i am a pentacostal female minister and God has really been placing a heavy burden on my heart for homosexuality and weather it is a sin or not.I don't believe it is and I am afraid we as christians have misunderstood leviticus completly.
2006-10-09 09:05:27 · 20 answers · asked by ? 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
IWell as a minister you should know that the Bible states that homosexuality is wrong in the New Testament is also.
The Bible consistently tells us that homosexual activity is a sin (Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). Romans 1:26-27 teaches specifically that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God. When a person continues in sin and disbelief, the Bible tells us that God “gives them over” to even more wicked and depraved sin in order to show them the futility and hopelessness of life apart from God. 1 Corinthians 6:9 proclaims that homosexual “offenders” will not inherit the kingdom of God.
God does not create a person with homosexual desires. The Bible tells us that a person becomes a homosexual because of sin (Romans 1:24-27), and ultimately because of their own choice. A person may be born with a greater susceptibility to homosexuality, just as people are born with a tendency to violence and other sins. That does not excuse the person choosing to sin by giving into their sinful desires. If a person is born with a greater susceptibility to anger / rage, does that make it right for then to give into those desires? Of course not! The same is true for homosexuality.
However, the Bible does not describe homosexuality as a “greater” sin than any other. All sin is offensive to God. Homosexuality is just one of the many things listed in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that will keep a person from the kingdom of God. According to the Bible, God’s forgiveness is just as available to a homosexual as it is to an adulterer, idol worshipper, murderer, thief, etc. God also promises the strength for victory over sin, including homosexuality, to all those who will believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
2006-10-09 09:07:29 · answer #1 · answered by Jen 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It should be said that the Bible condones some things most people today would consider immoral and condemns some things most people today would consider moral or morally neutral.
The Old Testament condones slavery and the New Testament says nothing against it. In fact, in several passages (Matthew 5:17-19, among others) Jesus says that the OT law is still valid and to be followed by the letter.
The Bible even condemns not only your occupation of female minister, but women speaking in church at all (1 Corinthians 14:34).
Truthfully, if you were to attempt to follow the Bible to the letter (such as killing people for working on the Sabbath as per Exodus 31:12-15), you would break several US laws. Is this a fault of the Bible or the fault of America? You are free to decide but at your own risk.
But take to heart the hypocrisy of people acting out their own prejudices agaisnt homosexuality and merely using the Bible as a shody excuse to hide their own bigotry and hatred, for Leviticus also says wearing clothing made of two kinds of material is forbidden (Lev 19:19), and so is trimming and shaving sideburns (Lev 19:27), and getting tattoos (Lev 19:28), and hardly anyone professing Biblical reasons for a supposed innate evil of homosexuality speaks out as vigorously or at all against the three above-mentioned things.
2006-10-09 16:37:12 · answer #2 · answered by Logan 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Keep in mind that Leviticus is the Jew's Scripture. That Gentiles have co-opted it is immaterial.
I have read Jewish experts explain that Leviticus bans MALE homosexuality but not lesbianism. The reason why homosexuality was so strongly banned is that the ancient Israelites were small and surrounded by enemies. This put a big emphasis on procreation, and males who participated in same sex were wasting their seed. But at that time a woman's survival was dependent on an alliance with a man, so it was assumed she'd still be part of the breeding population even if she had a female lover.
2006-10-09 16:09:57 · answer #3 · answered by kreevich 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What kind of minister does not know what the bible says, let alone have resources to look it up??? Don't you even have a concordance? You obviously have a computer, but didn't bother to research it yourself. Clearly you became a minister on the computer as well. You are probably "internet" ordained. You are playing a dangerous game letting people look to you as a spiritual leader, when you don't know anything. You can "feel" whatever you want, but that does not mean its a message from God. Its all in there. READ IT>
2006-10-09 16:19:03 · answer #4 · answered by Coco 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it is probably a sin, but so is thinking impure thoughts. I think the concern and imprtance that many Christians put on the subject is totally unwarranted in light of all the other sins they ignore. I'm sure you're aware of all the other Leviticus sins. How many of those are committed just as often, if not more, than homosexuality? As a group, we seem to have picked and chosen some convenient sins to focus on. I think many use it to take the focus off of their own shortcomings.
