Christian Knight: Reformat
A reformat (for those who do not know) is a computer term for wiping a hard drive of all data and setting it up to receive new data. (Something I’ve had to do recently). Basically it means to start over. In a very real sense, this blog will be reformatted and revamped. It has been a long time since I have posted anything new. The reason for that is very simple. I have not taken the time to do so. Reasons for that are varied and broad but it all comes down to basic interest. I simply did not want to do it.
It is not that I lost interest in the topics of Christian living and Theology. Far from it. However I did not see what I could add to the topics that had not already been covered by those far more capable than myself. I have also developed other interests which are not directly related to these subjects. (More on that later…)
After years away I still find myself with a desire to write and share my thoughts and opinions with those willing to hear them. (Both of you, you know who you are…) However, I see no reason to confine this to the subjects of Christian living and Theology alone. I have other interests as does everyone else. Some of the best advice I have ever seen on blogging has been to write what you would like to read.
In that spirit, I am replacing this blog with another in order to encompass other interests as well as things I have already covered. The new blog can be found at, http://www.knighterrantblog.wordpress.com. (Still working on the layout so bear with me.) I will be republishing many of the articles from here to there as I feel the need. The reason to change to a new site is that the theme and feel for this site would not fit with some of the other things I want to talk about. The term, “Christian Knight” implies that everything will be about Christianity and the Church. While I intend to continue to write about these things, I do not feel bound by these topics alone. Of course, anything I write will be from a Christian perspective. That is just who I am. Also, this is a chance to start fresh.
Here is a list of topics I expect to write on:
• Christian Living: I have no desire to stop commenting on life as a Christian and in the church.
• Theology: While there is very little I can say that others have not, there will be times I will feel compelled to discuss these issues.
• Bibles & Translations: Still something of a hobby of mine and some of the most popular articles posted here.
• Outdoor Recreation: I have always enjoyed camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Lately this has become a hobby shared with my family.
• Shooting: Over the last few years I have developed an interest in shooting both for target practice and personal defense. It is a topic I enjoy discussing though I do not claim any expertise.
• Product Reviews: When I use a product that I feel deserves attention, especially if no one else is reviewing it, I enjoy giving it the credit or criticism it deserves.
• Book Reviews: Truthfully my reading has been lax of late. My current schedule does not allow for serious reading time. However, when I do, I’d like to provide a review.
I am sure there will be others as well but that is a good sampling for now. My original intent for this blog was to keep it on Christian based themes. However, time and wisdom has taught me that there is no need for such restrictions. You can be sure that anything I write will be applicable from my Christian world view and following the ideals of the Christian Knight.
Passage of the Week – January 22, 2014
“Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done?
They were not even ashamed at all;
They did not even know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time that I punish them,
They shall be cast down,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 6:15 NASB)
Does this apply to you? Do you experience shame for sin or are you so calloused against it you feel little to no shame? I know that there are times when I look back on a sinful thought, word, or action and realize that I felt little to no remorse for it. It is easy to become this way when we are confronted with all the temptations and trials of this world. It really does not matter whether you are inside or outside Christ. It is easy to get used to sin.
This is the normal state of non-Christians. Those who are unaware of their sin do not feel it’s sting because they have become numb to it. This is why preaching the gospel is often so difficult. People don’t feel the burden of their sin and don’t like being told they have it. It takes a working of the Spirit of God to slice through the thick calloused skin and expose the flesh to the horrors of its own condition. This is the first step in salvation. A knowing of one’s own status as a sinner.
Unfortunately it does not end for those who are in Christ. We still struggle against the sin nature that is within us. With that struggle sometimes we lose and can become used to a sin. This is why it is important to constantly remind yourself of the gospel. Remember that Christ paid for all your sins, even those you haven’t committed yet.
Do not misunderstand. This is not a license to sin. Rather, it serves as a reminder of the price Jesus paid for your sins and can help in times of temptation. It can also help prevent the callus from forming and keep you sensitive to your sin.
Remember always that you are a great sinner and that Christ is a greater Savior. He is better at saving than you are at sinning.
God bless.
Things To Come
I’ve been away from the blogging world for awhile. The only excuse I can offer is life simply got in the way. When you move, lose a job, get a job, and adjust to a new job it can take a little wind out of your sails.
