Hi to all my Forum Friends,
Over 150 years ago, Charles Darwin wrote his book "On The Origin Of Species, By Means Of Natural Selection" -- which, in his mind, proved that man was not created by God, but "evolved" from a simple, lifeless, one-celled organism floating in a primordial swamp that something other than God had created.
When Darwin's book and ideas seemed to hold the attention of the world of science and the secular world -- many Christian theologians, scholars, and leaders of that time decided that they must somehow make Darwinian Evolution and the Bible agree. So, they came up with the false theology of Theistic Evolution. Theistic Evolutionism or Evolutionary Creationism (from liberal Christianity) are views which hold that Biblical Christian teachings about God's creation of the world and humans which inhabit it -- ARE compatible with modern scientific understanding about Darwin's biological evolution.
In other words, since Darwin's "creation" became the darling of the secular world -- our liberal Christian scholars want us to believe that God really did create the universe and all that is in it -- but, He used Darwin's "evolutionary process" to make it happen. Consequently the need, also, for an Old Earth Creation, i.e, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" -- but, He took billions of years doing it. Why? Because Darwinian Evolution needs those billions of years to work.
Over the years, many Christians, not wanting to make secular waves, began to agree with their secular kin on God's method of Creation -- using Darwin's "creation." With that firmly ensconced in our public school curriculum -- now our secular society is free to continue adapting God's Word, the Bible, to fit other aspects of our secular world's societal norms.
The latest fallout from the Darwinian Compromise is that they want the Bible to adapt again and accept the homosexual lifestyle as a new norm. They now ask, "Did God really say that two men or two women cannot marry? Really?"
From that misconceived thought, we move on to folks who call themselves "Gay Christians" exerting great effort to prove that the homosexual lifestyle and the Bible are compatible.
Before we move on, let's clarify one point: Can a person be homosexual and be Christian? YES!
Can a person LIVE an active homosexual lifestyle and be Christian? NO!
You may ask, "What has led Bill Gray to write another article on the homosexual lifestyle?"
Typically, I will not address the issue unless some strong catalyst causes me to speak out. One case last year was the lesbian homosexual activist who openly said on a radio talk show that the homosexual activists do not want to change the marriage laws -- but, that their goal is to destroy the whole concept of marriage, period.
Homosexual Activist Admits True Purpose of Battle is to Destroy Marriage
The Illinois Family Institute
By Micah Clark - April 6, 2013
http://illinoisfamily.org/homo...to-destroy-marriage/
Even knowing that there are radicals in all movements, doesn’t lessen the startling admission recently by lesbian journalist Masha Gessen. On a radio show she actually admits that homosexual activists are lying about their radical political agenda. She says that they don’t want to access the institution of marriage; they want to radically redefine and eventually eliminate it
Another more recent catalyst is a new book recently published. Matthew Vines, a 24-year old Harvard student, has published a new book titled "God and the Gay Christian."
And, to the glory of God, conservative Christian leaders at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary have made available to everyone, free of charge, a 100-page e-book which addresses, from the Biblical view, the claims written by Matthew Vines. This new book and its message are his attempt to cling to earlier learned Christian values -- while still clinging to a secular world's blessing of his homosexual lifestyle. Below is an excerpt from a recent article announcing the new e-book:
Mohler, Colleagues Publish E-Book Refuting New Book, ‘God and the Gay Christian’
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
By James A. Smith Sr. - April 22, 2014
http://news.sbts.edu/2014/04/2...d-the-gay-christian/
A new book’s “exceedingly dangerous” assertions that homosexual orientation and gay marriage are consistent with a high view of the Bible is refuted by President R. Albert Mohler, Jr. and four of his colleagues at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in an e-book, published today.
"God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines" released this morning, the same day as the official release of Vines’ volume, "God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships," which has garnered significant attention in the days leading up to its release.
Vines, a 24-year-old former Harvard student, weaves his personal biography of growing up as an evangelical Christian and “coming out” as a homosexual to his parents and now former home church. In the process, Vines left Harvard in order to study the Bible’s claims about homosexuality, which later resulted in the publishing of his book.
I strongly urge all my Friends to download, archive, and read this valuable new e-book "God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines."
The new e-book is available free as a PDF download on the seminary’s website: http://sbts.me/ebook
As Christian believers, we must arm ourselves (Ephesians 6:10-20) to defend our Christian faith. This new e-book will answer many of the questions your secular, or liberal Christian, Friends may raise as they attempt to defend Gay Marriage and the homosexual lifestyle.
I want to thank my Friend, Pastor Mark Lacanienta, for bringing this to my attention on Facebook this week.
Last week, another Christian Friend, Jon Benjamin, posted an article on Facebook about this book to get our feedback. From the article, the post showed a photo of the author, Matthew Vines, with the caption: ""Being gay is not a sin! - Matthew Vines."
This is the reply I posted to him:
Hi Jon, I agree with the caption. "Being gay is not a sin!" However, choosing to live an active "gay lifestyle" is most certainly against all Biblical teachings. Of course, if one wants to claim the "Christian hat" and still live the by the "world's standards" -- there is a problem. And, their solution is to change the Bible.
In other words, their solution is to adapt the Bible, God's Word, to fit their world norms. Whereas, we know that God's solution is to change the world to meet God's standards. That is the task Jesus Christ has given all believers in Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15 and throughout the New Testament.
In the article, we see that is exactly what this man, Matthew Vines, is attempting to do. The article tells us:
Christian Publisher Plans Pro-’Gay’ Book, Employees ‘Under Threat'
http://barbwire.com/2014/04/14...#lywfrFqxSPVYXZiM.99
"An unabashed denier of Biblical teaching on sexual morality, Vines has publicly acknowledged that his goal is to 'reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity.' ”
That is a polite way of saying that their intent is: to put a gag on pastors who teach Biblical truth about homosexuality and other sins. Take "sin" and "hell" out of all sermons -- and they can create "world friendly" churches. But, those are not Godly Christian churches.
And, the biggest problem we in the Christian community have is -- that activist like this man yell louder than us. Gay activists, by their very name, are going to be actively, aggressively pushing their agenda. Christians, on the other hand, tend to be more passive. The result is that the world is hearing the loud "change the Bible" activists -- because all we Christians do is whisper.
Moral of the story: We need more loud-mouthed Christians! Just kidding. What we need is for Christians to continue to share the Word of God with the world -- and stop being so passive, so timid. Start telling the world about Jesus Christ and His wonderful gift of eternal life. God bless, Bill
Where do you stand? With the Bible, God's Written Word? Or with the secular world's new standards? Are YOU making your Christian view known?
Keep in mind that, by their nature, politicians and other leaders will compromise. Do you want them compromising on the side of the secular world's norms -- or on the Bible's Christian values?
It is up to you to VOTE OUT those leaders who do not respect our Christian values. And, it is up to you to VOTE IN those leaders who will and do respect our Christian values.
Are YOU prepared to VOTE IN 2014 & 2016?
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
