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by Wayne Blank
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus"
What does the Word of God, as given by the Holy Spirit to Paul to record in the Scriptures, have to say about what happens when anyone forsakes The Creator and lives according to a nature "which is against nature"?:
"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the Truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet." (Romans 1:24-26 KJV)
Although some have accused Paul of being a "bigot" toward homosexuals, what he was doing was encouraging all people to repent from all of the things that God says is wrong. Paul never singled out anyone, or any one kind of sin. As he plainly stated in the verses below, Paul encouraged repentance, period. Christianity is open to everyone who repents and lives according to God's Law, for their own good, because salvation depends upon repentance. Christ died for the sins of the repentant; otherwise, there would be no lake of fire coming.
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV)
On more than one occasion, Paul chose to face raving mobs that wanted to tear him to shreds for telling them the Truth, rather than face an Angry God for failing to do his duty. Paul's choice was clear, "none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." (below)
"And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.""And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
"And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit [see Christianos] unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:13-24 KJV)
Fact Finder: In the Holy Scriptures, how is the term "sodomite" actually unrelated to the city of Sodom?
See Sodomites
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