Now that things have finally settled back to a relative sense of normalcy, I feel like I can get back to my blog. So I thought I’d give all my readers (both of them) a preview of what I am planning. I have not been completely idle during my time away. The wheels have been turning and I have a number of ideas…
(In no particular order.)
1. Articles of interest: There are times when I would like to write about things that are of interest but not necessarily theological in nature. Things like products I find useful, humor, and experiences I have had. These should be interesting and fun as well as a bit of a break from the more serious things.
2. Passage of the week/month: I previously tried to do a Bible passage and commentary every week. While I am still making that a goal, I know that I will not make it each and every week. Sometimes it may be once a month.
3. Book reviews: I am attempting to read one non-fiction book per month and along with that I am going to try and provide a review on the blog. I also may do a few from books I have read in the past.
4. Bible translation: There is no question that my most popular articles have been around this subject. I am by no means done with my ongoing study of translations. Look for more articles on this.
5. No Compromise: One of the things that has so distressed me over the last few years has been the amount of compromise many Cristians are willing to tolerate to their core values. This has motivated me to tackle several of these issues and explain why the Bible really leaves us no room to compromise. Issues like Bible Inspiration, homosexuality, marriage, and many more. I don’t claim to have all the answers but maybe this can be useful to someone.
6. Christian Knight: I still need to finish my articles on what it means to be a Christian Knight. More on that coming.
I’m looking forward to getting back into the groove and I hope those who graciously take the time to read what I write enjoy it and are benefitted by it.
God bless.
Passage of the Week – November 18, 2012
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified. ’” And Aaron held his peace. – Leviticus 10:1-3 ESV
I would be willing to bet that that there are not many people out there who have ever heard a sermon preached on this verse (granted, I have but I’m funny that way). In some ways it can be understandable why someone would wish to avoid this passage. Here we have the unvarnished wrath of God against people. This is a far cry from the depiction of God as a loving “grandpa-like” figure which has been popular over the years. Let’s take a minute and look through this passage.
The sons of Aaron were designated to be the priests of God and function as intermediaries between the people of Israel and God. It was they who were charged with offering sacrifices and being the representatives of the nation to the Most High God. Not a position to be taken lightly especially given the miracles and blatant examples of the power of God they had witnessed in Egypt and in the wilderness. So Aaron’s sons offered “unauthorized fire” to God (some translations use the word “strange” but I do not find this to be as accurate). On some level we have to wonder what they were thinking. Nowhere had God commanded them to do this and He had not left anything open in how He was to be approached. We could spend all day guessing why they wanted to do this but the bottom line is they rejected how God commanded them to worship and instead developed their own way.
Is this not how we are? Don’t we often want our way rather than His? As I look at my own life I can count many times when I would have preferred to not do things His way and when I didn’t I paid a price. By our own nature we don’t want to do things His way. We want to be in charge. We want to command our own destinies. However, God’s Word has the exact opposite to say on the subject. He is God and we are not.
Aaron’s sons dared to challenge a Holy God and defy His commands. God’s judgement and sentence was swift. Aaron’s sons were dead and before he can even say anything Moses is reminding him that God has every right to tell His people how He is to be worshipped. What objection could he have to that? He was every bit the witness to God’s power and deliverance that his sons were and more. He did the same thing any one of us would do, he kept silent.
Before we buy into experimental and innovative worship let us take a moment to remember this overlooked account in Leviticus. When you worship God be careful you are not emulating the world. Also be careful that you are not choosing a worship “style” just because it is what you like. We should always be asking ourselves two questions: 1) “Is this something God has commanded us to do and not forbidden?” 2) “Will God get the glory for this instead of me?” A negative answer to either of these should give us pause. I am not aware of God recently burning people up who worship him inappropriately (though sometimes I wish He would) but know that is only because His is patient and merciful. Let us also be grateful that our priest is a perfect priest and is sitting at the right hand of God after having redeemed His people.
God bless.
Review: NASB Ultrathin Reference Bible
As English speaking Christians we have an abundance of choices when it comes to the choice of a Bible. There are many translations and formats for almost every style and taste, not to mention there are also Bibles for specific purposes (study, devotional, reading, etc.) If, however, you are a fan of the NASB, your choices narrow somewhat as most Christian bookstores will carry this translation but will only have one or two editions available at any given time. There are plenty available but in comparison with the ESV or NIV, the pickings are somewhat slim.
