The legitimizing of sexual perversion in the global mind is one of the ways in which Satan is destroying the moral fabric of the world. Though homosexuality is only one of several sexual perversions at his disposal, it is the one he is currently emphasizing. Turn on the news, read a newspaper or magazine, watch a t.v. program–chances are you will find yourself looking at or reading about a gay person who is being lauded and extolled for nothing more than having admitted his/her anti-God, Bible-rejecting life-style. No other talent, skill or accomplishment is necessary. One is an instant media star simply for openly rejecting the Creator of the universe. Those who want to extoll their perversion while maintaining their place in the church community proclaim that the Creator does not condemn them, but rather embraces them. Let us go to His Word to learn the truth of the matter–a practice the Institutional Church refuses to embrace. We will begin by examining Paul’s letter to the church located at Rome.

But first, a short history lesson. The Roman social culture was homosexual in nature. True love among the citizenry was male-male, female-female. Male-female sex was reserved for procreational reasons. Many know that the Roman Empire, the most powerful empire of its day, fell, having rotted from within. Most do not know why. God destroyed the scourge of the earth for the same reason He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah–sin, specifically homosexuality. It is obvious by Paul’s letter that some in the Rome church had adopted their rulers’ life-style or were thinking about it.

Beginning with Romans 1:15 the apostle presents God’s gospel as the only standard for human conduct. He notes in verses 16 and 17 that only His gospel points the believer toward salvation and tells him how to attain it. In verses 18 and 19 Paul warns church people who know God’s Truth but “suppress” it– hold it down, refuse to obey it–that they will feel the brunt of His wrath.

Beginning with verse 20 Paul relates the history of some of God’s people who had fallen away from Him through sin. In verses 20-22 we find that the Israelites were without excuse for their sins in that they not only knew God, they also knew His will for them and the punishment that would come upon them for failing to fulfill it. In spite of this they became “futile in their hearts,” “foolish” and filled with “darkness.” They went so far as to commit idolatry by worshiping other gods, including man himself (vs 23). Notice that after separating themselves from God, the first sin they embraced was homosexuality as described in verses 24-27. Here we find that, because of their rebellion, the Lord “gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts to dishonor themselves among themselves.” As do all who reject God, they believed Satan’s lies instead of His Word (vs 24,25). Further explanation is provided in verse 26 where we find that “God gave them up to vile passions. For their women exchanged the natural (sexual) use for that which is against nature.” The expression “gave them up” means that He allowed Satan to entice the women to have sex with one another. But the women were not alone in their rebellion against God. In verse 27 we find this: “Likewise also the men, leaving the natural (sexual) use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men (having sex) with men, committing what is shameful.” In this passage Paul is using the sins of past Israelites and God’s punishment upon them as a warning for the New Covenant Church not to follow in their spiritual footsteps. Today, because of Satan’s Love, Inclusion and Tolerance push, many churches are rejecting God’s warning. Within a few years there will be no churches, whether Catholic or Protestant, that will not have embraced sex perversion as one of God’s “approved life-styles.” Satan’s theology will have served its purpose. In time sexual perversion will be the preferred life-style within the church. The seeds of this moral decay have already been planted and are bearing fruit at an exponential rate. Like Sodom, Gomorrah and Rome before them, the so-called “Christian nations” of the world will soon disappear from the world stage. Like their ancient counterparts, they will have rotted from within.

Beginning with verse 28 of Romans 1 we see that God places homosexuality in the same category as murder, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, deceitfulness, pride, lying, being unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, etc. Paul tells us that sinning Israelites knew that anyone who practiced any one of the listed sins, including homosexuality, had incurred the death sentence (2:2). He noted that homosexuals were doubly guilty in that they enticed others to join in their perversion. Does this sound familiar? Can you go a day without seeing or hearing about a sex deviate on the news or being featured in a program or magazine? Over the past few years we have been blitzed with stories about gay sports stars who have “bravely come forth.” A former Olympic champion became an instant media darling by changing sexes. The “hero embrace” extended by the society was highlighted by such things as phone calls from the president and having their pictures featured on the front of popular magazines and newspapers. They are often the lead stories on news programs. This in spite of God’s use of such expressions and words as “vile passions,” “futile hearts,” “unclean,” “dishonor,” “against nature,” “shameful,” “lust” and “darkness” to describe them. But according to sin-embracers, that was then, this is now–different God, different people, different circumstances, different rules of engagement. Who says? Not God. Man, as we see every day, has replaced God. God needs to make sure the sun shines, the rain falls, etc. and leave religion to the only ones who can manage it correctly–His creations. To be continued. L.J.