God's View of Homosexuality, Part 1 B

God says being a transvestite is an abomination. Being a transsexual is an abomination. Being a homosexual is an abomination and God will judge the nation that tolerates it and God will destroy the people to do it. Having said all of that I go right back to where we started and remind you of this wonderful truth, this sin is given that tell you something about God's gracious God in and why not, after all, isn't there something honorable about a marriage commitment to the genders of the spouses really matter in any way. Aren't there lots of gray areas in the Bible concerning homosexuality.

Bring those questions to today's lesson on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his look at homosexuality and the Bible. This study can help you understand with precision God's view of homosexuality. It can also prepare you for tough conversations you may have with friends or relatives.

So follow along.

Here's John MacArthur, the subject is the subject of the divine perspective of the divine view of homosexuality. We want to look at this particular issue from the eyes of God and thus through the word of God. I suppose there should be some justification for isolating a sin like this and preaching on it when there are so many sins which are equally heinous to God. The answer to those who might wonder why we would isolate this one should be apparent but just in case it isn't. This sin has taken on unique properties in our culture is been declassified as a sin and turn into a sort of civil rights group is at this particular point. A political issue and not a moral one.

An issue of freedom and not a moral one or a spiritual one.

The fact that it is being advocated not only in the private sector, but in the public sector in public schools and in government, political parties and conventions and that it is being ruled on in the courts and decided on and legislatures and dealt with by governors and presidents and mayors and so forth has taken this sin and sort of extracted it out of the general plurality of sins, and given an identity all its own.

Consequently, because of its prominence in our culture it needs to be addressed. What does God say about let's go back and find out Deuteronomy chapter 22 is a good place to start.

Deuteronomy chapter 22 sometime in your past. If you been in the fundamental or evangelical church you may have spurred some pastor refer to this verse probably in another context. Verse five of Deuteronomy 22 says a woman shall not wear man's clothing nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing.

I follow this for whoever does these things looks weird note.

It says no forever does it for whoever does these things must be on his way to a party. No, forever does these things is what an abomination to the Lord. Abomination God discussed and revolts him now.

A woman is not to wear man's clothing the first time ever heard anybody refer to this they were preaching a sermon about why women should wear slacks or pants doesn't mean that may remind you of something. In ancient times men wore skirts that is ridiculous interpretation of this everybody wore skirts.

Nobody wore pants. That's not what it's talking about.

There was a certain style. However, the men's clothing in a certain style of women's clothing, but the Hebrew says a woman shall not wear literally that which appertain up to a man whether it's weapons or implements or tools are closed or whatever it is that rubs out the distinctiveness of one sex. That's an abomination to God. Today we call people who do this transvestites personal exchanges is dressed for that of the other sex because it induces a certain kind of sexual perverted sexual thrill or fulfillment manner to be masculine and women are to be feminine and God is made them male and female male and female created he them. And that's the way he wants them to say. And Satan wants to obliterate and convolute and pervert and twist that we see that in the homosexual community today rampant in fact they love to dress up in the clothing of the opposite sex that the men put on those women's clothes and they parade themselves publicly under the title drag queens on their forget one time when I was writing with the infamous Hawaii 50 in Honolulu.

One of the officers is taking me around to see sorted Honolulu at night and he said I want take you into an area see some you won't believe and we drove into this area and here.

The streets were lined with dozens of of people in bikinis and spike high heels and done hair and thick makeup. And as we got closer and started to mingle with them as I walk with this officer saw that there were all men.

They parade themselves like that down the streets in their gay pride parades all over the country. They dress like that sometimes you see them on the street and don't even know it. Some of them are drag queens. That is, they do it in public. Some of them are female impersonators. They do it in public. Some of the women dressed like men and you look and you wonder if there men or women. They do it in public. And then there are those who do it in private.

There is that. See Kenneth a sick kind of sordidness that that men get into when they wear their wives closing bizarre things like that that kind of thing the stresses God. It is an abomination to God because it is an attempt to rub out distinctions that God has ordained the ancient writer, Maimonides mentions that a man dressed in fancy women's clothes would often come and worship Venus and Esther Roth and women dressed in men's armor would come to honor Mars that is so typical in ancient mystery religions because it was all part of their pagan culture. Satan dominates the world. He dominates pagan culture and he wants to twist and pervert sexual identity. God says if you do that that is an abomination to me. Chapter 23 verse one here you find another issue at hand. No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shelter.

