Will Sin Overtake Us?
Kerry Duke

Subjects like homosexuality, surrogate parenting, female leadership roles, and women in the military are hot-button issues. Those in the media love to stir these issues. They are highly emotional and controversial topics which create intense debates. They are also culture-war issues since they challenge moral and religious beliefs. Add the fact that these questions involve serious legal and political ramifications and you have the ingredients for high-profile issues.

As we are bombarded with reports about these issues, we are naturally alarmed. How big are these issues? How much worse will the situation become? Will homosexual marriages be the norm in a few years? Will legitimate childbirth give way to surrogate parenting? Will preachers in the future be mostly women? The Bible clearly addresses the rightness and wrongness of such trends, and we need to take that teaching to the world. But sometimes we feel overwhelmed. These sins seem to grow in their occurrence and people seem to accept them more each day. We have the Truth, but few appear to listen. Will these trends become majority beliefs and practices? Are we right in fearing that such will happen?

I do not believe that our fear that such trends will dominate the world is justified. I know this belief contradicts hopeful media and some doom and gloom preachers. And I certainly do not want to lessen the sinfulness of these practices. Homosexuality is a sin and abomination before God (Gen. 19; Rom. 1:26-27). Conceiving a child outside of wedlock, whether artificially or naturally, is unscriptural (I Tim. 5:14; Heb. 13:4). Women are forbidden to teach mixed audiences (I Tim. 2:11-12; I Cor. 14: 34-35). These facts are clear. But my point is that these practices will never be as commonplace as we might predict. The reason for this belief is simple: God has so created us that such practices will never be majority trends.

Consider homosexuality. Men and women are naturally attracted to each other. God made women to appeal to men. Men are attracted to the soft voice, the affectionate personality, and the physical beauty of women. He also created men to appeal to women. Women are attracted to the courage, the strength, and the masculine appearance of men. Attraction for the opposite sex is strong and natural. It is not easily or usually changed. In fact, it can be perverted only by going against nature itself (Rom. 1:26-27). God implanted some very powerful hormones in our bodies, and only by much effort can their forces be misdirected. These drives, of course, are often abused in regard to the opposite sex. But they are so strong that attraction to the opposite sex will always be the norm. The overall population will never be mainly homosexual. Homosexuality may prevail in a certain place at a given time (Gen. 19), but it will never be the majority lifestyle of mankind as a whole.

The homosexual lifestyle will never be in the majority for another simple reason: it does not "work." Even in this age of advanced reproductive procedures and adoption services, gay and lesbian attempts to further this perversion through adoption cannot compete with nature. All children will be born with natural attraction for the opposite sex, and children born and reared in normal male-female relationships will always outnumber those adopted by homosexuals. Further proof that homosexuality cannot work is the AIDS epidemic. This disease has depopulated the homosexual community far more than the heterosexual population. It is clear evidence that people of the same sex were not made to be sexually intimate with each other. The physical consequences of such behavior are disastrous. Even the emotional consequences of same-sex relations are self-destructive. God made man and woman to complement each other emotionally as well as physically, and this arrangement cannot be altered without serious effects. Homosexuals will always have emotional problems that others do not have. They will never generally be accepted in the military regardless of laws requiring them to be. Their marriages will never have the satisfaction and joy of normal marriages between men and women. As Solomon said, "The way of transgressors is hard" (Prov. 13:15), and most people do not want life to be any harder.

Surrogate parenting is a sophisticated way of fathering a child outside of wedlock. A few decades ago it seemed to be emerging as a leading means of providing children for infertile couples. But it never has been because it often creates more problems than it offers to solve. It has given some couples children; it has given other couples more grief than they imagined. Some of the most expensive and highly publicized lawsuits in recent years involved surrogate parenting. Why did this happen? God created us with natural affection (Rom. 1:31; II Tim. 3:3; I Kings 3:26), and this feeling is especially strong toward one's children. As a result, many surrogate mothers have been unwilling to give up their babies to the contracted couple, and heart-rending lawsuits have ensued. Most women simply cannot give up their children without severe emotional distress. Surrogate parenting has never really been a trend because of this God-instilled obstacle.

