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2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
Acts 21:21
The word for "apostasy" is used for the Beast of the end times who will lead a rebellion against God and for the Apostle Paul for leading Gentiles and Jews away from the traditions of Judaism.
Paul calls on all believers to continue in his teachings. However, many "apostasies" have been claimed for spiritual defections and rebellions since the First Century A.D.
"Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come, until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called god or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
"They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circmcise their children or live according to our customs."
(We have edited this reader's question because of the sensitivity of the matter to her and her adult child. The reader lived with drugs, alcohol and sexual immorality for many years. She said that caused her daughter much pain. The reader has been free from that lifestyle for more than a decade and wonders how to relate to her daughter in light of what God's Word teaches about homosexuality.)
Now, to your question. How can Christians hate the sin of homosexuality, yet love a homosexual? Especially when the homosexual is your own son or daughter? Christians are people in whom Christ lives. Christ is "in" us and we are "in" Christ. Christ "in" us hates the sin of homosexuality and Christ "in" us loves sinners.
"Sin" is universal: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." God's love and forgiveness are available to all who believe: "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." (Romans 3:23-25)
The sin of homosexuality is a horrible sin.
Romans 1:26-27
God despised the sin of homosexuality and made the sentence of death part of the Mosaic Law for it.
Leviticus 20:13
God's Law also called for other sinners to die, including people who cursed their parents, children who attacked their parents, people who committed murder, people who kidnapped another person and sold them or still had them in their possession when they were caught, people who sacrificed to other gods, parents who sacrificed their children to false gods, married couples who committed adultery, men who married a woman and her mother, men who slept with their father's wife or daughter-in-law, men and women who had sexual relations with animals, and men who married their sister or slept with their aunt. God's Law also demanded that a man or woman who was a medium or spiritist must be put to death. The daughter of a priest who became a prostitute was to be burned to death.
That's God's Law. It was clear and unquestionable. People were to obey it to the letter or suffer the penalties for disobedience. But what about God's Grace? Has God changed His Mind about sin? Does He view sin differently today than He did thousands of years ago? Does He despise homosexuality and the other sins named in Leviticus less under Grace? NO. God is Unchanging. God still hates sin. He is Holy and Pure. The difference is the Dispensation of Grace in which we now live. The Apostle Paul explains.
Romans 3:19-22
The Dispensation of Grace that we live in today is the Age of the "righteousness from God, apart from law." The Law was given to the Jews. It had no impact on Gentiles unless they became Jewish proselytes. God allowed Gentiles to sin to their hearts content and reap the punishment that comes from that lifestyle.
Romans 1:24-26
Christianity is the specific faith-following of Jesus Christ in the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 11:26). Christians today are primarily Gentiles, but a small number are Jews. That no longer matters because Christ "made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations...For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Ephesians 2:14-15, 18)
I wanted to spend some time on the issue of the Mosaic Law with its commandments and regulations because that's how many Christians respond to the homosexuality issue. Sin is sin and will always be sin until God does away with it forever. Sin is disobedience to God's Will. God says what's right and wrong and He's always Right. The difference between then and now is how God deals with sinners. God does not require His people (Christians) to kill homosexuals. He does require His people to love sinners and reach out to them with the message of His Love and Forgiveness through Faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. God gives Christians the Ministry of Reconciliation: "that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." (2 Corinthians 5:19)
Your relationship to sinners is to be as a Minister of Reconciliation. Reconciliation is our mission and message, not judgment. Unfortunately, much of the Christian world today spends its time judging sinners instead of ministering to them toward reconciliation with the God of Grace. The Ministry of Reconciliation does not mean we condone sin. It means we love sinners as God loves sinners and preach a "righteousness from God apart from law" through faith in Christ to all who believe. Pronouncing judgment on sinners and telling them we won't have anything to do with them is NOT the Ministry of Reconciliation. It is no ministry (service) at all.
On top of what Paul teaches us about being Ministers of Reconciliation is the issue of loving our children. No one on Earth should love their children more than Christian parents. The God of Love lives in us! When should we stop loving our children? What sin can children commit that would cause Christian parents to push them away from having a loving parental relationship? None that I know. Christian parents are examples to their children of the Person of Jesus Christ Who lives in them. We exemplify Christ's Love and Grace to our children, no matter their age and lifestyle. That doesn't mean we condone their sin. It does mean we love them with the Love of Christ. The Love of Christ is an unending Love. The Love of Christ keeps parents praying and believing their children will be reconciled to God through Christ. That's part of being a Christian parent. That's part of being a Minister of Reconciliation.
If your daughter is not saved, she can be. Christ's Love and Grace are more powerful than her sin. If your daughter is saved, Christ lives in her and can show her the better way of living for Him. In the case of a homosexual who becomes a Christian, that includes refraining from the sin of homosexuality. In the case of a heterosexual Christian, that includes refraining from pre-marital and extra-marital sex. Homosexuality and adultery were reasons for putting people to death under Mosaic Law. They are now sins for which Christ died. His Blood covers those sins. Faith in Christ brings forgiveness for those sins and "a righteousness from God."