2006-10-09 16:17:16 · answer #5 · answered by luvwinz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
There are those who like to say that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. Various verses are cited (out of context) and the verses that people use to show that homosexuality is wrong are explained away. The world wants to change God's words and meanings into something more suitable to its sinful desires. Nevertheless, the truth stands: The Bible condemns homosexuality as a sin. Let's look at what it says.
Lev. 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."
Lev. 20:13, "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them"
1 Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Rom. 1:26-28, "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."
Homosexuality is clearly condemned by the Bible. It goes against the created order of God. He created Adam and then made a woman. This is what God has ordained and it is what is right. Unlike other sins, homosexuality has a severe judgment administered by God Himself. This judgment is simple: They are given over to their passions. That means that their hearts are allowed to be hardened by their sins (Romans 1:18ff). As a result, they can no longer see the error of what they are doing. Without an awareness of their sinfulness, there will be no repentance and trusting in Jesus. Without Jesus, they will have no forgiveness. Without forgiveness, there is no salvation.
What should be the Christian's Response to the Homosexual?
Just because someone is a homosexual does not mean that we cannot love him (or her) or pray for him (her). Homosexuality is a sin and like any other sin, it needs to be dealt with in the only way possible. It needs to be laid at the cross, repented of, and never done again.
As a Christian, you should pray for the salvation of the homosexual the same you would any other person in sin. The homosexual is still made in the image of God -- even though he is in grave sin. Therefore, you should show him same dignity as anyone else you come in contact with. However, this does not mean that you are to approve of their sin. Don't compromise your witness for a socially acceptable opinion that is void of godliness.
2006-10-09 16:08:53 · answer #6 · answered by BrotherMichael 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Are you sure it is God who is placing this heavy burden on your heart? I do not believe that God places heavy burdens on anyone, in fact if you are a minister, you know God says to give Him your heavy burdens , in exchange for His Light burdens, see the exchange; God does not place heavy burdens, you must know who does, and if God says His burdens are Light, who said He was the Light? Every Word in the Bible is truth, either you believe it or not, and do not be deceived by the one who wants you in the pit.
Please understand I am not here condemning , just reminding you of the Truth in the Word,If you are a minister, God has placed a tremendous gift upon you to guide your sheep, please do not lead them to the slaughter.
2006-10-09 16:21:09 · answer #7 · answered by Bettylu 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There's a book you have to read: "Dirt, Greed, and Sex" by L. William Countryman. It's the most scholarly study of Biblical sexual ethics I've ever seen. He's an Episcopalian priest who argues in favor of accepting homosexuality. *Read it.* It's closely argued and scriptural at every turn. And BTW, the purity code in Leviticus has **nothing** to do with sexual ethics as we now understand them -- which is why we pay **no attention** to 99% of it.
The scriptures don't address homosexuality. Why? At the time they were written **there was no concept of sexual orientation.** People did not have the mental category of "homosexual," meaning a person constitutionally oriented towards romantic and sexual attraction to their own sex. They could only conceive that people were heterosexual, but acting perversely against it.
2006-10-09 16:43:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Pentecostal female minister, right. The least you should do is learn to spell it.And then pray that the Lord showe s you the way.May I suggest a Pentecostal Holiness Church? They have several female ministers who know, and live the truth, they could teach you a lot.
2006-10-09 17:10:17 · answer #9 · answered by Maw-Maw 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think what a manuscript that is milenniums old should have little bearing on what you feel now. Frankly, most of Leviticus bars certain acts not because of any moral restrictions but because it was trying to halt the spread of disease. Back then, there were a lot more problematic diseases easily spread by homosexual men than there are today. That's why it was forbidden then. Same for eating certain meats.
2006-10-09 16:12:36 · answer #10 · answered by fiveshiftone 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