Surrogate parenting is also closely connected with another practice that is well known but has never been as widespread as we have been led to believe: the use of unknown donors in artificial insemination. This practice has produced a scare about close-kin reproduction and its dangers. This technique involves the possibility of a child conceived by this method growing up and marrying a brother or a sister or even the father. Lawsuits have also occurred in this area. The physical and social consequences of tampering with God's plan for the family restrain such practices.

The role of women in all places of society—the home, the government, the military, and the church—is a media favorite. In the home, the woman is to be subject to her husband as the head of the home (Eph. 5:22-24). In religious matters, she is not to exercise authority over man (I Tim. 2:8-3:13). But we are living in different times, we are told. Today women are independent. They want to be recognized as man's equal in every way. They want to be assertive and tough. They want to be leaders in every area of life: government, business, sports, religion, and even the military.

From the amount of attention given to the feminist agenda by the media, you might think that most women are tired of male leadership and demand a change. But, as usual, the picture of womanhood painted by the media is grossly distorted. Most women do not want to be over men. Some may have this desire, and some may feel forced into a leadership role that men have abdicated, but the general nature of women tends in the opposite direction. God made women more emotional than men, and this nature renders women less able to cope with the pressures of leadership, especially when men are involved. Women are physically weaker than men, and this weakness is a serious handicap in some areas of leadership. In a book called Men and Marriage, George Gilder closely examines these differences. Citing exhaustive studies on this subject, he observes that, contrary to certain claims, virtually every culture that has ever existed has been characterized by male leadership. His writings agree with common sense, and, more importantly, the Bible. God did not create women to be dominant and aggressive, but to be gentle and caring.

Because of these inborn tendencies, most women will never seek to be leaders over men in the church. Most would rather occupy a helping role. In the home, most women do not want to be the head and they resent husbands who forsake that role. And while I do not believe that it is inherently evil for women to be government officials (Judg. 4:4) or to fight in times of war (Judg. 4:17-22), serving in these roles will never be the norm among women in general because of the reasons stated earlier. Of these last two roles military service will be the least likely choice of women. Women simply cannot stand up to the pressures of battle like men (Jer. 50:37; 51:30; Isa. 19:16).

News coverage given to these supposedly revolutionary trends is often wishful thinking instead of fact. Liberals in the media want us to believe that they are commonplace and should be accepted. Admittedly, we should be bothered by many or even one case of homosexual behavior, surrogate parenting, or female church leadership, and we should stand against these transgressions. But we should not judge the prevalence of a trend by media hype, and we should not feel that curbing such evils is entirely up to us. God has created us in such a way that the natural order restrains the free choices of mankind. Nature itself is a regulator of human tendencies. Other regulators such as the conscience, special providence, and the power of the Bible also keep sinful and even dangerous tendencies in check. Without these divine regulators, we would be left on our own to stem the tide of sin. Because of them, we are able to bear the burden of living in a world of sin and misery and to enjoy a comfortable degree of peace and order in society.

Editorial
Malcolm L. Hill

Since Adam's fall in Eden until this very day evil has been in the world. Sometimes the world has been very wicked and sometimes less wicked. It would be very difficult if not indeed impossible for us to realize all that has taken place in the kingdom of darkness: the unnecessary pain and agony, the bloodshed, the suffering, the murder, the dying, the punishment of the righteous and innocent by the wicked. If all the horrible things done by sinful man to his fellowman could be put into a blast, it would burst the vault of heaven and disintegrate the sun throughout the universe.

When God created man He made him harmless and pure. God wanted man to stay like this forever. But after the creation of man it was not long until he started sliding in a downward way and from that day until this man has departed from the way of the Lord to a very sizeable degree. Man does not have to go in the way of wickedness. He is not born to do so. Doing wrong is not something over which man has no power. John Calvin with his theory of predestination and foreordination missed Bible Truth by millions of miles. Calvin believed and taught that man was born to be saved or born to be lost and there was nothing that man could do about the matter that would change things. Things were set, they were determined, they were unalterable, and only God had to do with man's goodness or his evil ways. This places God under the spotlight for man's activities. On one side we see some good but on the other side we see multitudes of wickedness and wrong. Calvin's view would have God much more wicked than righteous. Of course Calvinism is false to the very core.

