This narrow way

God reminds us over and over in Scripture to separate ourselves from the world. In 2 Corinthians 6:17 He says, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean.” I John 2:15 tells us, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.” Philippians reminds us that “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Colossians 3:2 tells us, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” James 1:27 tells us to “Keep oneself unstained by the world.”

World in these passages doesn’t mean the physical world, of course, that would be impossible. World is better translated “age” and refers to the beliefs and values of the time in which we live. When God repeats something time and again it’s with a purpose—to get our attention. God knows full well the corrupting influence the age and the culture can have on those who believe in Him, going all the way back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis Chapter 19.

“Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said however, “No, but we shall spend the night in the square.” Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house;”

Lot knew full well the city in which he lived. When the angels said they would spend the night in the town square, Lot knew what and who awaited them. So, he urged them strongly to enter his house. Then when the men of Sodom pounded on the door and demanded Lot bring the angels out for the purpose of sexual relations with them, Lot offered up his two virgin daughters instead. He had obviously and egregiously been corrupted by the age.

The sin of homosexuality is as corrupting and as insidious in the age we live in today as it was in the days of Lot. It has invaded and permeated every facet and every institution of our culture and our society. Unfortunately, even though the Bible is very clear on the issue, the church has not been exempted.

Joel Osteen sits down with Oprah Winfrey and when asked if homosexuals can go to heaven says, “I think so.” When pressed whether or not he thinks it a sin, he stammers and stutters and says, “yes, but…” Then he equates it with pride or lying and says God doesn’t categorize sin. I may be wrong but I don’t recall anyplace in Scripture where God calls lying an “abomination” or any cities God rained fire on for being proud. But I could be wrong.

Andy Stanley tells his congregation that homosexuals have a stronger faith than he does and claims his approach to homosexuality is necessary to reach the next generation.

“What does this have to do with the next generation? Everything…As long as they think that we don’t understand that they can’t hear us… A gay person who still wants to attend church after the way the church has treated them… I’m telling you…they have more faith than I do…They still love God…I know the “clobber passages,” alright? We’ve got to figure this out. And if you don’t you can say goodbye to the next generation.”

Stanley’s so-called “clobber passages” are Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:27, and 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. Let’s look at the last one.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

For a good perspective on how homosexuality has influenced not only the culture but the church, take a look at the other sins listed by Paul. Substitute any of them for homosexuality and try to imagine a pastor saying, ‘A thief who wants to attend church after the way the church has treated them has more faith than I do. A drunk or an adulterer who still wants to attend church after the way the church has treated them has more faith than I do.’ Will you ever hear that from a pulpit? Not a chance. Reason being thieves, drunks, and adulterers don’t have a “pride” month, or a flag, or a parade, and their political activists are nonexistent unless I missed Drunk Pride Month.

Let’s just cut straight to the heart of the matter. Osteen and Stanley are the false prophets Paul and Peter warned us about.

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:13,14.

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies.” 2 Peter 2:1.

^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.” 2 Timothy 4:3

To be clear, homosexuality is a sin. That’s not popular and not appealing to the mainstream culture but it’s true because God’s Word says it is. Yes, homosexuals can be forgiven and can enter the Kingdom of God, but only by repentance and turning from their sin. Paul plainly says that in the verse immediately following verse 10 of 1 Corinthians 6 where he lists those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God.      

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Such were some of you. Past tense.

In times like these, we don’t need preachers who follow the go along to get along philosophy. Mealy mouthed fence straddlers with one foot in the church and the other in the world, trying to appease both. We need men of God who rightly divide the Word of Truth, in season and out of season. Popular, unpopular, makes no difference. This generation, the next generation, any generation. The Word doesn’t change. The message doesn’t change. It’s the same yesterday, today, forever.