The Bible and Homosexuality

Some people claim the word homosexual wasn't originally in the Bible and that being gay or lesbian isn't a sin. How would you address this argument. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram accounts and you can email us at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today a story about faith in the face of adversity.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Jack Prescott says he's excited about God's plan for his life. Following an ankle injury that ended his NFL season. As you may know, Doc suffered a terrible fracture to his right ankle and a game on October 11 that required surgery appearing in Instagram video this week. Jack was smiling and upbeat and he said I'm excited for God's purpose in God's plan. I know it's bigger than anything that I could see or could have imagined, but I'm trusting him that's the right perspective they have mega rates. We should all could be keeping back in our prayers and and that he'll make a complete recovery and be back on the field with the Cowboys next year, Bill. Are you a football fan I am. I love the and you know it's interesting because I used to live in San Diego where you live, and I was a big Chargers fan for many years and then they moved to LA what's the deal man yeah I don't know. I feel abandoned.

The Lord will never leave me nor forsake me, because the Chargers have I to am trusting in Jesus and that's where my hope is kids were first question. This is a call that came in at 833. The core from William hi William will thank you for your question. A doctrine that may be a lot of people a lot of our listeners aren't familiar with because it is a Roman Catholic doctrine.

The doctrine of purgatory, and the ideas basically this just to define it. For those who are not familiar with this is that the souls of the just people who have died with a particular kind of sin still venial sins there called, they still are going to face temporal punishments due to them after they have died and they don't directly go into heaven to be in the presence of the Lord, but that there in this sort of, you know, place of purgation, cleansing of it. Simply put, it's the idea that some people don't go directly to heaven after many people don't go directly to heaven, but they they still need further cleansing after their death to help to prepare them for heaven and its in that time of cleansing that there made fit to enter into the presence of the Lord waited this doctrine originate. Well, you know, Roman Catholics will point to some verses in the Bible there are couple places in the Gospels that though go to but really there is no clear evidence for the doctrine of purgatory in the biblical canon in our Bible there are instances in a group of writings called the Apocrypha, which dated around the time of what's called the second Temple taken 500 BC to about 70 A.D. when it was finally destroyed and during that period, you had these writings referred to as the Apocrypha were you on occasion had instances in those writings were individuals were praying for the dead and praying that they would have their sins forgiven. You see this, for example, in a book like second Maccabees. There's a story of soldiers who had died in and on their corpses were discovered.

Basically these tokens associated with idol worship, so that you spray for these fallen soldiers who had died and asked that they might be forgiven all its may be from text like that that this doctrine began to develop in the early church rethinking second, third century, but you also have this idea in pagan literature or even in Gnostic literature early on Plato and others talked about it an idea like this is of cleansing process now it's really a doctrine that I think causes a lot of people concerned especially Roman Catholics. I remember talking to someone is dear to me. A friend whose Roman Catholic and asking them you know what your greatest fear and they responded by saying purgatory. It was sort of an interesting response to because wasn't hell. My greatest fear is in the fires of hell. It's purgatory, it's, you know, this time of cleansing prior to entering into heaven, and I just thought there's something so wrong with that because especially when you think about the New Testament with the New Testament says about salvation in particular with regard to the doctrine of justification when were justified by Jesus Christ.

All of our sins are washed away and Jesus is perfect righteousness is given to us. There isn't any more need for further cleansing in order to stand right before God's throne know Jesus is paid for that and that's why Peter could say in first Peter chapter 3 verse 18 for Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. See Jesus suffered for our sins once for all, in the hope with that is that were not going to have to suffer for our sins not in hell and not in purgatory but that Jesus presents us to the father righteous in him spotless because we've been justified and so this doctrine of purgatory them. There are several issues with it one bit. It's not found.

I think in the teaching of the Bible, but to that it doesn't make any sense when you think about the doctrine of justification in what Jesus has done for us on the cross in his death and resurrection. In order to justify us to make us right and so William, this wasn't a doctor. I believe that was taught by held by the apostles did something that developed over time and in the Roman Catholic Church and in and throughout church history you do seek some sort of examples of it early on in the second and third century, but I think that was really drawing from pagan literature and then also from these apocryphal books like second Maccabees and so it's not a doctor and I think that we as Christians should hold to answer your question in one of the things that troubled Martin Luther was the paying of indulgences to get people out of purgatory. So if you knew that uncle Bob was there getting Ms. Dennis sins burned off, you could pay the church and get them out. Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Does the bill and we hate you, and you can see how something like that could be so abused.

I mean you imagine people who are just desperate because they've lost family members.

They all I just want to know that there in the presence of the Lord, and if the church comes and says oh well, you know, for the low price of nano 2999. I know that's sort of crass way of putting it, but at different times during the period of the Reformation medieval church.

