Monday, June 27, 2011

A Message of Hate

"Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness."
Proverbs 30:20


It is very popular today to accuse any who oppose homosexual marriage as a preacher of hate.  So is there a message of hate involved with standing against homosexuality, homosexual "marriage", and the breakdown of the biblical institution of marriage?  Read a few quotes from some of the attached news articles as proof of these accusations of Bible believers being haters.  

"Apparently, the SDFPC thinks it is okay for Jesus-loving students to badger and belittle gay and lesbian students."  Sioux Falls school district policy against bullying opposed by SD Christian group - Sioux Falls atheism | Examiner.com 

"According to CREDO -a “progressive” San Francisco-based firm that mobilizes liberals to action on a variety of causes – the American Family Association is a bad, bad bunch of people. In fact, CREDO refers to the group as “a Mississippi-based conservative Christian organization that’s so vehemently anti-gay, they’ve been identified as a ‘hate group’ by the Southern Poverty Law Center.""

"Is this another example of anti-gay, zealout pro-creationists trying to eliminate the LGBTIQ community from being able to use public-geared facilities?" 

"It's not about the Baptists, not about the Catholics alone, or the Lutherans, or the Evangelicals, or any other denomination, but rather the head of the denomination, and his name is Jesus, as every president up until 2008 has acknowledged and we pray it in Jesus' name."
***This article said nothing about the man's speech towards gays.  It was more about the Precious name of Jesus with the anti-gay pastor line used as a hook to draw a readers attention.
Anger After Controversial Anti-Gay Pastor Recites Prayer at Minnesota State House - FoxNews.com


"And in his statement, DiMarzio complained that proponents of the bill "have demonized people of faith…and identified them as bigots and prejudiced." Hmm, certitude in the superiority of your beliefs over others': nope, no bigotry there."  
Gay Marriage Continues To Rile New York Religious Leaders: Gothamist





I guess I agree!  There is a message of hate in the Cross.  Jesus' death was all about God and what He hates.  The nails, the beating, the lashing, the being spit upon and mocked; it was all about hate.  Leaving heaven where you are constantly revered and adored as you rightly should be was all about hate.  God humbling Himself as a man and becoming obedient unto death was a great act of hatred.  God so hated sin and its effects on humanity that He had to act.  Jesus proved how much He hated sin with every drop of His precious blood.  God understands how sin destroys mankind and sends those snared by sin and without the only appropriate propitiation for sin to a place of eternal destruction.  So in His hatred of sin and its consequences, He sent His ONLY begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to become a sin offering for us.  The Bible says it best.  "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."  (2 Corinthians 5:21)  The apex of Christ's gospel is that God hates what sin does to His divine order. 


John 3:16 has an opposite message implied.  For God so hated sin that He gave His only begotten son...


So why the text verse above?  It seemingly has nothing to do with this argument, or does it?  It shows the reaction of the guilty.  Those caught in the clutches of sin need to justify their lifestyle in an attempt to assuage the guilt they feel.  Just as an adulteress claims that her actions are not wrong, so does any who accepts sin willfully in clear violation of God's teaching (There seems to be a lot of this going on lately with a variety of sinful actions).  After doing that long enough, they sear their conscience to the point that they can no longer detect the debilitating effects of sin in their life.  Just as those in Lot's day in the town of Sodom who called him judgmental as they tried to beat his door down in order to rape angels (Genesis 19), those who are guilty of sin and wish to remain in it vengefully often label those who share truth as a bigot and a hater.  Whether the sin is gossip, envy, lust of any form (including homosexuality), or any other transgression clearly outlined in scripture, those who wish to remain blind will accuse those who see clearly from God's word and by His Spirit as being intolerant.  


If you are in this sin or caught in any other, as William Cowper so eloquently penned, "There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel's veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains."  Jesus Christ did not die to leave you marred and wallowing in the very sin that bound you and is destroying you, but He died for you in love to set you free and cleanse you from all that separated you from God.  Ultimately, the message is one of love and hope.  He just requires you to agree with Him about your sinful condition and to repent and believe.


As far as standing in the streets with a sign saying "God hates fags", that is hate.  It is not the true message of Christianity nor does the God of the Bible sanction it.  God loves you and wants you to turn wholeheartedly to Him for forgiveness and cleansing.  It would take too long to outline where that idea on those placards is coming from, but it has the same source as the notion that God made you to be a sinner caught in homosexuality, drug addiction, pedophilia, or any other wrong.  Turn to Jesus!  He loves you and desires to set you free.  He is also Soon2Come! 




"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:13

1 comment:

  1. Hi John,
    I heard a wonderful teaching about those who are already saved and caught in a sin that they just can't seem to control. These people,instead of justifying themselves they hate themselves. What this teacher said for those to do, instead of saying, "today I won't do this sin" to instead say "today I will fill myself up with Jesus and the things of God"And to agressively saturate themselves with the word of God and the things of God. And that after a while the word thats filling them up inside will drive out all the evil desires, since it's a living word.
    I don't know if thats a good Biblical idea or not because I'm under the impression that Jesus said, if your hand offends then cut it off.But it sounded really good and maybe it might work for some.
    I just hate to see how sin destroys people's lives and especially I know how much our Father HATES IT!
    Still praying, feel better soon.
    The Lord Bless you,
    Gerie

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