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Assemblies of God spiel on gays
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spiel
- Show Spelled Pronunciation[speel, shpeel] Pronunciation
Key - Show IPA Pronunciation Informal.
–noun
1. |
a usually high-flown talk or speech, esp. for the
purpose of luring people to a movie, a sale, etc.;
pitch.
|
–verb (used without object)
2. |
to speak extravagantly.
|
[Origin: 1890–95; (n.) < G Spiel or Yiddish shpil play,
game; (v.) < G spielen or Yiddish shpiln to play, gamble
]
Since
I have been a member, of the
Assemblies of God
starting mid 1974, I feel especially partial to this church.
Lots of good memories and I believe much as they do. Though
they are evolving like most churches to a one world religion
directly or indirectly and have gone astray on a few major
issues which I go into in other links.
Gay is not sin and Jesus is not asking the gay person to
change and be straight!
This will be shown as I go through AOG’s antigay doctrine.
There are only 14 possible remotely related verses and this
is just because they indicate a male to male sex of some
sort. Male to male sex is not how you say gay is sin or not.
Just like straight Christians somehow magically can discern
between RAPE and LOVE between two people it should be easy
for you to understand who the Bible is talking about and not
just heap a verse on to gays because it is automatically a
sin in your eyes.
Homosexual Conduct
This document reflects commonly held beliefs based on
scripture which have been endorsed by the church's
Commission on Doctrinal Purity and the Executive Presbytery.
What is the Assemblies of God’s position on homosexual
relationships?
The Assemblies of God believes strongly that God has
declared great displeasure and opposition toward homosexual
conduct. However, He yearns to restore and forgive all who
come to Him, including homosexuals. Unfortunately, many
today mislabel those who speak out against the sin of
homosexuality as hate-mongers and prejudiced people seeking
to oppress and take away the rights of homosexuals. But
these persons view homosexuality from a skewed social
perspective devoid of true biblical morality. The Church,
however, is called to be faithful to God’s Word in all
things. For this reason the Assemblies of God opposes
homosexuality and the gay lifestyle recognizing such as sin.
But we encourage all members to reach out in love to
homosexuals extending to them the grace that leads us all to
Christ’s forgiveness.
Homosexuality is both a sin against God and mankind. It runs
contrary to the divine plan, purpose, and will of God who
created us in His image (Genesis 1:27) and redeemed us so
that this image, marred because of sin, might be renewed
(Colossians 3:10). Most fundamentally, homosexuality is sin
because it perverts the created order of human sexuality,
the heterosexual fulfillment of both man and woman (1
Corinthians 7:2-5). In creating the first man and woman, God
ultimately established the family consisting of a father, a
mother, and eventually children. Society is founded on this
social unit which propagates the human race. In total
contrast, the lifestyle and practice of homosexual couples
establish a social unit that thwarts that process and the
creative purposes of God for humanity.
Clearly the Bible states homosexual practice is sin.
Scriptures which denounce homosexuality are found in both
the Old and New Testaments. Advocates of homosexuality often
attempt to rationalize, reinterpret, and explain away key
biblical truths to justify their acts. Such abuse of
inspired Scripture is wrong. Along with the passages that
clearly describe homosexual conduct as sin (see below), the
Bible speaks repeatedly about God’s divinely ordained plan
of heterosexual relationships and marriage.
Genesis 19. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the "men" of
Sodom demand to "know" the angelic visitors of Lot (v.5,
KJV). Attempts to describe the request as merely a desire to
get acquainted with the strangers does not fit the context.
Other biblical passages link Sodom with sexual immorality
and perversion (2 Peter 2:6-7; Jude 7).
Leviticus 18:22. The specific command that a man is not to
"lie with a man as one lies with a woman; [for] that is
detestable" is sometimes attacked by pro-homosexual scholars
who argue that Christians are no longer under the Mosaic
Law. But there is a sharp distinction between the dietary or
ceremonial laws abolished in the New Testament (Mark 7:19;
Hebrews 10:8-10) and the moral laws reinforced in the New
Testament. They are still applicable today. Breaking the
ceremonial laws resulted in temporary uncleanness; breaking
the moral laws meant severe punishment or even death
(Leviticus 11 and 24).
Romans 1:26, 27. This New Testament passage is the most
pointed and clear condemnation of homosexuality (among men
or women) in the Bible. "Women exchanged natural relations
for unnatural ones. . . . Men also abandoned natural
relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one
another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and
received in themselves the due penalty for their
perversion." Some pro-homosexual scholars claim that Paul’s
statements were addressed to first-century believers and
thus are not applicable today. But God’s moral laws do not
change.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10. God’s inclusion of homosexual conduct
with other specific sexual and social sins is clear from
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church: "Do not be
deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders,
nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." Some defenders
of the homosexual lifestyle have tried to explain away the
terms "male prostitutes" and "homosexual offenders" by
claiming that they refer to general immoral behavior rather
than homosexual practice. But such a meaning of the Greek
cannot be found in first-century literature and the
translation would result in needless redundancy, for Paul
began his list with "the sexually immoral." The two words
refer to the sins of passive and active homosexual behavior.