About ten years ago I discovered the NASB. Though I grew up in a Christian home, the subject of a Bible translation was not one that we discussed or even concerned ourselves with. I knew about the NIV and the KJV but that was about it. When I discovered the NASB I found I liked it for its accuracy compared to the NIV and readability compared to the KJV. I immediately purchased a copy of the Zondervan Classic Reference NASB but there were two problems with this edition. 1) It was verse format. Not bad but not necessarily easy to read from. 2) It was a glued binding. I had two Bibles fall apart on me when I was younger and both were glued. I didn’t want a repeat of that performance. Then I discovered the NASB Ultrathin Reference from Foundation Publications…
I purchased this edition in 2006 and have been using and carrying it on and off since then. It has become my go to Bible whenever I go to church, travel, or just sit and read. I have underlined and marked in it and it has become something unique to me.
Format
The NASB Ultrathin Reference is a double column, paragraph format Bible with red letter and references in the center column. It is significant that this is a paragraph format since there are not many NASB’s formatted in this way. The translation tends to be printed in verse format so finding one in paragraph, while not rare, is uncommon. The font is about 9pt so it is good for reading as long as your eyes are not too bad. Someone with weaker eyes would likely prefer a larger font but then you would not have an “ultrathin.” As with everything, there is a tradeoff. The margins are not large at about 3/8” but they are sufficient for minimal notes.
This is a classic look for a Bible and should not be ignored just because it is so “regular.” If you want a basic reference Bible without study notes or commentary then this is the kind of format you go for. This also has the benefit of packaging into a relatively small format so it can be carried easily. Don’t miss the significance of this. I have found that a bible that is too large or cumbersome to carry around tends to get left on the shelf. There is something to be said for simple and this edition does it well.
Overall the format is good but it does have some areas where it is lacking. First of all, the lines are a little close together. This can make reading difficult and makes a relatively small font feel even smaller. Any highlighting or underlining needs to be done with care. Also, the red lettering tends to be more on the pink side of red in my edition. I should note that in recent printings (China as opposed to my Korean edition) the red lettering is much better. Note the comparison between my older edition and my wife’s newer one. The print is much darker in the newer printings. (Newer edition on the left.)
Binding
The binding on this edition is genuine leather, which is, I think, a form of pigskin. Foundation also has this in bonded leather and a couple options in synthetic material. If genuine leather is not your speed I recommend one of the synthetic materials. It is durable, attractive, and economical. (You can always have it rebound later.) I have been using my edition for almost seven years and, while it is beginning to show age, it still feels durable and supple. It is not a premium calfskin or goatskin by any measure but it manages to be tough with a rugged appearance to it.
This Bible also possesses a sewn binding and it has proven to be one of the most durable in any edition I have ever seen. Pages have not fallen out in almost seven years and the Bible opens very flat from Genesis to Revelation. The only wear I have seen is a small separation of one of the signatures in the maps section in the back of the Bible. The binding in that area is fine but the maps have been folded a few too many times and are beginning to tear at the fold. This is disappointing but not surprising since I have not exactly been gentle with it and used to fold the cover behind the Bible (I know, my bad.) I am hopeful that if I ever decide to have the edition rebound this can be repaired.
In the newer editions the binding is not as good in my opinion. My wife’s edition has the typical “puckering” in the center that seems common to bibles that are bound a little too tight or not bound with the right grain direction on the paper. This does not detract from the use of the Bible but some may find it concerning. Another area of concern is the ribbon. There is only one and it is rather thin. I do not really expect an ultrathin to have more than one ribbon but it would have been nice to have a nicer one than this.
Paper
As you may expect, the paper in any ultrathin Bible will be, well, thin. This simply cannot be helped, as a thick paper will defeat the purpose of producing an ultrathin Bible. However, thinner paper does not mean it has to be translucent to the point of reading Matthew from Ruth. This has been a sore point with me as I have looked at Bible editions. I personally find ghosting to be annoying and distracting when reading. I also find it rather annoying that many high end and expensive editions have this issue (call me picky.) Some have attempted to go with thicker and thicker paper thus reducing the problem while others have attempted to use line matching to mask the thin, translucent paper.
