24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.There is is. It sounds bad, it really is bad. Here's the thing, these are straight people, heterosexuals that become homosexual. They take on the persecution that homosexual people suffer every day. Even death. Even in Roman times. Now that's a bad punishment. Take note. It's a punishment because they are losing heterosexual privilege. It's a punishment because, at least at that time, it would have meant they couldn't have kids, and it's a punishment because not only is it homosexuality but it was degrading to them.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Most homosexuals, however, will tell you that they have known they were homosexual from an early age and in many cases their parents and friends could tell from an earlier time. They didn't become homosexual because God was punishing them. They just were, always.
In Romans we see people punished for REJECTING God and worshiping idols. Let's look at in in context.
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.To say that Romans condemns homosexuality is really wrong. What it is condemning is rejecting God. Homosexuality is a punishment and it is in and of itself ENOUGH of a punishment because scripture says they "received in themselves the due penalty for their error."
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
There is no justification to be mean, cruel, or to make pronouncements about the state of homosexuals. It's hard enough to just live. Christians are called to a HIGHER CALLING, a calling to not judge and just love. Romans 2 talks about that.
When we selectively limit our scripture to just a hand full of verses we miss that.
God's awesome in my book. I love God because he sent Jesus to preach love. Because of that, I know he loves me. Even if every church and every Christian tells me I am unwelcome...I know God is waiting for me with open arms.
Because of that love, I'm able to better love others too. Because it's a gift.
What I will not do, is stand idly by and watch others tell people through their actions that God doesn't love them even while the words might say that he does.
Jesus didn't pile on burdens. He accused the phairasees of that. If someone is LGBT and wants to reject that and be a "normal" heterosexual, I certainly think that's wonderful but if someone is LGBT and says they love God or want to know him, that door swings WIDE OPEN FOR THEM TOO.
Marriage is sacred because it is a COMMITMENT before God, it is not sacred simply because God created it thousands of years ago. Marriage is rejecting promiscuity. It's the formation of a three chorded union of the spouses and God. THAT'S HOLY. THAT'S good. It says so right in 1 Tim 4.
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