Sodom

This next week our focus will be on God's judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. You can't get around the fact that God destroyed four wicked cities because of gross sin. Today I read an article in the paper about an ex-gay man who is now a 'minister'. He says he realizes that homosexuality is sin, but wishes the church would embrace gays. You can read the article here.

I wonder if a man came into the church who was a known murderer and every now and then he just went and killed someone if we would 'embrace' him?

I wonder if a man stole things from the people at church regularly if we wouldn't have a little talk with him about his lifestyle?

If a man who showed up drunk to church on occasion, would we expect him to sober up?

If a man who was addicted to sex were to proposition the women at church, would we speak with him about this?

Of course we would! We would not sit back and just hope that they figured out what they were doing was wrong. If they would not repent of these things and call them sin, we would have to say they are not brothers in Christ.

Is it OK to say that murder is wrong? Is it OK to say that adultery is wrong? Is it OK to say that homosexuality is wrong? YES!

With that said, it is not the sin of homosexuality that will send a person to hell, it is not believing in Jesus Christ. We are all sinners, but as the church we do not excuse sin. We confess it and we receive forgiveness for it and we walk in the Spirit.

We don't need to embrace gays, murders, adulterers, fornicators, drunkards, gluttons, child molesters, liars, thieves or any other kind of sin. We need to engage them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They need to know the TRUTH! Let's get out and tell it!

Jesus can change them if they will believe the gospel. We need to embrace those who USED to be these things.

Know ye not that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicaters, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, not extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Notice how the Bible says, "such WERE some of you." A person who says they are a believer and continues in an open rebellious sin is in need of discipline to help them understand that God has changed them and they need to walk in the new life, not wallow in the old.

Do we believe in the miraculous power of God to change us? Of course! Never forget that Paul was a murderer! God turned him into a soul winner.