The good news is that the NASB Ultrathin Reference has, what I believe to be, an acceptable level of ghosting. As with many things it partially hinges on your expectations. As an inexpensive (<$40) ultrathin Bible, we don’t really expect that this edition will have perfect paper. However, I find that it is even better than that. My edition has been abundantly marked in and I can only see a faint image from the other side of the page. Also the double column, tight format fills most of the page and hides what does show through from the pages behind. All things considered, I would say this is very good for a Bible this size and at this price point.
Overall
Looking at the big picture I would have to say that I would recommend this edition to anyone looking for an everyday use NASB. It is portable without being compact, durable without being expensive, and readable without being a brick. If you are not a person who has to have premium leather and can live with a smaller font then this may be a good choice for you. I would call this a working Bible. Not one you leave on the shelf all day and not one you put in a museum. It is one you put to work.
God bless.
Passage of the Week: November 11, 2012
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30 NASB)
Romans 8:28 is perhaps one of the most quoted verses when you or someone you know is going through a period of trouble, pain, or persecution. No matter what happens this verse usually comes out. Since this is so common, few people ever ask if this makes sense. So does it?
Like so many things in theology, and in life, the answer is both yes and no. This passage is a strong encouragement to believers that God will work all things for good. This should be no surprise as He is sovereign over all things and His will is always good all the time. It should be a comfort to us that, no matter our circumstances, God will work good from it. The problem is that God’s good and perfect will may involve our circumstances getting worse before they get better. That sickness you have to endure may involve a few trips to the hospital and much pain before it gets better. That wayward child you have been praying for may need to be taken even lower before they turn to God in repentance. God’s will is perfect but it is not always according to our timeline.
Joseph understood this. His story reads like a soap opera tragedy. Hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused of a crime, imprisoned, and forgotten by those who should have remembered. Once he was through all of that hardship he understood that God’s plan was right and for the ultimate good. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20 NASB) He could see God’s hand in his own life. Can you?
One of the hardest things about being a Christian is that our lives are not always better than our unsaved friends and family. In fact they might be worse in many ways. Why? The passage in Romans gives us some clue. We are being conformed to the image of Christ with the ultimate being our glorification. The trials will come and they may get harder and harder but we need to rest in the promise that His will is right and we will get through the trials. This may mean deliverance from the trial and it may mean eternity with our Savior. Either will be for our good and God’s glory.
God bless.
Reporting a 3 year old article. I think we need reminded of this.
A brother in Christ passed this along to me. I originally had this posted on my previous blog around the time of the election. Since I am transitioning to this new blog I do not want this to get lost. Given the increase in the discussion of this subject due to recent events I think this bears another look Enjoy… – Knight
Dear Friends, Lately I have been meditating on the impending election. Some questions popped up to which we not only need an answer but we need an answer from a proper Biblical/theological standpoint. These questions are as follows:
- Do we as Christians have a role to play?
- Are we as Christians responsible for how we vote?
- Is there a theological imperative to how we vote?
- What is the proper Biblical way to look at the various political issues?
Indeed this may be a late date to do this…
View original post 1,349 more words
Reformation Day 2012
I am not a huge fan of Halloween. Perhaps that is not accurate. After all there is nothing about the day in particular that I dislike. It is a day that the Lord has made like any other. What I do not like about it is the way we as Christians have decided to adopt the philosophy of, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” I make no mistake about this and it is a small source of contention between me and many evangelical Christians and churches today. Personally, it do not believe it is appropriate to celebrate a “holiday” with it’s roots in paganism, it’s symbols designed to frighten and entice, and it’s practice filled with disturbing imagery and (let’s be honest) the appearance of evil.
What is there about this “holiday” that is so special? What is it that makes believers in Christ want to emulate the world and culture around them? This is a holiday with its roots in pure paganism and superstition yet churches everywhere emulate it. They don’t usually call them Halloween parties. Rather they are referred to as “Fall Festivals” or, as when I was young, “Harvest parties.” Same candy with a different label on the package. Where is the Scriptural support for this? You won’t find it. Instead you will find well-meaning Christians trying to “redeem” the day by handing out Gospel tracts and calling this an evangelistic opportunity. I’m all for evangelism and preaching the beautiful Gospel of Christ but how much credibility do we have when we hand out candy and tracts with one hand and in the other our Bible says things like:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 ESV
Our culture can discern inconsistency better than we can sometimes. What happens when one of these people start asking questions about personal and corporate holiness in the Church and then we do things like this? Is this a consistent message? I think not.