Some pro-homosexual advocates try to refute the biblical
injunctions against homosexuality by saying the Bible speaks
against promiscuity and prostitution, not against loving,
committed gay relationships. Some unfaithful spouses of
heterosexual marriages have tried to justify adultery on the
same grounds, but nowhere does Scripture suggest that
loving, committed relationships of any kind can turn sin
into righteousness. God does not permit mankind to
reinterpret the clear teaching of Scripture to justify
personal sinful desires.
As Christians we must ask what Paul meant in Romans by
calling homosexual acts unnatural (Romans 1:26, 27). Human
logic tells us they are unnatural because if practiced
universally, the human race would soon die out. From a
social perspective they are unnatural because they are
degrading to the sensitivities of the large majority of the
population. (Some homosexuals claim wrongly that 10 percent
of the population is homosexual. This exaggerated
percentage, based on Alfred Kinsey’s faulty sexual-practices
survey in 1948 and 1970, has been accurately set at between
1 and 3 percent in several recent and better documented
studies).
One of the myths propounded by pro-homosexual advocates is
that homosexual orientation is genetically determined and
that people have no choice in the matter. There is no
scientific evidence to support this claim. Linking a
particular behavior with a specific gene is considered
highly unlikely by geneticists. Some would like to believe
this myth, for it could be used to excuse all sin and evil
behavior. In contrast, ministers and psychologists are
treating homosexuality with success, which further
discredits the genetic theory. The fact that God’s
transforming power has changed the lifestyle of many
homosexuals is well documented.
Finally, homosexual acts are unnatural because of their high
correlation with major illnesses and terminal disease. In
viewing Romans 1:27 we must ask what is the "due penalty"
mentioned "for their perversion." Though AIDS is not
necessarily a direct judgment from God, as innocents are
sometimes the victims of the sin of others, it remains a
disastrous overarching consequence of sin through the fall
of man (see Genesis 3). Contrary to the claims by homosexual
public relations campaigns that gays and lesbians are
normal, healthy, average people, the opposite is true.
Former homosexuals describe a disgusting lifestyle of
perversion and sexual obsession. In a study of the median
age of death for heterosexuals and homosexuals, less than 2
per cent of homosexuals survived to age 65 while married and
single heterosexual men and women living past 65 ranged from
57 to 80 percent.
Clearly on every front whether it be moral, spiritual,
physical, or psychological, the practice of homosexuality
has proven itself devoid of any individual good or social
benefit. Furthermore, the historical record shows
homosexuality as detrimental to the well-being of the
individual participant, the extended family, and society at
large.
At every turn the Assemblies of God refutes the practice,
the acceptance, and the promotion of homosexuality, yet
admonishes all Christians to reach out in love to all
homosexuals so they too may repent and know the forgiveness
and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
CONCERNS:
Some people ask, "Why can’t Christians live and let live,
leaving homosexuals alone?" At one time Christians were
silent concerning the evil practice of homosexuals. History
shows homosexuality has been around since early times, and
as long as it was not openly flaunted, homosexuals were
seldom challenged. But today, homosexuals have become
aggressive in pushing their agenda. The church has been
forced to answer.
Today, families with members who choose a homosexual
lifestyle sometimes call for social acceptance of the
deviant lifestyle. Some churches hearing this cry or
impacted by revelations of homosexual clergy within their
ranks have responded by advocating a gay-friendly theology
of compassion. But lowering God’s holy standards to
mankind’s sinful preferences is an abomination in God’s
sight. As members of the body of Christ, we must not ignore
God’s clear admonitions.
The homosexual agenda has already impacted public education,
public policy, the military, government, politics, business,
entertainment, media, and religion. As inroads have been
made into these areas, both the arts and the media have
openly promoted acceptance of its sinful behavior. Major
companies are now appealing to the homosexual market through
sponsorship of homosexual events that influence general
public opinion about homosexuality. Such aggressiveness
demands that Christians not sit idly by as this morally
deficient agenda is pushed.
In the face of a militant homosexual movement that is
pressing for legal and social acceptance of homosexuality,
the church must keep its focus. First, homosexuals are
sinners like everyone and need God’s grace, love, and
forgiveness. Second, homosexuals can through the miracle of
the new birth be set free from the power of sin and live
changed moral lives. The church must reach out to all
sinners with the love of Christ, no matter what the sin. And
we must never let the declining moral climate of our nation
pressure us into condoning what God condemns.
The above statement is based upon our common understanding
of scriptural teaching. The official delineation of this
position is found in the Assemblies of God position paper
"Homosexuality" approved by the General Council of the
Assemblies of God in 1979.
All Scripture quotations are from the New International
Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified.
Copyright 2007 The General Council of the Assemblies of God
1445 North Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO
65802 • Telephone: 417-862-2781
Voice: 206-338-4297(gays) text: 425-321-5987 correspondence: gays4jesus@gays4jesus.com