April/May 2004
This issue of Abundant Life is also available in Adobe's PDF format.What about Homosexuality?
by Mark Roberts
In less than twenty five years homosexuality has gone from being a complete non-issue to something a few whispered about to a topic of concern in a few areas of the country to a nationwide, full-blown, social revolution. How has this happened? I truly cannot think of any sin that has so quickly managed to shed its vile and repulsive image and insert itself into our world as normal and acceptable. It is incredible and it has happened right before our eyes! What has happened?
Homosexuality in the Old Testament
By Randy Harshbarger
Genesis 19 has become a battleground in the discussion about homosexuality. This chapter records the visit of two angels, or messengers, to Lot, the nephew of Abraham, who was living with his family in Sodom. These envoys from the Lord came to Sodom to carry out the Lord’s judgment against the wickedness of the city (19:13) which had been hinted at earlier (18:20). Lot showed hospitality to the men, inviting them into his house where he provided food and other social amenities. Before it was time for bed the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house demanding that Lot produce his guests for those gathered there. “And they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them’” (Genesis 19:5 (NASB). The New International Version renders this verse: “They called to Lot: ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.’” The American Standard Version says: “And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men that came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” What does Genesis 19 teach?
Homosexuality in the New Testament
by W. Frank Walton
The New Testament Scriptures are just as clear and unequivocal as the Old Testament in condemning homosexuality as sinful. God hasn’t changed His mind about homosexuality as a moral perversion.
Defending Marriage
by Mark Roberts
How do we defend marriage to a world that doesn’t care about the Bible? The world says “If two men are in love and want to get married, why shouldn’t they? The Bible isn’t the law of our land!” One newspaper columnist noted “Marriage used to be defined as two people of the same race. That definition of marriage was changed. Why shouldn’t we update our definition of marriage to include homosexuals?”
A Plea for Those in Churches Tolerating Homosexuality
by Mark Roberts
Item: Gene Robinson is appointed as a bishop in the Episcopalian church, an ordination that is accompanied by nationwide media attention. Robinson is the first practicing homosexual to be ordained to a high office in a major mainline denomination.
Attempts to Justify Homosexuality
by David Thomley
Just ten years ago, who would have believed that this nation was on the brink of a cultural meltdown over the issue of homosexuality? A sexual issue that formerly was publicly censored and reserved only for the most regulated, hushed discussions among academicians and theologians has now become the rage of a morally confused world. Why? Among many reasons that might be offered, we should not fail to confess that we have become the Gentile world of the first century (cf. Rom.1:18-32). Like the philosophers and orators of old who delighted in anything that was new, shocking, or challenging to the accepted norms, we are the contemporary reflection of a people who have become enamored with our own sophistication. Professing to be wise, we have become fools who have expanded our minds to a point that we are no longer able to define with certainty the most fundamental aspects of human behavior. Is it truly a mark of genius that this culture is struggling with the question of whether marriage is for a man and a woman? For centuries, people of every race and tongue, God-believers and pagans alike, somehow managed to answer this question and propagate humanity. However humbling the admission may be for some, our present generation did not discover homosexuality, nor are we the first to flaunt it as the caviar of the sexual menu.