The assembly will ornate aft asked the question who in the world would have his male organ cut who would do this homosexual the call today.

Transsexuals used to be called UNIX.

Oh, it was done in a religious ways. Sometimes.

Sometimes parents in pagan societies would have their 10-year-old boys castrated so they could be devoted to the gods in the temple. They didn't have to then worry about them playing around with the priestesses who offered their services to paying customers. Sometimes a king who had a harem would want some men in there to care for some of the needs of the Herriman he would against their will castrate them so that they couldn't do anything with the women in the harem so UNIX had places in harems and they had places in pagan temples, even from the time they were young, but I think what you have here is someone who has this done to him, and the implication would be not only the possibility of pagan worship here. Certainly, that's a possibility, but also the implication of the possibility of a homosexual perversion doesn't tell us specifically what you have here a surgical attempt to remove maleness today. These transsexuals say well I'm really I'm really a woman trapped in a man's body and so I have to get my body fixed in ancient times, people were castrated for their religion.

They were castrated because of their duty, perhaps to a king and or they were castrated by their own volition because it fit their perversion and it says here one who has this done shall not enter the assembly of the Lord your transsexual that fits your idolatry and your sexual preference. You're not going to enter the assembly of the Lord ever you mean there is somebody who has a a sex change operation can never, ever, ever enter the assembly of the Lord. Look at Isaiah 56 Isaiah 56. That means they can enter the kingdom they can have a relationship with God. They can go to heaven. They can't worship the true God. Look at Isaiah 56 verse three go back to verse one for a moment in the middle of the verse, God says my salvation is about to come. My salvation is about to come, to bring salvation, not anniversary so let not the foreigner who is joined himself to the Lord say the Lord will surely separate me from his people. You have to say that if you say I'm a pagan I've come over here to live in Israel. I've come over here to worship at the temple of come over here to honor the true God, but he'll probably kick me out and say that I will do that. God says in verse three, neither let the unit the transsexual say, behold, I'm a dry tree is not for me. I was castrated never be able to enter the Assembly of God.

I'll never be able to walk with him. Isaiah says don't say that.

Why verse four for thus says the Lord, to the eunuch to keep my sabbaths and choose what pleases me and hold fast my covenant to them.

I'll give in my house and within my walls, a memorial in the name better than that of sons and daughters. And here's a play on words and I'll give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. I'll save if they come to me if they hold fast my covenant if they choose what pleases me so somebody who had his organs cut off and so defiled the image of God can be forgiven can be forgiven if they come to the Lord was baptizing. And always, I interviewed the people who came in to be baptized, but this night I had been delayed. I think and I didn't get a chance to someone else did.

And I just committed a baptism so this rather burly lady came in and spoke her name and I think in the name was Carla and the voice sounded strange in the mannerisms look strange and this person said well I am here because I want to testify to my faith in Christ and be baptized in a very brief testimony and and then I just baptized Carla, but I was deeply distressed and I went out and I said to someone.

I said make sure that that person comes to my office immediately after getting dressed and this person walked in and I said them. I just want to spend a few moments have some questions right. I said I'm disturbed I will be very upfront with you.

You came in from the woman side. You gave a feminine name, but I think you're a man and then we launched into a discussion about the fact that he had supposedly had a recent sex change operation. I said, you certainly don't for a moment think that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to accept you and sanctify your lifestyle as a man living as a woman in a homosexual relationship or relationships while I was a I've always been a woman. I just got trapped in a man's body, and I should know, you've always been a man now your castrated man, but your men, you were born a man and you will die am in and you must live as a man, and you must acknowledge the sin of what you've done and if you will acknowledge the sin of what you've done and asked the Lord's forgiveness and repent and come to him by faith. You will be forgiven and to be gracious to but you must live as a man, get rid of those clothes gets amends close and prove the genuineness of your heart, repentance toward God never saw him again showed up another church down the road and I called Dr. the pastor told the story and they had to deal with real life there people do this. The kingdom is open to them if they acknowledge the sin of what they have done and do what pleases God.

