Welcome to episode #7 of The Theology on Homosexuality podcast and the Torch Leadership Foundation Institute’s “Hill, Lutzer, McKissic Lecture Series.” This Lecture Series is in honor of E.V. Hill, Erwin Lutzer, and Dwight McKissic for standing for God, truth and righteousness down through the years without compromise. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International. This podcast was created primarily to inform the Christian church about why it must stand against homosexuality, homosexual marriage, homosexual parenting, and the homosexual agenda. The biblical portrait of marriage, family and sexuality has sadly come under attack in our society and it is time for the church to stand up and to educate our culture about the dangers of same-sex marriage and the same-sex agenda while at the same time to promote God’s idea of marriage between one man and one woman, God’s view of the family structure, and God’s view of sexuality as being permissible and pleasurable within the safety and sanctity of marriage. The normalization of homosexuality and everything that pertains to it is probably the greatest danger facing our world today. Thus, it is imperative that the body of Christ choose to stop ignoring this prevailing issue and stand up for what God says on this matter before it completely destroys our country. This broadcast/podcast is designed to equip pastors, church leaders, and Christians everywhere to take a firm stand for God against homosexuality and the homosexual agenda, in the spirit of love, grace and truth, so that we will not be responsible for allowing this nation to implode on our watch.
Our Theology on Homosexuality passage from the Word of God today is 1 Timothy 1:8-11. It reads, “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”
Allow me to share with you some important points regarding this passage from the “David Guzik Commentary on the Bible”:
Paul’s condemnation of legalists is not a condemnation of the law itself.
The purpose of the law is to show us our sin, not to lead us to righteousness. It wasn’t made for the righteous person (who walks by faith according to Galatians 3:11) but for the lawless and insubordinate, to show them their sin.
The idea isn’t that the law has nothing to say to the righteous person, but that it especially speaks to the ungodly. On the phrase, “The law is not made for a righteous person,” Adam Clarke observes that the word for made “Refers to the custom of writing laws on boards, and hanging them up in public places within reach of every man, that they might be read by all; thus all would see against whom the law lay.”
In Paul’s mind sound doctrine and right conduct are vitally connected. These sinful actions are contrary to sound doctrine.
Many people will condemn anyone with standards — especially higher standards — as being a legalist. Having standards and keeping them does not make us legalists and obedience doesn’t make us legalists. We are legalists when we think what we do is what makes us right before God.
The implication is that in Ephesus, the church existed in a culture marked by these sins here listed and that those teaching false doctrine in some way allowed or promoted this sinful lifestyle.
“The apostle took no delight to mention more of this cursed crew; but leaves them to the law to handle and hamper them, as unruly beasts, dogs, lions, leopards, are chained and caged up that they may not do mischief.”
The apparently sinful environment of Ephesus shows us another reason why it was important for Timothy to remain in Ephesus. He should remain there because it was a difficult place to serve God and further the kingdom. He had to break up the fallow ground there, instead of running to an easier place to plow.
Though the law cannot bring righteousness, the glorious gospel of the blessed God can — a gospel that, in the words of Paul, was committed to his trust. He sensed his responsibility to preserve and guard the gospel.
Our Theology on Homosexuality quotes today are from Dwight McKissic and Greg L. Bahnsen.
Dwight McKissic said, “The major social question that had spiritual, theological, ecclesiastical, and political ramifications that America faced for the first 200+ years of her existence—that took a war to partially resolve—was the question of civil rights for people of color. The next major social question that America and her churches will face for the next 200+ years, if the Lord tarries His coming, is the question of should the LGBTQIA community be recognized by churches and in every realm of society as a distinct social category deserving the same kind of constitutional and ecclesiastical rights that people of color are entitled to? Resolving this question will not result in another civil war, but I predict it will produce a social/ecclesiastical war the likes of which we’ve never seen.”
In his book, Homosexuality: A Biblical View, Greg L. Bahnsen said, “The opening chapters of the Bible present us with God’s original norm that sexual activity was to be within the context of marriage, and they present marriage as exclusively heterosexual in nature. This is true totally apart from any thought that sex and marriage serve solely a procreative function. Man needed a companion and suitable helper, and in response God fashioned a woman from the man; there was unity and distinction. She was called “woman” precisely because she was taken out of “man”; there was common humanity with sexual differentiation. These two creatures were made for each other; their union and interdependence were grounded in the natural order that is, in their God-given identities and functions.”
Our Theology on Homosexuality topic is titled “The Church Must Speak” part 7 from “The Truth About Same-Sex Marriage: 6 Things You Need to Know About What’s Really at Stake” by Erwin Lutzer. And, I want to remind you to take advantage of our special offer. If you appreciate this podcast and lecture series, please feel free to purchase a copy of this book — “The Truth About Same-Sex Marriage: 6 Things You Need to Know About What’s Really at Stake.” It is available on our website, TorchLeadershipFoundation.com, for just $20.