You did have this horrible of use with these indulgences where people were really taken advantage of and that's why the reformers continually said let's get back to what the Bible simply teaches and frankly it doesn't teach that this is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez. Here's a question that David posted on our Instagram account. He says one Paul talks about principalities and powers in Ephesians 6 is the only referring to spiritual warfare or is he also referring to worldly forces of our edits. A good question. Your thinking particular about Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 repulsive for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places, and of course, here in Ephesians chapter 6. The context is the armor of God, standing firm against Satan and so Paul's main focus here is on the fact that we're in a spiritual fight. This is the battle that were in his Christians and we have to be well-equipped for the battle we have to make sure that were armed. We have to make sure that we were wearing the armor of the Lord and that were praying and that really is the focus in this passage is his prayer against the evil one. But the fact of the matter is these spiritual forces these principalities and powers do influence the world and even rulers of the world. I think of what John said in first John chapter 5 verse 19 makes it absolutely clear their first John chapter 5 verse 19 for we know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. So even though I think David that Paul is referring primarily to you know demonic forces. These angelic beings. These principalities and powers. We also know that the world lies under their influence, and that that has to do with worldly forces of power as well.

You think about some of the wicked ideas and policies that have been enacted throughout the history of the world. When I think about even in our own day.

Things like abortion.

There is something absolutely heinous about these these ideas. These policies, I think you could even say there's something demonic behind it is that we have to be on guard. We have to pray and we have to realize that but it's not just flesh and blood that were fighting against and I think this is what you see in the Scriptures, but that the battle that were in is spiritual and so how do we fight that battle again will Ephesians chapter 6.

We pray and we ground ourselves in the truth we take up the sword of the Spirit the word of God and with that truth we come against everything that would that would raise itself against the knowledge of Christ and the truth of God's word, and so your question and I think the great reminder for us right now as we think about some of the turmoil that our nation is in not just to think about it in terms of the physical to remember that there are spiritual forces at work and that we are called to pray in order to combat those forces. This is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez, one of the controversial issues that comes up in our culture and in the church is the topic of homosexuality and we actually have an excellent resource on that topic. We want to tell you about today. Yeah him, people in different situations and with varying perspectives that asked us questions about the Bible's teaching on homosexuality is the reason we created a resource on core, Christianity.com called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. It's free when you sign up for a weekly newsletter and it's really accessible if it is not too long of a resource is one of those things you can sit down while you're having a cuppa coffee and dessert go through it in a highly politicized world. We see that all around us right now were important matters are reduced to soundbites and shouting matches.

It's crucial to remember that were dealing with people, not just issues. So head over to core Christianity.com/offers to download 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. One of the things I love about this resources it really gets into God's created intent for human beings that he made us male and female and I'm really what that means and the implications for that we would really highly recommend you get this resource will help you enter into discussions with people that might have a different perspective. Call us for that, or any of our resources at 833-843-2673 again that's 833.

The core of homosexuality read a question that came in from Mark by email and he says this.

I've heard some people say the word homosexual was never in the Bible. They claim it was translated pedophile but later changed. They say this means being gay isn't a sin because the Bible was actually talking about pedophilia.

How would you address this argument in your hearing.

This argument more and more these days and I've been confronted with this very argument even in the city where I pastor you know there are several other churches, some of which are are very accepting of gay and lesbian relationships and accepting on the sense of know they just love gay and lesbian people accepting it in the sense that there affirming and celebrating same-sex relationships, same-sex sex acts. Those kinds of things and they're trying to do it in a way that suggests to me this what they're teaching that there's nothing wrong with this, according to the Bible, the people have been mistreating the Bible for many many years for 2000 years and that now, all of a sudden we've unlocked the key we were really truly understanding what the Bible teaches that everybody else just sort of misted. There are all sorts of problems with that idea.

Mark first. It's very clear from the teaching of Scripture that homosexuality was forbidden, condemned under the old covenant we see this in places like Leviticus chapter 20 verse 13 if a man lies with the male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them, that's absolutely clear there under the old covenant. Now core some people say well yeah that was the old covenant which forbade things like eating shellfish and whatnot under the new covenant in the New Testament. It's not the case that homosexuality is forbidden, but then you turn to a place like Romans chapter 1 in verse 27 and again it just absolutely clear Romans chapter 1 begin in verse 26 it says this. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error right there eminent. Paul doesn't even necessarily use the word homosexual there but he's describing essentially the act, and he's think it's condemned by God. It's against nature is not okay with the teaching of Scripture that you do find that word homosexual in places like first Corinthians chapter 6 verse nine.

This is in the context of one of the vice list that the apostle Paul gives where she talks about these things that people do that will keep them from inheriting the kingdom of God first Corinthians 69 or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor violators nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God and then listen to what Paul says in verse 11 and such were some of you but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God is right there you see two things one you see the these sins, including homosexuality, are condemned by God that their sins there not to be celebrated.