When sin entered the world, God was not responsible for it. God created the angels. How many He created we know not. When they were created they were pure and innocent yet powerful and strong. At one time the angel which became the devil was pure and innocent but at some time he was lifted up with pride and rebelled aginst God. Others followed the devil's example and all were cast down (II Pet. 2:4). When God created man then the devil started his evil work against God and from that day until now Satan has fought against God and God has fought against Satan. What is this warfare about? It is about right and wrong. It is about good and evil. It is about righteousness and unrighteousness. It is about being fair and being unfair. It is about treating others right and treating them wrong. It is about purity and impurity. The devil wants to lead man in the wrong direction and God wants to lead man in the right direction. Satan loves to bring man into misery, sin, and death. God wants man to be happy, pure, and eternally blessed. God is for the good of man and Satan is for the bad of man. Man has decisions to make and battles to fight throughout life. Satan is after man because he wants to take him to hell and he stays after man until man draws his very last breath. God stays after man because He wants to take him to heaven.

Man's freedom to decide for himself has been in existence since the creation of Adam. Man can go into the sinning business up to his neck and perhaps at times over his head. At the same time man can, if he so chooses, obey the Lord and live for Jesus. It is a known fact that we cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24; 12:30). Another known fact is that Christian people cannot and will not intentionally involve themselves in sin nor will they uphold it (Rom. 6:1-2; I John 3:5-10).

In this issue of the Living Oracles we are dealing with the world and worldliness. We hope to be a source of encouragement and enlightenment to dedicated members of the church of Christ and all others that will listen. The wickedness in the world is not here because it has to be so. It is here because men have decided for themselves to follow Satan.

Concerning Kerry Duke's Article on Bert Thompson

Many favorable things have been said about Kerry Duke's article on Bert Thompson (which appeared in the April, 1999 issue of Living Oracles) and the way Thompson wants his seminars advertised. Brother Bert Thompson has been a closet liberal ever since I came to know him fairly well. Thompson will go wherever the money can be found to support him. Let me encourage the reader to do some research on Brother Bert and you will see where we are coming from. Please read the following two letters about Duke's article concerning Thompson.

July 21, 1997

Dear Kerry,

I received your article concerning Bert Thompson. I have heard others expressing concern about some of his actions. I remember him appearing at the Highland congregation in Memphis a few years ago. Evidently he would go wherever invited.

I would like to have a copy of the six-page letter which he sends to churches where he is to appear. I might want to add a note to your article if I use it. I think people should know more about him than most evidently know.

In Christ,

/s/ Walter W. Pigg, Editor
Banner of Truth

Hickory Grove church of Christ
1131 Hickory Grove Road
Almo, KY 42020-9332

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June 3, 1999

Dear brother Duke,

I read with much interest your article in the April 1999 Living Oracles entitled, "Knowest Thou That The Atheists Were Offended?"

Having read it, and re-read it, I wanted to write and let you know that I thought it was an excellent article, well written, thought provoking, and that the points you brought up need careful consideration on the part of many brethren.

I don't personally know brother Thompson, nor have I ever been in one of his seminars. No doubt, he has much good information, and perhaps he presents material that can be particularly good for non-believers. But the matter of not singing religious songs, having prayers, and so forth, that you addressed in your article, well. . .all I can say is that your evaluation was reasonable, convincing, and most of all, proven by scripture.

It is interesting to me that the Bible doesn't expend much effort in the way of "proving God's existence"—it simply takes it for granted. Surely, excellent and convincing proofs abound, for those who would see them, and they should be widely dispersed. But we all know there are some who are absolutely prejudiced against the existence of God, and will not consider any evidence. Neither brother Thompson nor any other need be concerned about offending these atheists, for they will not be at this seminars.

I surely didn't mean to ramble, but just wanted to say your article is unassailable. I would be very interested in brother Thompson's response to your points, if such is forthcoming.

Sincerely,

/s/ John M. Brown, Minister
Flatwoods church of Christ
P. O. Box 871
Flatwoods, KY 41139

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Adultery and Fornication
Ronald D. Gilbert

Bauer—Arndt—Gingrich Greek Lexicon defines porneia (fornication) as "prostitution, unchastity, fornication, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse."