Dr. Erwin Lutzer goes on to say…
Eric Young of the Christian Post stated in a May 2009 article:
“[Recently], the Senate introduced the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, just as the House passed its version of the expanded Hate Crimes bill by a 249-175 vote. The legislation is intended by its sponsors to protect homosexuals and transgendered people from violent hate crimes by expanding a list of federally protected groups to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability. But critics say Christian broadcasters and even pastors covering culturally unpopular views, such as preaching homosexuality as sin, could eventually face prosecution just for expressing their religious views because their teachings could be blamed for inciting violence.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has the following to say about Christians’ fear about this legislation:
“The bill DOES NOT limit First Amendment rights of free speech and religious expression. The bill only applies to bias-motivated crimes of violence and does not impinge freedom of speech or religious expression in any way. Some churches have stated that with passage of this bill, ministers may be arrested for speech and words said in the pulpit. This is false. This bill is about violent crime. It is not about and does not prohibit thought, speech, or expression protected by the First Amendment.”
Let us not be duped by promises that freedom of speech for churches will be protected. The same assurances were given when Canada adopted its hate speech legislation. WorldNetDaily reports the following about the situation in Canada:
“Alan Borovoy, general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, [said] he never imagined human rights commissions would ultimately be used against freedom of speech, because they were launched in an effort to eliminate discrimination in pay and housing. But after ‘sexual orientation’ was added as a protected class, the tribunals have been exploited in pursuit of a ban on anything or anyone with less than a full endorsement of the homosexual lifestyle choice. Canada Family Action Coalition spokesman Brian Rushfeldt said, ‘The majority of the complaints have been related to homosexuals claiming that they’ve been offended, that hate is being propagated against them. The majority being targeted are religious sectors of society.’”
Lorne Gunter, a columnist with the Edmonton Journal, states the following alarming news in his article “Freedoms Lost in the Name of Free Speech”:
“All you need to know about how rotten the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) is — how undemocratic and anti-freedom it has become — is that in hate-speech complaints, the commission has a 100 percent conviction rate. No one who has ever been hauled before it for allegedly uttering hate speech has ever been acquitted. Such a rate is impossible for a democratic institution because the state is never always right and the defendant never always guilty. This happens in dictatorships where those in charge control every aspect of the judicial system and there is no impartiality or independence. But it should not happen in a purportedly open, unprejudiced tribunal.”
Should we be worried? Yes. But please don’t misunderstand: Even if freedom of religion is taken away from us, the church will continue to fulfill its responsibility of representing Jesus Christ in the world. Study church history and you’ll discover that almost always the church has had to cope in a hostile culture with virtually no freedom. Repeatedly, the church has proved that it does not need freedom to survive. Ultimately the church is in the hands of Jesus — not the ACLU.
In the meantime, the “mainstream” media continue to demonstrate astonishing bias against orthodox believers — bias that would not be tolerated against gays themselves. In my own city, newspaper columnist Richard Roeper wrote an opinion piece in 2004 that was critical of then-President Bush’s announcement supporting a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. He sarcastically wrote, “Thank God for Bush’s stance in favor of constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Because of course, God hates the gays. And we can’t go around legitimizing their depravity, or God might come to hate us too.”
He mocked the phrase of “sanctity of marriage” and the idea that it should apply to heterosexuals only. He described “hundreds of gay couples joyously celebrating their love, and lots of protesters showing up at such ceremonies to voice their loathing of the homosexual lifestyle.” He also said that he receives emails from people who hate gays.
I wrote a detailed reply, pointing out that his article is a good example of the strategy that is often used to silence opposition to the gay agenda: portray those who are opposed to the imposition of gay values as hatemongers, and portray the gay community as the loving, caring part of our society. Unfortunately, such tactics have intimidated many people who don’t want to be branded as hateful and vindictive. I concluded the letter by saying:
“Let those religious people who ‘hate gays’ repent of their sin; let those who foment hate against those of us who oppose gay marriages come to their senses. Those who disagree with what I have written are free to do so. But let them respond with thoughtful respect rather than with the smear tactics that have so often been used in this controversy. We do after all share this planet with diverse people, and our responsibility is to show love and respect despite our deeply held disagreements.”
Interestingly, no part of my letter was printed in the newspaper.
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Now, if you are listening today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, allow me to show you how.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Until next time, my friend, may God bless you and keep you!
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry which publishes a monthly magazine called The Torch Leader. He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University School of Divinity. He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica for over twenty-seven years. God has blessed their union with seven children. Find out more at www.danielwhyte3.com. Follow Daniel Whyte III on Twitter @prophetdaniel3 or on Facebook.
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