I am thinking about the relational costs for declaring what, in my view, is Biblical theology, doctrine, and morality.
Sunday one of my good friends and long term MCA participants walked out during my message because of my line, “America has left the Biblical view of sexuality by approving gay marriage in several states. Our country needs to recalibrate by the standards of Jesus.”
“Pastor,” she said to me, “You can’t preach sermons like that. God made people homosexual and you should celebrate everyone God created.”
“Really?” I said to her. “God made several men who want to have continual sex with your daughters. Just because God made them and they have sexual desires doesn’t mean that God is pleased with them taking action against your girls.”
My sense is that I am called to “preach the word,” and my take on God’s view of sexuality is that from birth to death we are to have one sexual partner, the sexual relationship is to begin after the marriage vows, and are reserved for husband and wife.
I view all sexual activity before, during, and after marriage, with anyone other than your spouse, as a very grievous sin against God, your body, your family, and society.
God is adamant. He chose the analogies of Groom and bride and Christ and His body. Your sexual purity is a statement that you are serious about being a pure part of the Body of Christ. It is unfathomable to me that the Lord will return for a Church that is stained with sexual sin.
If your attractions are gay, lesbian, heterosexual, or any other type of sexual attraction, God requires you to bring those attractions under the Lordship of Jesus and DENY YOURSELF except in marriage to your life-long spouse.
Teenagers and young adults listen to the preacher. Sexual purity matters to God.
Married man and woman listen to the preacher. Sexual purity matters to God.
Folks with same sex attractions listen to the preacher. Sexual purity matters to God.
Single adult listen to the preacher. Sexual purity matters to God.
God does not take sexual immorality lightly. It isn’t a fling, or an affair, or a little messing around on the side. To God it is a mortal offense that leads to eternal fire. Revelation 21:6-8 says:
6 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 water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
My best advice for all of us is Stop, Drop, and Roll. Stop the sin. Drop every connection to the sin. Roll away from the sin in repentance and roll to God in holiness.
My friend left but God stayed.