our guilt.
The nature of the manifestation of our sin differs from individual to individual. One might struggle with homosexual lust; another with heterosexual lust; another laziness; another gossip.
Paragraph 6.2 and 6.3 of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 states it like this:
6.2 Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them. For from this, death came upon all: all becoming dead in sin and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.
6.3 They being the root, and by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and their corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.
Without being taught to do so, some people will rebel against God’s will for sexuality. When you combine a sinful heart with other issues like early molestation or other environmental factors, you have a recipe for engrained homosexuality even early in life.
Sadly, homosexuals have misunderstood the spiritual significance of their experience. Their childhood desires were not innocent. They manifested a corrupt nature.
When they act on that corrupt nature, sin subtly takes control of their lives.
Sin does not become righteous simply because it comes naturally to us. Homosexuality is sinful. Those who practice or desire it are guilty, even if they did not originally and consciously “choose” to go that route. God will still hold them accountable.
I realize this sounds depressing. But sin is inherently enslaving. It’s shocking to realize that we can be slaves without even knowing it.
Homosexuals are no different than the rest of us. They were born into a condition of slavery.
Read John 8:34.
What is the answer to that enslaved condition?
4. Homosexuals Need the Gospel
The recognition that homosexuality has a hold on you should not lead you to justify it. It should lead you to flee to Christ and cry for mercy. You are enslaved to sin that offends a holy God, and you cannot save yourself from it.
Homosexuals are just like other sinners. They must confess their sin and repent or they will perish.
Read Matthew 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
God will not allow unrepentant homosexuals into heaven.
But there is mercy in the condemnation. Christ calls all sinners—not just homosexuals—to deny themselves and follow Him. He offers eternal life to everyone who believes in Him.
Read Mark 8:35-39.
We gladly point homosexuals to the same Savior that redeemed us from our sins—the Friend of sinners who came to seek and save the lost.
Read Luke 19:10.
Christ washed us from our sins; He can wash, sanctify, and justify every homosexual who humbly comes to Him as well.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:11.
We say without apology that homosexuals must repent of their homosexuality. We say with confidence that Christ will receive you, forgive all your sins, and graciously give eternal life to Him.
Read John 6:37.
When Christ says that, He means it. He will forgive all your sins. He has authority to make that promise because He paid for sin at the cross.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:21.
When you come to Christ, He will give you power to overcome sin. That doesn’t necessarily mean you will be instantly relieved of homosexual temptation.
But He will give you the Holy Spirit to break the power of sin, to cleanse your conscience, and give you hope.
Read Matthew 11:28-30.
Come to Christ. Make today the day of your salvation.
You'll need an open Bible to follow along.
Forbidden Desires
Is it okay to be attracted to the same gender as long as you don't have sex? Short answer?
No. The sin of homosexuality is more than the external behavior. The disposition toward homosexuality is also sinful.
This may surprise you if you have approached Christianity as a series of rules to be kept and going to church on Sunday. But biblical righteousness is far more than avoiding physical sin.
1. The Bible Condemns Sinful Desires
The Bible teaches that God looks on hearts, not just behavior.
God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
It’s rooted in the tenth commandment.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor (Exodus 20:17).
Jesus condemned heart sins like anger and lust.
Read Matthew 5:21-28.
What keeps people from going to heaven?
Read Galatians 5:19-21.
Notice the “things like these.” God condemns promiscuity and sensuality. We make no provision for them.
Read Romans 13:13-14.
This is not unique to homosexuality. Sinful desires provoke God’s wrath, not just sinful deeds. We can’t reduce the sin of homosexuality to homosexual acts.
The desires themselves are sinful.
2. Sinful Desires Come from Sinful Hearts
A sinful heart produces sinful desires that produce sinful deeds.
Read Mark 7:21-23; James 4:1-2.
We are to be pure from the inside out. We cannot whitewash sinful desires; otherwise we reproduce the spirit of the Pharisees.
Read Luke 11:39-40.
He condemned the Pharisees for making of show of external compliance while inside being full of robbery and wickedness.
God forbids us to want things that are contrary to His will. Homosexual desires and behavior are sinful because they violate God’s created order.
For a man to desire a man as a sexual companion is to sin from the heart against God’s order that a woman be the sole sexual companion of a man, and that in the context of a marriage relationship.
