Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.”  John 6:68-69

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You are My friends if you do what I command you.  John 15:14

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This article was updated on June 2, 2019.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. Romans 1:26-27

This reminder is from God (through His word), not me. If anyone doesn't like it, they need to take that up with Him. He designed male and female, and assigned their purposes and functions. (Gen. 1:27-28) He doesn't change. (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8) What I can't understand is how anyone can read the above passage and then say that God is okay with all of this? (I'm referring to the national legalization of same-sex marriage, in an extreme over-reach by the 9th Circuit Supreme Court, overriding states rights and trumping the will of the majority of people, who were meant to govern themselves--the last I checked..."for the people BY the people.") 

It's idolatry to replace God's words with our own "preferred" version. It's just like making ourselves into God by putting our ways above His. Who is in charge here? Man or God? Do these advisors and committees think that they're going to be in charge in heaven as well? Is God going to put it to a vote or appoint men to "fix" the Bible? Did He not mean what He said and He needs us to tell Him which parts to take out and which ones to edit? (The answer is NO.)

What about the followers? Are we following Jesus or men? I can tell you Who I'm following and I can tell you why I'm telling you. I want a clear conscience that I didn't approve of or participate in rebellion against Him. He warned us that if we stood up for Him, we would not be popular but that is the price to be paid to be on the side of good and not evil. (John 15:18-21, Matt. 5:10-16, 1John 3:12-13, 4:5-6, Rom. 1:32, 16:19) Salt that has lost its saltiness is worthless, just like the servant who was thrown OUT for refusing to shine his light (which is to be fruitful and make a profit for the Master, who is Jesus. Matt. 25:14-30, Mark 4:16-20, Eph. 5:11-17, 2Pet. 1:8-15)

This issue (and I think it's fair to also call it a battle) will not stop here. This is just another step of "progress" in the decay of our society. People will look back some day and wonder how things got the way they are and wish they had realized where it was heading in time to change it. If you truly believe, then stand up for God. (Eph. 6:10-20, Col. 4:5-6, Mark 9:50, Luke 14:34-35) If you have been misled, then repent. (Rom. 16:18, 1Cor. 6:9-10, 15:33-34, 3:16-18, Eph. 5:5-6, 1John 3:7-8, Jam. 1:14-16, 2Tim. 3:12-13)

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:19-26

I used to believe, as I often heard people say, that this particular sin is no worse than other sins. However, that's just not true according to the Bible. ALL sexual sins are particularly grievous to God, especially for believers, since they are one Spirit with Jesus. (1Cor. 6:17-20) The problem is that people want to make homosexuality into a special sin, exempt from God's instructions to turn from it.

Probably part of the problem is that most of society has ceased to call fornication (sexual intimacy outside of marriage) a sexual sin, and so they recognize that its hypocritical to single out another form of sexual sin for criticism. (Rom. 2:1-5) However, the answer is NOT to go against God and declare all sexual sins to be acceptable. What about adultery, pedophilia or bestiality? Where does it stop? Or does it? God designed marriages to be heterosexual, for the purpose of fruitfulness, in faithfulness--just as He is faithful to us and His Spirit IN us is fruitful. (Gal. 5:22-24, John 15:1-10, Rom. 7:4-6, Titus 2:11-15, Rom. 6:19-23) Marriage between a man and woman is a physical example of relationship that should model our spiritual relationship with God. (Eph. 5:22-33)

There is no hope whatsoever of living a God-pleasing life without being filled with the Holy Spirit and yielding to His guidance and influence over our lives. (Rom. 8:5-12, 13-14, Eph. 5:17-21) Some sins in particular involve the pleasure centers of the brain and so they become addictive and grow harder to resist over time. God is the only hope of overcoming them. (Heb. 4:15-16) Again, any and all arguments are against God, not me or others who stand with Him for the truth. It's not hateful to speak the truth with love as our motive. (Eph. 4:15-30, Jam. 5:19-20) It's NOT a choice of love OR truth--they go together. (John 14:6, 17:17, 1John 4:8-10, 3:18, Rom. 1:18, 2Thess. 2:9-12)

God loves the whole world and hates sin. (John 3:16-18, 19-21) That is not a bad thing that we should be afraid to tell--it's great news!! There is no one that He won't forgive and wash clean. Just repent (turn from unbelief), and if we truly believe, then the Spirit in us will help us to turn from our other sins and live to please God. (2Cor. 5:14-15, Col. 1:9-10, Rom. 12:1-2) If we don't turn from our sin, that's a sign that we don't really believe--that we don't actually KNOW God as we claim to. (1John 1:5-2:6, 2:28-3:10, 2Cor. 13:5)

I hope readers can understand that my comments are made out of love for the deceived, not out of malice. My concern is that people who have been told certain sins are specially exempt from God's instructions to turn from sin have been lied to. God is holy. (1Pet. 1:14-19, Heb. 12:14) He hates sin, but He provides a way out--no matter what temptation we face. (1Cor. 9:24-10:13, Jam. 4:4-10) It is disturbing to see the direction many churches are going in accepting sin along with sinners--no change required or expected. That is NOT regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and it is not "born again." Our old sinful flesh LOVES to hear that Jesus died so that we can CONTINUE to sin, but it's simply NOT TRUE. (2Tim. 3:1-5, 4:1-5, Rom. 6:12-18, 13:14) It is actually easier to go along with the flow and call it "love" to do so, but souls are at stake here. 