Strong's Lexicon defines fornication as:

1. Illicit sexual intercourse

a. Adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals, etc.

b. Sexual intercourse with close relatives: (Lev. 18)

c. Sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman: (Mark 10:11-12)

2. Metaph, the worship of idols

The word "fornication" is thus a broad term and is used in the Bible to cover all types of sexual immorality. The New Testament has a great deal to say about adultery and fornication (Matt. 5:27-32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18; Rom. 1:29; 7:3; 13:9; Gal. 5:19; Acts 15:20; I Cor. 5:1; 6:13; 6:18; 7:2; 10:8; II Cor. 12:21; Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5; I Thess 4:3; Jude 7).

There is much misunderstanding on the topic of fornication and adultery. One well known preacher said: "Remember, adultery is not a sexual word. Fornication is the sexual word. The word adultery means covenant breaking. Adultery means disloyalty to pledges and covenants. So Jesus says don't get involved in divorce because divorce itself is adultery. Forget remarriage; remarriage is not what makes it adultery. It's divorce. That's covenant breaking."

Some brethren need to listen to Jesus' question, "have ye not read?" In Matthew 19:9 Jesus did not say "whosoever puts away his wife commits adultery." He said, "whosoever puts away his wife, except it be for fornication and shall marry another, committeth adultery." Adultery occurs when one marries another after an unscriptural divorce!

If all putting away is adultery then if the innocent party of Matthew 19:9 puts away the guilty party for fornication, then the innocent party is guilty of adultery. In other words, everyone who divorces is an adulterer. This brother says adultery is not a sexual sin. Consider John 8:3-4. This woman was "taken in adultery, in the very act." Now what happened was this woman was down at the courthouse filing for divorce and she was caught by the scribes and Pharisees signing these legal documents! Do you really believe this was what she was caught doing? No, this woman was not caught at the courthouse filing for divorce. She was caught in a sex act itself which the Bible calls adultery. The Bible says adultery is a sexual word.

It never ceases to amaze me how far out some people will go trying to get around what the Bible says. Another good example of this is seen in Divorce & Remarriage: A Study Discussion by Wayne Jackson and Truman Scott. Truman Scott is now an instructor in the Biblical Institute with the Sunset church in Lubbock, Texas. Notice what Scott said on page 74: "I am suggesting that one should go back and review every time the word porneia occurs in the New Testament and where it translates in the Old Testament and try to determine by the context, first of all, what is being done. Most of the time it does not say what is being done: it simply states they committed fornication. One cannot know what they did. They may have been stealing watermelons or they may have been doing something else as far as the context is concerned, because the context does not define it in those cases. But when the context does define it at least as far as I have been able to determine, without an exception it is describing a sin that has gone to a place of degradation. It has gone to a repetitive, immoral promiscuity. It describes a sin that is therefore becoming a pattern of life." According to brother Scott who knows, perhaps "stealing watermelons" is grounds for divorce and remarriage! Perhaps the woman of John 8 was caught red-handed stealing watermelons! Also, according to brother Scott stealing one watermelon would not be so bad as long as it did not become a pattern of life. Brethren who respect the Bible as God's Word can see through such silliness. We can understand what the Bible says concerning adultery and fornication.

Hypocrisy
Glenn B. Ramsey

The English word "hypocrisy" comes from a Greek word that primarily meant a reply or an answer and came to mean the acting of stage-players as they would answer one another in dialogue; thus the meaning of dissembling ("dissimulation" as translated in Galatians 2:13) or pretense (W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).

No one wants to be called a "hypocrite." Indeed, such is an indictment of one's integrity and honesty! Yet hypocrites do exist today. They exist in all levels of society and in all professions. We will limit this writing to "spiritual hypocrisy."

Paul warned in I Timothy 4:2 of those who would be "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." These people would be speaking or acting from a feigned or deceitful heart.

James says, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without HYPOCRISY" (James 3:17). Such wisdom is the kind our Lord used. We will consider His use of the word that is translated "hypocrite(s)" or "hypocrisy" in the book of Matthew. The reader is urged to read each passage that is listed.

Jesus said that the Scribes and Pharisees appeared "outwardly" to be righteous but were full of hypocrisy and iniquity (Matt. 23:27-28). Many are the modern counterparts to these scribes and Pharisees. What of elders and preachers who appear so righteous and humble outwardly but who have boiling disdain and hatred for anyone who would dare question their practices of harboring and fellowshipping false teachers? The ancient scribes and Pharisees are their role models! (Matt. 23:25.)