What we talked about the transsexual in the transvestite.

Let's go right to the issue of of the homosexual. Those are components of homosexual life. The real issue is struck with a telling blow in Leviticus chapter 18 Leviticus chapter 18 in verse 22 that could not be more explicit.

God is giving laws here. Laws against wickedness and sin. Verse 22. You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female is an abomination.

Also, you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to meet with it. It is a perversion.

Again I say to you, God doesn't make commands about things that people don't do this kind of beastie reality. In this kind of homosexuality is always been a part of human life. He says don't do it.

It's an abomination to lie with a man as you lie with a woman it's an abomination to have intercourse with animal to perversion.

Then follow verse 24. Do not defile yourselves by any of these things for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled for the land is become defiled.

Therefore, I have visited its punishment upon it so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.

He says look I brought you into this land I'm giving you this land and I'm telling you the reason that you are able to have this land is because I have thrown the other people out and the reason I've thrown them out is because this is how they behave.

This is brought about the destruction of the prior nation. Look at them. They are homosexual, they are involved in beastie reality, they are involved in inlet names. Other things like incest and so forth. There involving that that's their life pattern and I am throwing them out my wrath is fallen on them and I'm telling you, if you do it.

My wrath will fall on you to you, Lord, escape they didn't. Homosexuality defiles the land and it brings God's judgment. Verse 26 but as for you, your to keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native nor the alien who sojourns among you.

Nobody but the men of the land to a been before.

You have done all these abominations and the land is become defiled, so that the land may not spew you out should you defile, as it is spewed out the nation which has been before you or whoever does any of these abominations those persons who do so shall be cut off, killed from among their people unit dive to do this. Thus, you are to keep my charge that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been a practice to be for you, so as not to defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.

This is God talking folks you do this you will defile your land.

You defile your land, you will die, were watching an early were seeing. It was a is of the judgment of God.

Of course it's the judgment of God is age the judgment of God. Of course it's the judgment of God. All venereal disease is the judgment of God, built into the fabric of human life. You do this you'll die. You do this I'll destroy your land. This is an abomination. The sin is intolerable to God, he will not allow it to go on unchecked. He will judge with death.

Those who do it and he will destroy a nation that tolerates it.

You tell me where America sits in view of God's judgment starting to get better for us in this country the glory days are over.

Folks looks to me like were going downhill fast into the into the pit of judgment some of the homosexual rights people say, well, Jesus said he came to put an end to the law sure that's the Old Testament law. But Jesus came to put an end of the law. No, he didn't come to put an end of the law. He came as the end of the law the fulfillment the culmination of the law, the one who lived the law perfectly and he said not a jot or tittle shall pass away from this law and he reiterates the law does God in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit given to all the right as he writes. First Timothy 110.

The law is not made for righteous men.

Verse nine but for those who are lawless first 10 immoral men and homosexuals law is still written to call homosexuals to account 47 first Timothy 19 and 10.

Nothing is changed.

God's moral law hasn't changed because God is unchanged, whatever is right is always been right and always will be right whatever is wrong is always been wrong and will always be wrong. Morality doesn't change because God doesn't change. God said if you do this you will defile your land. You defile your land. I'll destroy a nation. If you do this you'll die.

This is a blood guilty nation and if you think were were on the edge of some American utopia, you better guess again from God's standpoint. These are serious days. How in the world. We could ever get to the point with Christian beginnings where we have politicians, people running for president, Congress and Senate and Gov. and Mayor and the Council members and all that kind of stuff who advocate homosexual rights and those people could be elected. Those people bear guilt before God because they aid and abet people going into a sin that is an abomination to God. All that said, God says, being a transvestite is an abomination. Being a transsexual is an abomination. Being a homosexual is an abomination aiding and abetting any of that stuff is abominable to God and God will judge the nation. The tolerates it and God will destroy the people to do it. Having said all of that I go right back to where we started and remind you of this wonderful truth. This sin in all its categories and in all its extremes is forgivable is that tell you something about God's grace is that tell you how gracious our God is that tell you something about the death of Christ to his own body bore those very sins. God is a God of mercy and grace if you will come to him in your sin is willing to forgive.