It's not something we should be proud of, or take pride in something we need to repent of to turn to the Lord and asked for his forgiveness of but here's the good news, and this was the case for the Corinthians that Paul is writing to Paul says such were some of you, but that didn't keep Jesus from loving you from embracing you from washing you and cleansing you and that is not to say that there are genuine Christians believers who love Jesus, who struggle with these feelings with these ungodly feeling same-sex attraction. Those kinds of things. There are people who are in the fight were fighting against these things and walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, but we have to affirm what the Bible teaches. Now Mark your right. Some people look at that word in first Corinthians chapter 6 verse ninebeen mistranslated doesn't mean homosexual.

It means something else.

It's the Greek word mala, coy, and it can refer to effeminacy. Sometimes it was used and is used even in the New Testament to describe luxurious clothing. Sometimes in the ancient world in some context it was referring to pedophilia.

But it doesn't need to be limited to that disease is one of the ways that I think people try to get around the clear teaching of Scripture and again that's why you look at other passages as well. Like in Leviticus, or in Romans that outline specifically what it is that's taking place not just one word that were talking about here it's it's a practice that something that the Scriptures talk about in the Scripture say it. Sin but brothers and sisters, we are still called to love those who are sinners to pursue them.

Remember that Jesus is the good physician.

He came to seek and save the lost. Not to point the finger at the lost not to say I'm disgusted with you. Get out of my presence, no Jesus welcomes all those who come to him and he doesn't leave us as we are. He cleanses us he washes us and he walks with us as we struggle as we seek to pursue the truth.

As we seek to know him and we need to walk with those who are struggling as well. We need to love them. We need to put before them the hope of the gospel that there is no sin. Beyond the power of Jesus's redemption that his blood is sufficient to cleanse us of all things and that is a great hope and that is good news brothers and sisters that we should hold out to all people, regardless of what their sin is once again if you have questions about this issue would encourage you to call us for that resource. 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. You can either get it online by going to core Christianity.com/offers or you can call us at 833.

The core line. I boli my life a bit.

Thank you for that question in your referring to me you have these two places where you have qualifications for elders and deacons. First Timothy chapter 3 and in Titus chapter 1 and you do have the language of deacon are the elder being the husband of one wife. I don't think that that means that if an individual has been divorced that there automatically disqualified from being in one of these positions from being an elder. For example, obviously, right there me there are instances where someone was married and divorced prior to ever exercising faith in Jesus Christ to ever being a believer walking with the Lord, and there are also, it seems, in the New Testament in the Gospels and other places like in first Corinthians legitimate grounds for divorce.

According to God never does that mean divorce is a good thing or something that we should always pursue in those instances, but it does seem like there are legitimate grounds for divorce.

That would not keep an individual bound up by their having been divorced and so I don't think that that will Paul is getting out there in first Timothy three and Titus one means that people who have been divorced and remarried, are automatically unfit for these offices for the office of elder. The office of deacon certainly I think one thing it does mean is that they can only have one wife at a time. You mentioned that.

But I also don't think it necessarily means that they have to be married. I think what Paul is getting out there is if they are married that their the husband of one wife, a one woman man that their ruling their household well and that that's one of the, the indicators of the fact that they are qualified so that I appreciate your question and feel pretty give us a call back again if you want to follow-up federal there actually a variety of other qualifications for elders that's mentioned in the Bible. Yeah there are any getting of those list so I'm just looking at the one right now in first Timothy chapter 3 will Paul says, the saying is trustworthy.

If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, and that's what Beth was referring to, and in her question sober minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money he must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household. How will he care for God's church.

He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace into the snare of the devil he got a whole list there, and it can be kind of intimidating you know and we are training new elders in our church over talking to people about potentially pursuing this call to eldership because we feel like they meet these qualifications and that you read this, listen, and people feel like a boy that just wow.

That seems like a pretty serious thing and it is a serious thing. We really need to take church leadership in these positions in the church very seriously because we see and and have seen how much damage it does when you have people put in positions of leadership in the church who don't meet these qualifications, God calls church leaders to be examples to the rest of the flock so that other people can look at them and say I want to follow Jesus like that.

Now of course no one is perfect but the fact of the matter is, as we have to take this very seriously because it it really is one of those things that that's about protecting the church in caring well for the people of God and ultimately Jesus is the chief Shepherd. Now of course all of us. As I already said fall short of that, you're never going to have a pastor who's just like Jesus. So don't expect your pastor to have those kinds of flawless qualities, but we should have pastors who know Jesus there turning to Jesus and they're not living in ways that disqualify them from the ministry because they're clinging to Jesus and some really glad that Beth asked this question about know that the qualifications because we need to have good pastors who were going to lead us day by day to Christ and point us to him, not to themselves will point us to him because at the end of the day, more than anything with each of us means is the good Shepherd Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for the sheep. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us.

Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together