What of the people who are so quick to "pick" out a flaw in a brother's eye, but cannot see the beam in their own eye (Matt. 7:5). What of some in the church who condemn those who condemn false teachers? What of those who "argue" that it is wrong to debate the cause of Truth?

What of the people who seem always to want the best wishes of all of the community to be directed toward them, even if they must remain silent on issues that relate to spiritual health? Indeed these seek the glory of men and they have their reward (Matt. 6:2).

Some in the church seem to want to be the "biggest duck" in each puddle. They evidently want to be seen of men. What does Jesus call them (Matt. 6:5)?

You will never see a "modern hypocrite" who is not "noticeably humble!" Some will go to great lengths to "prove" that they are just the sweetest and best people on earth. But when their pretentiousness is challenged, when their life and work is questioned, one can see the venom that is just under the surface. Jesus talked of such in Matthew 6:16.

It is pretty obvious that some are willing to approach God with their mouths and in their words but are, nevertheless, vain worshippers (Matt. 15:7ff).

Hypocrites in Jesus' day were perfectly able to see some things, but were totally unwilling to see other things (Matt. 16:3). This writer has wondered what it will take to get some brethren to "see" the sin of modern day religious leaders who pervert the Gospel and the way of righteousness. Even when these things are pointed out to some they are unwilling to repent of supporting such false teachers.

Indeed, as in Jesus' days on earth, many today seem set on "tempting" Him with their pretentious lives. Many of the statements in articles and in sermons are slanted to ridicule and make fun of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ (Matt. 22:18).

Many are the hypocrites who can pray longer, cry longer, preach longer and whine longer than all others. They are like the ones in Matthew 23:14. These men will often hinder others from following Truth just because they do not like some who stand for the Truth. Yet they will pretend to "love and cherish" the faithful men who have gone before who preached the same Gospel that the hypocrites now reject! This sounds like the hypocrites in Matthew 23:29.

I personally know of men who call themselves preachers who will NOT support the preaching of the Gospel when it is preached by a preacher who has rebuked them for their sin! These same men often will discourage others from listening to the Word. They are like the hypocrites of Matthew 23:13.

Even when the modern hypocrites "convert" someone, they often immediately lead that one into a "denominational Church of Christ" that is more akin to sectarianism than the true church of the Bible. They will attend to "some" things diligently, but will leave off other things that are weightier! They are like those of Matthew 23:15, 23.

Those who follow these men will live with them eternally in a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 24:51).

"Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is HYPOCRISY" (Luke 12:1).

Honesty
David Hill

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (I Tim. 2:1-2).

Paul the inspired apostle instructed us to pray for those in authority that we may live "a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." Notice that next to a God-like life (the life God would have us live) the inspired writer placed honesty. Honesty is a primary characteristic of the Christian, and should stand out to those who live round about us.

Almighty God has always dealt honestly with mankind. In the Bible He told the truth about individuals whom he loved. Though David was a man after God's own heart, God revealed David's terrible sins with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite (II Sam. 11, 12). God revealed the terrible sins in the church at Corinth and in the seven churches of Asia in the book of Revelation. When you read the above referenced accounts in Scripture you can see that God expected an honest confession and true repentance. God is eternal and He has not and does not change (James 1:17; Heb.13:8). So God has expected honesty from the beginning of the world in the garden of Eden right up to today's time.

Now, the opposite of honesty is dishonesty, and dishonesty is often condemned in the Bible. In Revelation 21:8 John says, "all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimestome: which is the second death." What about the "little white liars"? "All liars" will be in eternal hell. What about the occasional liar? The Scriptures say "all liars" shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimestone. Willful unrepented of sin will condemn one's soul to hell (James 2:10, Heb. 10:26). So the number of lies told or the enormity of the consequences does not change the fact that one has lied, nor does it change the outcome of the liar. All justification of such actions rests with man and not with God, because God has spoken clearly and condemned "all" lying.