That's the message to homosexuals. And that's the message for you to give the homosexual father we grieve over the fact that so many are trapped in the sin and we grieve over the fact that this is being reclassified or declassified as a sin and that even churches are denying its sinfulness and thus bear the blood of those who die as punishment for this iniquity. Father, we just pray that you might save many who are caught in the sin deliver them all. God is even as you have many through the years. We know you are able to save sinners, we feel comfortable about our own sin, but we know you hate pride and hypocrisy in a lying tongue, and flattery. We feel more comfortable about those sins. This one we feel less comfortable about.

We can become very self-righteous because we don't commit this one, and yet Lord, we are equally as sinful. Lord, you can forgive us all. I just pray in your grace, you might pour out your mercy on those who are caught in the sin of homosexuality and that you might deliver many before they are destroyed forever. I pray that we might be kind enough to speak the truth kind enough to give the warning so that they might come to the cure.

Who is Christ. I pray for the leaders of our nation to take a strong stand on this. We feel of people who advocate this get into positions of power. It surely is a token from you that your hand is off this nation and that you've given us over so Lord, we ask that you would be gracious to us and give us leaders who see this for what it is. Give us people who will not tolerate it, and yet who will preach the saving love and mercy of Christ, we thank you that your word speaks to the issues that concern us and gives us clarity now make us faithful to obey. If there are any Christians who know you but who have been tempted by the old patterns of homosexual life before their salvation give them strength in victory and triumph.

If there are any young people that are being influenced into this save them, deliver them before it ever happened. And lead us all to be a people, zealous of good works who live righteously, and godly in this present age, pray our Savior's name and this is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John's current study is titled homosexuality and the Bible John in light of today's topic. I'm remembering one of your appearances on Larry King live, back when same-sex marriage was a national debate, and you were on the show with a Hollywood actor who was a homosexual in it one point you turn to that actor you were sitting right next to him and you have this pastoral moment you and you basically gave him the gospel right there on live TV and I mentioned that simply to say all of us as Christians need to bear in mind that homosexuals are not our enemies.

They are the mission field yeah and I remember that very vividly. He was sitting to my right and we were live on CNN with Larry King and got into a discussion of homosexuality and I could tell that he was so homosexual in a very painful way because he was talking about the fact that this was something his parents would totally, completely reject and hit it cost him a relationship with his family. It turned out that that actor actually played the role of Steve St. in a Christian movie that depicted the missionary among the cousin so I knew he was around Christianity and knew something about Christianity and at the moment II just felt that I had to reach out to him. I think this is what Paul has in mind when he said to the Corinthians. Such were some of you. Somebody stepped in and gave the gospel to homosexuals. Some of you were homosexuals but you been washed in you been cleansed and and II just I felt compassion on this guy and I wanted to give him the gospel because homosexuality is a sin that the Lord can fully and totally forgive and I wanted him to know that we have a new resource by the way about homosexuality. It's a booklet entitled what the Bible says about homosexuality from time to time we produce these booklets because one to put a useful tool in your hand and it's a quick read that covers the ground were looking at in the series this week on radio again. The title homosexuality and the Bible is our series, the booklet what the Bible says about homosexuality is a good news will send your free copy. If you just ask for. That's right a free copy of what the Bible says about homosexuality with our compliments right and friend do take advantage of this offer. Contact us today and request your free copy of the new booklet called what the Bible says about homosexuality are number here 855 grace and our website Jide TY.org. The issue of homosexuality might seem overwhelming or even hopeless. There is hope in the biblical truth that you'll find in this booklet again to get your free copy of what the Bible says about homosexuality brand-new booklet just call 805 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org and before we sign off, let me remind you that our current sale runs through this Friday, June 18. Right now, nearly everything we sell is 25% off the regular price. So now is an ideal time to purchase a popular book like anxious for nothing, or hard to believe we could also pick up grace to use flagship resource MacArthur study Bible for any of John's 34 New Testament commentary against take advantage of a 25% discount on nearly all of our resources Jide TY.org do it today. Now for John MacArthur this is Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John continues his study, homosexuality in the Bible with another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace