Monthly Archives: May 2014

Hot Potato

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“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”1

A teenager asked me the question: “Do you think homosexuality should be legalized?”

My opinion wasn’t and still isn’t important. I shared what I believed God had to say, and that is that homosexuality is an unnatural condition.2 Lest we are tempted to be judgmental, we need to realize that God’s Word also lists it with other sins which are all destructive to human personality, and as such, are opposed by God. True, God forgives all who confess their sins, but indicates that those who willfully practice sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, male prostitution, homosexuality, stealing, greed, drunkenness, slandering, and swindling will not inherit the kingdom of God.3 If God is opposed to all of these damaging behaviors, can we justly legalize any one of them? Many heterosexuals are “driven” to sex outside of marriage but this is not God’s plan and is also sin. Others are “driven” to acts of pedophilia; dare we justify this too because “they can’t help it”?

Actually, there are often deep psychological causes behind many external “acts of sin.” The causes often have their roots in the past and need to be faced and resolved if a person is to find wholeness—both emotional and spiritual.

If we justify and legalize any act of sin, we harm the person involved much more than we ever help him/her. It gives an excuse not to face one’s issues and resolve their problem.

As Christians we are to accept and love the sinner and not judge or condemn him or her (because we are all sinners and are probably all guilty of at least greed, gossip, or slandering which are listed with the sin of homosexuality). But this doesn’t mean that we accept or approve of sinful behavior. Very often it has been a lack of love that has driven people into acts of sin—especially sexual sins. Only love, Christ’s unconditional love through us, will ever draw these people out again.*

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to be honest about my own sins and never be the ‘first one to cast a stone’ at other sinners. Also, help me to love all sinners even though I don’t approve of their behavior. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name.”

*For further information and help regarding homosexuality be sure to read Chuck Colson’s BreakPoint article, “When a Dog Says ‘Moo’” at http://tinyurl.com/yedn67.

1. Romans 6:23 (NIV).

2. Romans 1:27.

3. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

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Man Overboard

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In speaking of Himself, Jesus said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”1 “And then He [Jesus] told them, ‘You are to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.”2

“One day Hudson Taylor [the famed missionary], was traveling on a Chinese junk from Shanghai to Ningpo. He had been witnessing to a man named Peter who rejected the gospel but was under deep conviction. In the course of events, Peter fell overboard, but no one made any effort to save him.

Taylor sprang to the mast, let down the sail, and jumped overboard in hopes of finding his friend. But no one on board joined Taylor in his frantic search. Taylor saw a fishing boat nearby and yelled to them to help, but they wouldn’t do it without money. Finally, after bartering for every penny that Taylor had, the fishermen stopped their fishing and began to look for Peter. In less than a minute of dragging their net, they found him, but it was too late. They were too busy fishing to care about saving a drowning man.

“We can easily condemn the selfish indifference of those fishermen, but by indicting them, we may condemn ourselves. Are we too busy with our jobs and other activities to take the time to rescue those who are perishing without Christ?”3

If we are true followers of Jesus Christ, we will be concerned about reaching the lost for Christ with His message of forgiveness and salvation. Jesus came to seek and to save lost souls and He commissioned His followers to do likewise. If we are not doing likewise, we are not following Jesus. As another has said, “Jesus last command to His followers needs to be our first priority.”

Suggested Prayer: “Dear God, thank You that Jesus, Your Son, came to die to pay the penalty for all my sins, and to seek and save me. I am available, please make me usable and use me to be an effective witness for Jesus today and every day for the rest of my life. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

For simple, attractive, and effective tools to be a witness for Jesus Christ please prayerfully consider becoming a People Power for Jesus Partner. There is no charge. To see how go to: https://learning.actsweb.org/people_power02.php

1. Luke 19:10 (NKJV).

2. Mark 16:15 (TLB).

3. Kenneth Cole, “The Crucial Message.”

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