America has come a long way and has, at least in part, adopted a more-tolerant attitude toward homosexuality. As far back as May 16, 1991, I watched a special marriage that was performed on the Phil Donahue television show. The wedding party included the couple, the minister, and the usual participants. The couple was joining in what they called "holy matrimony." Following the ceremony, the couple kissed, and the minister offered a prayer. Mr. Donahue and the audience offered their congratulations. The problem? The couple consisted of two men!

For years, there has been afoot in America a movement to present homosexuality as simply an alternate life style. We are inundated with the philosophy that there is no right or wrong and that labeling homosexuality as sinful is judgmental, ignorant, and un-American.

God instituted marriage between a man and a woman. God created a man (Adam) and a woman (Eve). (Genesis 1, 2) After He created Adam, God said: " ...it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18) "Help meet" is from a Hebrew word that means a counterpart or complement. In other words, God intended to provide for Adam, a being ideally suited to meet his social, psychological, emotional, and sexual needs. In the verses that follow, in Genesis 2, we read of God making a woman (ishshah: corresponding to man) for Adam. The companion God made, Adam recognized as "bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." (Genesis 2:23) God commanded that man should "leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife and, we are told in verse 24, they shall be one flesh."

The woman, not another man, is ideally suited to be man's companion. With regard to man and woman, the apostle Paul also taught (1 Corinthians 11). He wrote: "...the woman is the glory of the man." (vs. 7) Moreover, he penned: "Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." (vs. 9) As already mentioned, woman is the perfect companion for man, emotionally, socially, and sexually.

One purpose of marriage is reproduction. "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:28) No relationship, other than the relationship between man and woman, can produce children.

Marriage is only between man and woman. God sanctioned marriage between man and woman (Genesis 1,2; Hebrews 13:4). He condemned sexual relationships between men and women, outside of marriage (Hebrews 13:4). Conjugal involvement between men and beasts incurs God's express disapproval (Leviticus 18:23). Observe the plainness of this prohibition: "Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith." (Leviticus 18: 23) Beloved, the "neither" connects the phrase to the preceding prohibition, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination." (Leviticus 18:22) The man who "lies with mankind, as he lieth with a woman," under God's theocratic rule, "shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13)

Rampant homosexuality is an indication of a seriously degraded society. In Sodom and Gomorrah, the sin of homosexuality reached the point where God said "their sin is very grievous" and "is waxen great." (Genesis 18:20, 19:13) They were so depraved and steeped in homosexuality that any male stranger was in danger ("may know them," in Genesis 19:5, means to know sexually). Jude wrote that "Sodom and Gomorrah,...giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 7) So great was the stench of their wickedness that the Lord destroyed them with brimstone and fire out of heaven (Genesis 19:24). Notice Jude's statement regarding "eternal fire" (Jude 7).

In describing the degenerate state of the Gentile world during New Testament times, Paul wrote, of the sin of homosexuality, "Men with men, working that which is unseemly." (Romans 1:27) In verse 26, he said "...Even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature." Paul referred to these homosexual relationships as "vile affections." (vs. 26)

Practicing homosexuals will not go to heaven. Some time ago, I listened in amazement as a panel of ministers from several different denominations was questioned regarding homosexuality. Every preacher on the television panel said homosexuality is not even mentioned in the Bible. When pressed, they replied "Jesus did not mention homosexuality." In 1 Corinthians 14:37, Paul stated that he wrote "the commandments of the Lord." Arraying Jesus against what was written in Leviticus 18:22, etc., is the height of blasphemy. Paul also wrote, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals. ..shall inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9,10-NASV)

Beloved, the argument that homosexuals cannot help themselves because they were born the way they are is an incorrect argument. God would not hold the homosexual responsible if he/she had a genetic aberration that could not be helped. The good news is that homosexuals, just as all sinners, can be saved, if they repent (desist from sinning) of their sins and accept God's provision of grace (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Brother Martin touches on an important topic of our day. Men persist in calling homosexuality an "alternate lifestyle." Yet, down through the ages, God consistently called it SIN! Daily, we are bombarded by TV, movies, and music to change our thinking and get us into the "main-stream" way of thinking. It may be called by a different name; it may be promoted as normal; and people of wealth and importance may embrace it. But God said it is sin, and that will stand when this world is on fire! God does not hate homosexuals and lesbians. He hates what we must hate--the SIN, not the person. Many people want to label us "gay bashers" or "prejudiced." Such is only a smoke-screen attempt and shows a failure to study the issue in light of the scriptures. A lifestyle can only be right if God says it is right. The world's name calling and labeling does not change the facts God's word contains concerning this subject. Let us seek to turn others away from SIN, and toward the cross and Christ. It makes no difference what sin it is. All sin leads to the same place--eternal death (Romans 6:23). That should motivate us to act. (KMG)