One could certainly argue that we have absorbed other pagan rituals into Christian holidays and they would be correct. After all things like Christmas trees and Easter eggs have little to do with the holidays in question and are in fact carried over from ancient worldly rituals. To be honest there are aspects of some of these things that I find uncomfortable as well. However at least I can draw a crystal clear line down to a specific Christian event from which these holidays originate. (Though the dating of Christmas is dubious at best.) Such cannot be said of Halloween.
(For a fuller discussion of the issues around Halloween I refer you to Al Mohler’s excellent article on the subject, Christianity and the Dark Side — What About Halloween?).
There is a significance to October 31st that, sadly, goes unnoticed by most all of your average Christians. While the rest of the country is celebrating ghosts, goblins, vampires, and generally scaring the pants off each other, I sincerely hope that there are some Christians out there who join me in celebrating another holiday commemorating an event that took place on October 31 – Reformation day. 495 years ago (1517 to be exact) in the town of Wittenberg, Germany an Augustinian monk by the name of Martin Luther posted his 95 Thesis on the door to the church in Wittenberg. Thus striking the match of the Reformation and setting the gospel free from its Roman imprisonment.
I am not a Lutheran (the denomination that sprung from Luther’s reformation) but even as a Baptist I can appreciate the way God used this man. To be fair, Luther never intended to spark a Reformation. He was severely displeased with the practice of selling indulgences and wrote the Thesis as a scholarly objection to this practice and others. He sought to truly reform the church rather than break from it. Time does not permit me to recount the whole story but after some time Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic church and he, along with others helped to bring about the Protestant Reformation.
Where would we be without men like this? The gospel would still be tied to the Roman system of works, penance, and indulgences. While I am in no way attempting to exalt Luther, I must acknowledge the contribution he made and the way he was used by God. May we all spend a few minutes today apart from the silliness that is Halloween and thank God for men like Luther, Calvin, Knox, and many other Reformers. Thank Him for giving these men the courage and conviction to stand up against the only system they knew and embrace the God-breathed Scriptures and the freedom of the Gospel. Thank Him for reviving the gospel.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it– the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (Romans 3:21-25 ESV)
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)
God bless.
Is a Baby in the Womb Alive?
I saw this and in light of the controversy around Richard Mourdock’s statement I had to share it.
Bottom Line: If the child in the womb is a human being then killing him or her is wrong! Notice the tap dancing that is typical of the pro abortion crowd when dealing with this issue…
God bless.
Basic Christian Positions
In this day and age of relativism and political shifting and maneuvering it is important to remember what basic Christian positions are or should be. In the political landscape of America I have heard that many Christians stand on opposite sides of many issues. Some of these are issues of preference or personality but many are issues that the Bible speaks quite clearly on. Given that we are supposed to all be operating from the same rule book (The Bible) it seems to me that we should be cross-referencing our opinions with the Word of God. So here is a list of relevant issues that I think gets confused all too often.
All People are Sinners
This one should not cause us to much disagreement but unfortunately it does. We are ALL guilty sinners before a Holy God. Even without considering God’s perfect standard all we have to do is tune into the nightly news to get a taste of mankind’s state of depravity. All of us, even Christians, are sinners. We are not better than others just because we are Christian and our message is not irrelevant just because we are not perfect. This is one of the major points of the Bible. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NASB). This is why we need Christ’s sacrifice and His righteousness because without it we cannot stand before this Holy God.
The scary part is there are people (even Christians) who will say they do not sin. The Bible speaks to this as well, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8 NASB.) Thankfully, this is followed by, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NASB.) We are all guilty so let’s stop saying that we are not. Also, while it is important to act in obedience to Christ we must understand that perfection will not be found in this life but that our sin should always drive us to repentance and faith in Christ. This is where our hope and assurance lies.
Abortion is Murder
I am truly sorry if you or someone you love have been touched by abortion. I do not stand in judgment over anyone for this or any other sin they may have committed. All I can say is what the Word of God says on this issue. It is very clear that the Bible considers the murder of another human being to be one of the more heinous sins. Truthfully, we would have to agree with that otherwise we need to set free all the people currently in jail for murder. So is the baby in the womb a human being? If so then abortion (which ends the life of the baby) is murder. The truth is that it is a human being. Life begins at conception. Once conceived, the embryo has a distinct human nature and will never become anything else if not interfered with.
