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Homosexuality, the Bible, and Southern Baptists (22 of 26)
Series: Issues of the 90's
INTRODUCTION: Earlier this month the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana denied representation to any church sanctioning the lifestyles of practicing homosexuals or who had ordained homosexuals to the ministry. The convention also approved an amendment to the constitution of the convention which would bar representation of such churches in future conventions.
Homosexual behavior is not new on the world scene. Many of the Roman emperors were homosexuals. Such behavior is also mentioned earlier in the Bible in the book of Genesis in a case of cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is interesting to note in social history that whenever a nation allows family values to be undermined and sexual lifestyles contrary to that taught in the scripture there has always been the eventual disintegration. of those societies. Two cases in point would be Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by God, and ancient Rome which crumbled from within.
In light of what many playwrights, musicians, the movie industry, the medical profession and gay liberationists of our day are saying, it is time we ask the question what is to be the stance of the church? What does God say? It seems from our study today that we will discover that the Lord has given some very specific instructions which condemn the practice of homosexuality but which also holds out hope for the homosexual.
I. THE DANGER OF PROMISCUITY - Romans 1:24
A. Promiscuity originates in the heart
1. ''For the lust of their own hearts,''
a. The word epitheumia (lust) refers to inner desire and hunger.
b. The word cardion translated 'heart' encompassed mind, emotion and will
2. Paul was saying that God gave these people up because in their heart they were filled with an inner lust and desire which captivated their total personality
B. Promiscuity generates in the mind
1. The word ''unclean'' means unclean mentally, physically or morally (Matthew 15:19, Romans 1:34)
2. The word ''thoughts'' which is a Greek word which means logical thought or reasoning
3. The word for ''fornication'' might be translated sexual immoralities – the picture of the individual who is giving mental assent, logical process, or intellectual reasoning to fantasies
C. Promiscuity culminates in the body
1. The phrase ''to dishonor their own bodies'' is used - the word ''dishonor'' means ''to put an incorrect appraisal on something''
2. Sexual immorality affects the total man, his spirit, his soul and his body
II. THE DISGRACE OF PERVERSION - vs. 25a-25b
A. Perversion is caused by a philosophy - Romans 1:25
1. The word ''metallisso'' means ''to exchange one thing for another''
2. This phrase is not merely referring to the truth about God, but to the G ...
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