OK...

When I say that opened up...some stuff. Whew! I don't know if I was prepared for all of that dialogue, but either way, I think it was a good and necessary thing to happen because if there's one issue that doesn't get openly discussed nearly ENOUGH, it would be sexuality.

Let me also say that I appreciated everyone who chimed in. We don't have to agree to be able to respect one another and I think just about everyone brought something to the table that provided food for thought. I especially want to thank Marcus for being so open about revealing that while it is something that he battles with, he also stands firm on what the Word of God says; the true definition of a Christian, indeed.

And it is here where I will voice my stance on the issue. I will not be debating it because whatever you decide is your right, but there was a point and purpose for bringing this up in the first place. Let me also say this: those of you who are angry...disgruntled...disappointed...irritated by the Bible being used to justify a moral stance, that is not something to take up with me. That is something I encourage you to pray about. As “non-conventional” as we may be at X3Church.com, we are still a Bible-believing, Word of God keeping ministry. No apologies or defenses should be made for that...and won't be. Also, the “don't judge” defense is a bit played out. Judging, in the biblical sense, is determining your soul salvation re: your choices and that was not the objective here. If I said I was “OK” with what you were doing, guess what? I still just “judged” you. If I said you were cute or smart or funny, I still just judged you. It's my experience that people don't have an issue with “judgment” but with correction...and in this world ALL OF US NEED CORRECTION and if you claim to be a Christian, it's needed all the more.

Something that I found to be very interesting is that while I get a pretty consistent flow of responses per every blog post, when it comes to me sharing revelations about heterosexual sin (fornication, adultery), there has been very little to say other than (and I'm paraphrasing), “RIGHT ON” or “THAT BLESSED ME”. Yet, oddly enough, bring up homosexuality, something also mentioned, several times in the Bible, as a sin, and there's all kinds of challenges concerning the point God was really making, the times in which that was written, the motives behind the authors, etc. etc. One of the first things that came to mind is that either you believe the Word of God or you don't. (John 1:1, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Someone using the Word to express why they do or don't do what they do is not to “hurt your feelings”. Well, I will at least speak for me and say it's not. It's to bring you to how I came to the resolve that I did. I don't fornicate (anymore) ONLY because that is what the Word of God says (Hebrews 13:4) and so yes, it's very hard for me to understand why homosexuals can understand why I would abstain and yet they feel justified to not do the same. (I Corinthians 6:9-10)

I also found it to be oddly profound that, once again, those “for” homosexuality (for the most part) spent more time “defending it” than actually doing what was initially requested: answering the questions. As someone who deals with homosexuals, some of them Christians, on a pretty consistent basis, it seems that there is more discussion on how they “feel” than what the Word says about what they choose to do. Me personally, I have never understood a godly order for homosexuality. How does that seek to fulfill his purpose for mankind on this earth? I said it before (to Shawn in the comments), but if God were at peace with the lifestyle, how come it's NO WHERE IN THE SCRIPTURES? God can write about how long a woman should wait to have sex after her period (Lev. 15:19-32) and yet homosexuality is, somehow, an oversight? It just doesn't add up. Especially since there are scriptures that are very clear about it from a contrary point of view: “You must not have sex with at man as you would a woman. That is a hateful sin.” (Leviticus 18:22) And Romans 1:24-27 (NCV) is even more explicit:

“Because they did these things, God left them and let them go their sinful way, wanting only to do evil. As a result, they became full of sexual sin, using their bodies wrongly with each other. They traded the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and served what had been created instead of the God who created those things, who should be praised forever. Amen. Because people did those things, God left them and let them do the shameful things they wanted to do. Women stopped having natural sex and started having sex with other women. In the same way, men stopped having natural sex and began wanting each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and in their bodies they received the punishment for those wrongs.”

It's pretty black-and-white, at least biblically. Either you are going to take the Bible at its Word or you won't.  No one is debating your right to make that choice...but I will stand on the Word that if you choose to be homosexual, there is, indeed, a choice that you are making. I know when I was caught up in my own issues, while I didn't dare try and find a biblical justification for doing what I wanted to do, I certainly didn't respect/revere the Bible much during those times. I'm saying that to say, you can find something to cosign on whatever it is you desire to do, but my objective was, AGAIN, to discover where the Bible could support you on this particular stance.

When you go back to the Garden of Eden and you see the PURPOSE of marriage and sex, as I was discussing with a former homosexual friend of mine, I can see why God would consider homosexuality an abomination. Male and females CREATE when they have sex...CREATE MORE OF THEIR OWN KIND (Genesis 1:26-27). Why would the Enemy want more of us on this earth? He hates God and so it's a no-brainer that he hates us...that he seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) us in any way that he can. A woman and a woman loving one another...a man and a man loving one another, I don't question that possibility at all...not in the least. I just wanted to know how you believed IN THE WORD OF GOD that that fit into God's eternal plan. Also, the Bible states that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (I Corinthians 14:40) and I think WE ALL CAN AGREE that a lot of confusion seems to be surrounding the issue of homosexuality. Yes, I am aware that there is can be confusion in all relationships, but I will be honest with you: of the couples I know who totally followed the biblically-prescribed formula for relationships (virgins until marriage), while everyone has trials and tribulations, DRAMA is not a part of their program. I just don't believe that with what God does and gives, pain (other than childbirth due to the curse upon Eve...cause I know someone is gonna bring that up and death DUE TO SIN), heartache, depression, anxiety, fear, defensiveness, etc. are not a part of it.

When I was having sex outside of marriage---heterosexual marriage still being what I believe is God's plan for sex---momentarily things were fine, but the ultimate consequences were so not worth it. Fulfilling my flesh, JUST BECAUSE I COULD, was not worth it.

There is A LOT MORE I can say about this issue, but I'm actually going to move on to another topic now. It's time. However, feel free to continue to dialogue amongst yourselves...that's what the blog is here for. I did, however, want to share with you a website by a friend of mine once lived the homosexual lifestyle and is now married to one of my closest friends:

http://www.marionocentelli.info/Writings.html

He is still building the site, but feel free to reach out to him there.

I will close by saying, it's an odd place to be when you believe being loved means you must be told what you want to hear. God tells me stuff I don't want to hear every day, but I know it's for my betterment. You are loved. You are embraced. Love doesn't have fear attached to it (I John 4:18) and so we are not fearful of your stance or your choices. Do keep in mind that love must go both ways. You have the right to your views AND TO EXPRESS THEM as do we....on both sides, lovingly.  However, lovingly doesn't mean agreeing with you.  Some of my best friends have given me the hardest rebukes about myself.

There is a scripture in Romans (12:2-Message, to be exact) that says, “Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.” Just because something is becoming highly-accepted with society, that doesn't mean that God is pleased. Narrow is the gate (Matthew 7:13), but yes, ultimately it is your decision. We accept your right to make it.

Thanks for making the time. It was a great week of insight.

Take care.