The Bible could not be more clear on this. “For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13 NASB). The direct implication here is that even in the womb a human being is a human being. There is even provision in the law for punishment of a person who kills an unborn (Exodus 21:22-23). In Scripture the unborn possess personal attributes and are known by God from conception. There is no realistic way to read abortion at will into the pages of Scripture. To do so is to do violence to the Word of God. Abortion ends the life of the unborn child and is therefore defined as murder in the Bible. If you don’t like it, fine, but don’t say it is not in there.
The next thing people usually want to do here is make those who hold my view on this chase them around several other issues such as rape, incest, the decline of the family, etc. To be honest, I simply refuse to give chase. The issue is simple. Is the unborn child a human being or not? If not then when does it become so? After the first trimester? The second? After birth? Two years later? When? If it is a human being (and all evidence says it is) then to end the life of an unborn child is murder. It does not matter if this is legal or not. In God’s eyes it is still murder.
Homosexuality is a Sin
This is probably one of the most controversial subjects in our day, both inside and outside of the church. We are bombarded with claims that homosexuality is just as valid as heterosexuality and that people are born this way and to say that it is wrong is a violation of their civil rights. This has leaked into just about every area of our lives to the point that it has become almost impossible to avoid. Furthermore, this is one of the most volatile issues from a political perspective. People who say that homosexuality is a sin or that homosexual marriage is wrong are immediately labeled as bigots and religious fanatics and such. Well, if you are going to write people off as religions fanatics who say that homosexuality is a sin then you might as well stop reading now. However, if you want to be a little more open minded than that then please continue.
The Bible, contrary to what some would have us believe, is abundantly clear on this issue. Leviticus 18 and Romans 1 are just a couple examples of where the Bible clearly states that homosexuality is a sin. It is not held up as the greatest of sins nor is it passed over. It is simply against God’s moral law and His intention for human relationships. Some also will argue that Jesus didn’t address this issue but that is also false, “And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘ For this reason A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh ’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matthew 19:3-6 NASB) Here, Jesus clearly proclaims God’s intention and design for marriage. He does not say the words, “homosexuality is sin,” but He does not have to. There is the clear teaching that the proper relationship in this context is between a man and a woman. Jesus also clearly states and affirms the content of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-19.) If He wished to make an exception regarding the laws against homosexuality, He had ample opportunity to do so but He did not.
Homosexuality is sin. I am sorry but it is, and it is not me saying this but God. You can hate me for saying it all you like but the only reason I do is to point you to Christ who can redeem you from this sin and all others just as He redeems me for my sins. I am not judging, I am merely one sinner proclaiming to others how to be clean from your sin and stand before a Holy God.
Jesus is the Only Way
Surprisingly, this is an issue that actually causes strife among professing Christians. Is Jesus the only way to be reconciled to God or not? Sounds like a simple question with a simple yes or no answer. And, in fact, it is. This comes down to simply whether you believe the Bible or not. “Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6 NASB) “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”” (Acts 4:12 NASB) Seems pretty clear to me. To deny that salvation is in Christ alone is to deny the Bible itself. At that point, why call yourself a Christian?
Looking at this logically we have to ask that, if there are other ways to be reconciled to God then why did Christ endure the severe pain and humiliation of the cross? Seems like a pure waste of a life and death. No, my friends, He went to the cross because a holy and righteous God has to punish sin and that punishment will either be paid by the sinner or one acting on the sinner’s behalf. No one but a sinless savior can be our substitute since anyone else would be paying for their own sin. Only Jesus, the lamb of God and God in flesh, can do this. Praise be to God for His gift.
Conclusion
I realize that I have been harsh in many parts of this article. But I hope that I have also been clear. You cannot be a consistent Bible-believing Christian and oppose these things. We can and do disagree on may things within the camp of Christianity (end times, fiscal policies, church government, etc) but we dare not compromise the basic premises of the faith and those things that God’s Word is clear on, to the altar of political or social expediency. No more compromise and no more retreat.
God bless.
Christian Knight 