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8 (You can't see the wind, but you can see the effects of it. Also see 1Pet. 1:22-23.)

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another. But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:4-6

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. Romans 8:9

So by these verses, you can see the process involved in being born again. First you believe that Jesus the Son of God, died for your sins and rose from the dead, then you repent of (turn away from) your sins, then you are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. At that point, you are born again, helped daily by the Holy Spirit to resist temptation and to change your life to a way that pleases God. (2Pet. 1:3-15, Eph. 4:19-24, 30, 1Thess. 5:19-22)

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Colossians 3:5-10

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:31-36

The freedom referred to in the above verse is from the bondage to sin and its consequence of eternal death and damnation for those who are not saved and washed clean by the blood of Jesus. Those who refuse to believe and be washed clean, stay in their sin. (John 8:24) However, those who DO believe are meant to STAY clean, not return to "wallowing" in sins that they were cleansed from by the precious blood of Jesus, (Rom. 6:22-23, 2Pet. 2:22, 1Pet. 1:18-19, 2Pet. 1:9, Rev. 5:9-10, 1Pet. 2:11-12, Heb. 3:12-14, Jam. 1:27, Rev. 3:4-6, 2:21-23) Where the Spirit is, there is the power of God to overcome. (2Cor. 3:17, 1John 4:4-6, Gal. 5:13, Rom. 6) The Body of Christ is meant to be unleavened, which requires separating from the world (which means refraining from partaking of its sinful practices) and ALSO from associating with those who claim to believe, but refuse to repent. (1Cor. 4:21-5:13, 2Cor. 6:14-7:1, 12:21) 

When Jesus sent His angel to have John write about what was to come, so that the churches would know what pleases Him and what does not, He had some very stern warnings. He also promised great reward to those who overcome, which is done by yielding to the power of His Spirit in us--putting God FIRST and remembering all else will fade away. (1John 2:15-17, Jam. 1:12, Phil. 3:17-21, Heb. 12:3-17, 28-29) 

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ 3:1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 2:18-3:6

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:14-22

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:5-8

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Revelation 22:10-21

Jesus also told a parable about virgins who were ALL waiting for the Bridegroom, but half of them let their lamps go out! They were turned away! He said at the beginning that the parable was "like" the kingdom of God. (Matt. 25:1-13) This is a VERY sad outcome, don't you think? God's word is a lamp for our feet and light for our path. (Psa. 119:105) The ones who were denied entry were FOOLISH and those who were ready were WISE. The beginning of WISDOM is the fear of the Lord. (Psa. 111:10) Which one do you want to be? (Also see Matt. 7:13-19, 20-29, Jam. 1:22-25.)

If any of this comes as a surprise to you, then you haven't been reading your Bible for yourself! Instead of looking for consolation and reassurance from those who have been deceiving you by perverting grace into a license to sin (2Tim. 3:12-13, Rom. 6:15-23, Jude 1:4, 2Pet. 2, Gal. 5:13, 19-24), take seriously the warnings that God Himself provided for us who LOVE Him. Jesus said those who love Him will OBEY Him. (John 14:15-26, 15:10) We'll each answer to Him for ourselves. (Rom. 2:4-11, Gal. 6:1-10, 1Pet. 1:14-19, 4:1-5, 17-18, Heb. 10:29-31, Jam. 2:12) Do we love Him more or do we love this world and our sin more? We should love everyone, but we should ONLY have sex within marriage between a man and woman (according to biological gender at birth--it's so sad that this needs to be added). Period.

As I update this article, it's once again "gay pride month." Please read my article entitled "Pride" to see what the Bible says on that topic--especially when it comes to teaching children that good is evil and vice versa. (Prov. 6:16-19, 16:17-18, Isa. 5:20, Luke 17:1-2, Jer. 6:15-19, 9:23-24, 2Cor. 10:17-18, Gal. 6:14-15, Psa. 50:16-23) I live in Wisconsin, where the new lesbian mayor of Madison (the capital city, also home of the Freedom From Religion Foundation) has decided to light up the municipal building with rainbow colors and to fly the rainbow flag to celebrate "diversity" (which usually refers to various methods of rejecting God's ways, often blaming Him for "making" people who are "unable" to resist practicing behaviors that He has said He hates) and "inclusivity" this month. 

What saddens me most is the inclusion of innocent children in this ungodly movement, which basically denies everything the Bible says about sexual morality and God's design of and purpose for the TWO genders. I wish (and I pray) that those who are so happy to get their way could see the light so they could realize that the end of these things is NOT what they want! (Prov. 14:11-12, 2Pet. 2:12-22, Jude 1:14-23, 2Pet. 3:10-18, Rom. 1:21, Eph. 4:18-24) Not believing the truth will not change it any more than not believing in gravity will negate its effect on anyone. 

It's better to hurt for a while now and get over it, repenting and having heaven to look forward to, than to continue on the broad path to destruction (which is VERY popular), being blissfully unaware of what is coming. (Luke 13:23-30, 2Cor. 7:8-10) Telling people lies for a profit, or to be "liked," or for whatever reason is NOT loving! (Titus 1:16, 2Pet. 2:19)