A wake-up call from the UK.

At this moment society in the U.K. is in a state of constant change.
Over a period of recent years the Laws of our land have been altered to accommodate various minority groups, be it the followers of Islam or those involved in homosexual relationships.

In this changing scene the Christian is faced with choices, either to accept the new norm or to stand against the changing tide.

In The Daily Mail November 3rd. 2006 columnist Richard Kay pointed out the decision to ban former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey from giving a lecture in Bangor Cathedral – apparently because of his orthodox beliefs. This is surprising when one considers that last year the deputy imam from the local Bangor Islamic Centre delivered a 15 to 20 minute sermon in the Cathedral. It would appear that “some Anglican clergy seem to think that all beliefs are equally acceptable except traditional Christian ones”

One such Christian to stand against the tide is Nick Howard, who having completed a theology degree this summer, was not ordained because of his “unwillingness to listen” to other viewpoints. http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2006/10/02/michael-howards-son-refused-ordination-in-church-of-england/ Nick told The Mail on Sunday that his strongly held evangelical beliefs on homosexuality and multifaith worship marked him out as a “troublemaker” even though they reflect official Anglican doctrine.

It is reported that a statement was made from the College that a person can be a practicing homosexual and also be a follower of Jesus Christ. That statement prompted me to answer that comment and having given further study to scripture I place before those who read my Blog the following.

The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ chapter 21 verses 7 & 8 lists those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The New King James Version reads, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

The sexually immoral are on that list and do not enter into heaven but are cast into hell.
The reason the Almighty banishes them from heaven is a matter of defilement.
God does NOT accept the (so called) Gay person, holy scripture is very clear on that FACT.

A similar list is found in 1 Corinthians 6 verses 9 & 10 containing those persons who will not inherit the kingdom of God. In this list both partners of the homosexual act are mentioned separately for all sexual immorality is against the body and against the will of God.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 3:17 states that the Christian’s body is the temple of God and that God will destroy those who defile that temple. God does not accept the sexually immoral persons, scripture is very clear on that truth

In the Old Testament sexual immorality within the camp of the children of Israel was judged strictly by the removal of those persons from the camp. Leviticus chapter 11 (read verses 44 &45) and chapter 18 ( see verse 22) give very clear guidance as to the nature of sexual impurity (detestable ways) and the purity of the camp was regarded as necessary for the benefit of the whole camp (Numbers 5:3) for whatever reason.

For the modern day Christian the underlining activity should be one of seeking after holiness. Scripture declares that “without faith it is impossible to please God” and “without holiness it is impossible to see the Lord” (Hebrews 11:6 & 12:14)

The question was this “Can a follower of Christ be a practicing homosexual?”
My answer to that question is no, based upon the reference in the first epistle to the Corinthians which makes plain those “listed” as being unable to inherit the kingdom of God . For such people to inherit there needs to be change in order for them to be able to inherit. God’s acceptance of the sinner is conditional on the sinner’s acknowledgement of the sin and then the act of true repentance (i.e. not continuing in the sin)

Following the list of those banished from heaven in the first Corinthian epistle verse 11 reads - “and such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Notice the words the Apostle uses; namely washed, sanctified (set apart) and then justified. It is all too easy to say that “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” while ignoring the mind of the Lord with regard to a person continuing in sin. Sadly, various forms of sexual immorality are no longer regarded as SIN within our land and certain immoral acts are acceptable in society. But the Word of God states that sexual impurity will keep people out of heaven unless there is repentance and faith. And evidence of true Faith is seen and known in the life of the born again Christian. Jesus said to the immoral woman brought before Him “Go your way and sin no more”

Matthew 7:21 clearly says that “not everyone who says Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven . . .” The Psalmist (Psalm 24:3-5) ) says “who shall ascend the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in His holy place?” - the answer is then given “clean hands and a pure heart” – external purity and inner faith!

We must never be tempted to bring God down to a level where He has to compromise His HOLINESS. God is HOLY and JUST (Righteous), He cannot overlook sin in whatever form it takes.

The situation in the United Kingdom isn’t new for what we are experiencing also happened in ancient Rome. Just read the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.

Read the closing verses of Romans Chapter 1 in a modern translation like The Message.
Romans 1:22 to 32.
“They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. So God said, in effect, "If that’s what you want, that’s what you get." It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out.
And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!
Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either—women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it — emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. Since they didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. and it’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!” from The Message.

Do you get the message?

Come on, wake up and make your stand for the Truth!