3. But I Didn’t Try to Be this Way!
It is common to hear homosexual stories that say, “I was always this way. I noticed I was different from the youngest age.” I didn’t choose to be this way.
The implication is that therefore I am not responsible for my immoral behavior.
That is the wrong conclusion. The truth is just the opposite. The fact that those desires come so easily simply shows how badly sin has infected the human race.
Read Romans 5:12.
When Adam fell into sin, he brought a whole host of evil upon the human race. We all share in the responsibility for it. We inherited a guilty nature from him, and we are responsible for that. Even more, we add to our own guilt with our own sin.
Why do some people feel same-sex attraction early in life? They were born with sinful hearts. When they act on their sinful desires, they develop sinful habits that gradually take control of them.
It’s the old saying: sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.
The fact that sinful desires come naturally is not unique to homosexuals. Anyone who has raised children understands this.
Even though no one has taught them to do so, children instinctively know how to lie when they get into trouble. They instinctively get angry if they don’t get their way.
No one teaches children to be naughty. They just naturally are naughty. It’s not genetic. They’re born with sinful hearts. No one says that lying and anger should be unrestrained.
The fact that wicked desires come naturally shows how lost we are. Christ must save us because we cannot save ourselves.
Read Jeremiah 13:23, 17:9.
These are different manifestations of the same root problem of sin and our fallen natures. The fact that sin comes naturally to us doesn’t excuse our guilt. It proves our guilt.
The nature of the manifestation of our sin differs from individual to individual. One might struggle with homosexual lust; another with heterosexual lust; another laziness; another gossip.
Paragraph 6.2 and 6.3 of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 states it like this:
6.2 Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them. For from this, death came upon all: all becoming dead in sin and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.
6.3 They being the root, and by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and their corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.
Without being taught to do so, some people will rebel against God’s will for sexuality. When you combine a sinful heart with other issues like early molestation or other environmental factors, you have a recipe for engrained homosexuality even early in life.
Sadly, homosexuals have misunderstood the spiritual significance of their experience. Their childhood desires were not innocent. They manifested a corrupt nature.
When they act on that corrupt nature, sin subtly takes control of their lives.
Sin does not become righteous simply because it comes naturally to us. Homosexuality is sinful. Those who practice or desire it are guilty, even if they did not originally and consciously “choose” to go that route. God will still hold them accountable.
I realize this sounds depressing. But sin is inherently enslaving. It’s shocking to realize that we can be slaves without even knowing it.
Homosexuals are no different than the rest of us. They were born into a condition of slavery.
Read John 8:34.
What is the answer to that enslaved condition?
4. Homosexuals Need the Gospel
The recognition that homosexuality has a hold on you should not lead you to justify it. It should lead you to flee to Christ and cry for mercy. You are enslaved to sin that offends a holy God, and you cannot save yourself from it.
Homosexuals are just like other sinners. They must confess their sin and repent or they will perish.
Read Matthew 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
God will not allow unrepentant homosexuals into heaven.
But there is mercy in the condemnation. Christ calls all sinners—not just homosexuals—to deny themselves and follow Him. He offers eternal life to everyone who believes in Him.
Read Mark 8:35-39.
We gladly point homosexuals to the same Savior that redeemed us from our sins—the Friend of sinners who came to seek and save the lost.
Read Luke 19:10.
Christ washed us from our sins; He can wash, sanctify, and justify every homosexual who humbly comes to Him as well.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:11.
We say without apology that homosexuals must repent of their homosexuality. We say with confidence that Christ will receive you, forgive all your sins, and graciously give eternal life to Him.
Read John 6:37.
When Christ says that, He means it. He will forgive all your sins. He has authority to make that promise because He paid for sin at the cross.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:21.
When you come to Christ, He will give you power to overcome sin. That doesn’t necessarily mean you will be instantly relieved of homosexual temptation.
But He will give you the Holy Spirit to break the power of sin, to cleanse your conscience, and give you hope.
Read Matthew 11:28-30.
Come to Christ. Make today the day of your salvation.
End quote.
I would add that Scripture commands, even demands, that the true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is to think on certain things:
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
We are commanded to think on whatever is true, honorable, pure, lovely, etc....and God says that sodomy is not only unnatural, but at heart, "dishonorable passions". This is the opposite of what is "honorable" and "pure". So to lust after another, particularly one of the same sex is to violate the command on what we are to even think about. It fails the test of Scripture on the level of one's own thoughts.
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