From: dlhanson@nap.amoco.com (David L. Hanson)
Subject: Re: Sexuality
Organization: These are my opinions.
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 19:16:31 GMT

In article <1993Jan5.171350.17827@umr.edu> asparrow@mcs213a.cs.umr.edu (Angelia Sparrow) writes:
>In article <1993Jan4.203640.22101@unet.net.com> stank@perrault.unet.com (
Stan Knight) writes:>>The passages in Leviticus have come up many times. No 
where else(that I know)>>does the Bible say bad things about gays. Of course 
Leviticus also tells you>>what kind of bugs to eat(Eaten any bugs lately?)
and that it is a sin to >>wear clothing that is made from more then one type 
of material. Some seem to>>think that using Leviticus as proof that "GOD 
hates homos" is o.k. but that>>the latter verses are "inconsistent with our 
times".(I've been personally told>>this) I am curouis about this guy 
Leviticus. Does anyone have background info>>on him? What he says about gays 
does not seem to jive with the teachings of>>Jesus, as I understand them.
>>
>>Stan Knight
>
>There are condemnationbs of homosexuality in Romans.  Along
>with condemnations of many other sins.  
>
>Leviticus is one of the Books of Moses.  It contains much of the Law.
>However, Christians are no longer under the Law, but under Grace.
>(See Hebrews for an example, using the story of Abraham)
>

>A good example of how to approach the question of Law and Grace
>is to consider the following:
>
>A man cooked a large piece of meat until it was very tender.
>He tried lifting it out of the pot with a fork, but the tines
>just pulled right through the meat, shredding it.  Then he took
>out a spatula and placed it under the meat, lifting it up. 
>
>The meat is our sin-soft souls, the fork  is the Law and 
>the spatula is Grace.  We cannot make it to Heaven by the Law
>because no one can keep all of the Law.
>
>Set sermonette off
>
The rest of the story.  Since Christians love Christ they would want to
do what He commands.  The moral law, as distinct from ceremonial law
(sacrificing lambs or not eating pork), is just as valid for living a pure
life today as when it was written.  The Lord Jesus Christ calls those who
are saved by belief in Him to live a holy, sanctified life.  Sodomy, 
adultery, thievery, covetness, lying, lust, etc.and are not to be part
of a Christian life.  A born again Christian will not lose his salvation
if he sins but he will suffer the natural consequences of sin and is 
subject to being "taken home" by God.

There is also a misconception that all sins are the same. It is true that
by committing even one sin a person deserves the lake of fire.  This
punishment is only pardoned by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. However,
the Bible indicates that the consequences of sin in the mortal life and
after death are different depending upon the sin.  Sodomy and adultery,
as two of the sins which God ordered to be punishable by death under the
Law, are relatively "worse" sins.  These two sins also have greater earthly
consequences, than for example lust, in that sexually transmitted diseases
are often a consequence.  
  
>Anyway, the Old Testament is useful mainly as History and
>not as a pattern for our lives.  See _A Clockwork Orange_
>for an understanding of the differences.
>
A movie is a bad place to learn doctrine that means the difference
between being in heaven or in hell for all eternity.  I would suggest
reading the Bible and attending a Bible preaching, Bible believing church
instead.  The New Testament alone does not give a complete picture of
the unmovable, unchangeble God and is useful for much more than history
contrary to what apostate churches may now be teaching. 

Signature follows:
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth"  John 17:17

 
 

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David L. Hanson       Internet --> dlhanson@nap.amoco.com
Amoco Corporation     X.400    --> A=attmail,P=amoco,S=Hanson,G=David,I=L
Any opinions expressed are my own!
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