Sometimes false teachers are referred to as liars. And people in the church will get all excited about such a reference made and ask whom has he/she lied to? The Bible gives reference to this matter when Paul warned of the time coming when some would depart from the faith and give heed to false doctrines (I Tim. 4:1-2). Paul wrote that they would be "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their consciences seared with a hot iron." So the false teacher is lying to those who will listen to him and observe his practices. Please take note of our present time and the activities in the church. Some preachers who at one time taught clearly on fellowship and against the fellowship of false teachers can no longer address that issue. Why? Have they changed? Some, in fact many would likely answer that they haven't changed in what they believe, yet they refuse to speak out clearly against the false teacher and the false practice (Eph. 5:11). Some preachers now allow most anything to go on in the congregations where they preach.There are some that can easily be proven to be of this stripe. They act as if they are standing strong, but their actions reveal something vastly different. They are in fact putting on an act (that is a hypocrite) and hypocrisy is a lie in action—pretending to be something one is not. So when you or I observe such inconsistent actions we may say the one practicing falsely is a liar. Paul warned the Colossian brethren about vain worship and being misled by "false humility" (Col. 2:18). False teachers are most often full of false humility. If you want proof, examine the actions of the accused false teacher. If he responds with book chapter and verse for his practices and teachings then maybe you should examine for yourself, but if he refuses to give an answer or sets out on a tirade of character assassination rather than answering the question, then you'll see the genuine person and the false humility of the false teacher. This is an evaluation that all should make in the church for this day and time, because false teaching is rampant in the church of Christ today. Sometimes the assault on one's personality will be more subtle and most often behind their back, so beware of false humility and a backstabber. They do go together. If one will lie in his/her teaching of God's Word, they are apt to do anything.

Finally, remember the admonition of Paul on receiving accusations against an elder. Paul wrote, "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses" (I Tim. 5:19). How does this connect with honesty? It is important in the proof of honesty. The office of an elder in the Lord's church is a high office and very serious in work and responsibility. Often a troublemaker in the church will accuse an elder of lying, but such a charge must be proven. Can an elder lie? Yes, he can, but it is a most serious allegation which must be proven by solid evidence. It can even be the case that a faithful gospel preacher is accused of lying and he could in fact have lied, but there is a burden of proof which the accusation will not in itself satisfy. "Prove all things hold fast to that which is good," (I Thess. 5:21).

Honesty is one of the beautiful attributes of a Christian. It is part of the "high calling" which is in Christ Jesus, and a great contributor to a "peaceable life."

Homosexuality and Lesbianism
Holger W. Neubauer

Few transgressions of God's holy law receive such overwhelming and denunciatory condemnation as do the sexually perverse acts of homosexuality and lesbianism. Throughout the ages these sins are painted in the blackest language the Scripture affords. The law stated, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" (Lev. 18:22). Consenting males discovered in homosexual relations were to be put to death (Lev. 20:13). The New Testament likewise condemns those men who "leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in thier lust on toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly" (Rom. 1:27). Homosexuality is wholly unnatural because the parts simply do not fit. Men who engage in sexual relations with other men leave the natural use of the woman and substitute the unnatural. This behavior, however, certainly can be changed because after referring to "abusers of themselves with mankind" and "effeminate," Paul said, "And such were some of you" (I Cor. 6:9-11). For homosexuals to argue that sexual inclinations ought to be acted out because of "the way they were made," makes about as much sense as a man arguing for additional sexual partners in his marriage because he possesses too much libido.

Lesbanism, which derives its meaning from the Greek island of Lesbos, which was occupied entirely by women, is as well condemned in Scripture. When women turned to "vile affections" and chose to engage in those things "against nature," the God of heaven "gave them up" (Rom. 1:26). God created the woman for the man—not for another woman. All sexual relations outside of marriage are wrong (Heb. 13:4). Since God only recognized man—woman marriages (Matt. 19:4-6), lesbianism is therefore automatically condemned. Again, a propensity or leaning of desire is not ligitimization for women engaging in sexual relations with each other any more than an alcoholic should be approved for giving in to his weakness. Lesbianism, though practiced more openly and high-handedly in our culture than ever before ought to be cried out against by those who love God and His Truth.

Scripture is exceedingly clear on these two abominable practices. Then why are groups like the Presbyterians working to ordain homosexual and lesbian marriages? Why did Bishop John Cummins perform marriage ceremonies of gay couples? This sin, like any other sin, comes from a disrespect regarding the inspiration and authority of God's Word, the Bible. The same attitude which says yes to homosexuality says yes to social drinking. The same basis of reasoning that approves of lesbianism also can approve of adulterous marriages. Unless God's Word is the standard of all of what we do there is really no standard at all.