Love your daughter. Pray for her. Be her friend. Talk to her about being reconciled to Christ. Help her see the "better way" through obedience to Christ and His Will for her life. His Will includes her not participating in a homosexual lifestyle. That may seem impossible to a homosexual person, but it's not. Christ "in" us will do it. Christianity has and always will be Christ living His Resurrected Life through us.
"Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the 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."
"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."
"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."
"Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator...Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts."
Ephesians 1:18-21
Let's key in on some important terms and definitions.
Now, to your question: did it take "more power for God to resurrect Christ from the dead than it did to create the world?" Let's look at the "power" God used to create the world.
Romans 1:20
God's Creative Act demonstrates to all people His "invisible qualities;" those qualities being His "eternal power and divine nature." "Eternal power" is aidios dunamis . The Power of God in Creation is the same word for His "incomparably great power for us who believe." (dunamis - dunameos )
I haven't come across a measuring tool in Scripture that signifies the "amount" of Power (more or less) God used to do what He's done through the Ages. Paul wrote about the "incomparably great power for us who believe" that's like "the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead." Jeremiah wrote this about God: "With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it." (Jeremiah 27:5) Isaiah wrote: "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." (Isaiah 40:26)
As interesting as the notion may be of God using more or less power for one event over another (i.e. resurrection more than creation), I don't find Biblical support for it.
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomarably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."
Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would "know" (eidenai - "see, understand, comprehend, grasp") three things:
Paul wanted the Ephesians to grasp how much Power belonged to them. The Power was like the working of His Mighty Strength, "which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms." "Exerted" is energeken . It means "to work effectually." Vincent wrote: "Hence we have here God's indwelling power, which inheres in the divine nature (strength); the relative quality or measure of this power (might); and the efficient exertion of the divine quality (working)...The magnitude of God's power toward believers is known in the operation of the strength of His might. (Marvin Vincent - Word Studies in the New Testament ) "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
Paul wrote: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) He also wrote: "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." (Titus 3:3-5)
God is a Loving, Gracious, and Merciful God. He Loves the world. He Loves sinners. Is one sinner worse than another? If so, what makes them a better or worse sinner? Is it because of what they did or didn't do?
Paul wrote: "If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless." (Philippians 3:4-6) Paul also wrote: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." (1 Timothy 1:15-16) Paul was faultless in legalistic righeousness as a Jew, but also the worst of sinners. After Christ saved Paul, he came to understand that legalistic righteousness is no righteousness at all. Paul understood what sin was and how deeply he had offended God with his lifestyle and actions. Paul wrote: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. what is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:7-9) Paul was not a murderer. He was not an atheist. But he was the worst sinner.
I, on the other hand, was an atheist. I blasphemed God and ridiculed His people. I did it on radio in a metropolitan area day after day, month after month. I hated Christians and they hated me. Did God Love me? You bet He did! He Loved me to Himself 27 years ago and has kept me eternally secure since.
God Loves the world. He Loves you. He Loves me. He Loves your friend. He Loves the worst sinner. He Loves the murderer. He Loves the atheist. He is Love.
God heals directly.
Genesis 20:17-18
God is the Ultimate Healer.
Deuteronomy 32:39
Psalm 103:3
God healed people through His Prophets.
1 Kings 17:17-22
(Also read 2 Kings 5:1-27)
Jesus Christ healed people.
Matthew 4:23
Christ's disciples healed people.
Acts 3:2-8
Acts 4:30
Acts 5:15-16
The Apostle Paul healed people.
Acts 28:8-9
The healing we see from God through His Prophets and Apostles in the Old and New Testaments was absolute, complete and immediate. The healings were not tentative, incomplete, partial or slow. When God healed someone in the Apostolic era, they were healed!
Paul wrote about the "gift of healing" in 1 Corinthians 12.
1 Corinthians 12:8-9
The words "gifts of healing" are charismata iamaton . It means "gifts of cures." The cure (iamaton ) is the result of the process of healing. The "gifts" (charismata ) means "grace gift" or "gift of undeserved favor." God gave His Children of Grace "grace gifts" for the purpose of serving others. "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:7) Every "grace gift" came from God. "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:4) "Giftedness" is not an ego trip for Christians. It's what we do for others. Christ "in" us gives us gifts to bless the lives of other people.
Did every Christian have the "gift of healing?" Paul wrote rhetorically: "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts." (1 Corinthians 12:29-31) The answer is obviously "no." Everyone did not have every "grace gift." God gave gifts as He saw fit for the furtherence of the Gospel of Grace and for the health of the Body of Christ.
Healing has and always will be the Work of God. While select of Satan's followers do have some powers of healing from their connection to the Devil (2 Thessalonians 2:9 & Revelation 13:3), God is the One True Healer of Life. Human beings do not perform miraculous healings on their own.
One of the important observations to make is how "healing" changed in the Grace Dispensation from what it had been in the Kingdom Dispensation. Peter, John and other apostles healed early in their ministries. So did the Apostle Paul. Paul healed an entire island of sick people on his way to Rome (Acts 28). However, in letters Paul wrote after his inprisonment in Rome, we learn that he was unable to heal himself and other Christians. Why did Paul leave Trophimus sick in Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20)? Why did Paul tell Timothy to use a little wine because of his stomach and frequent illnesses? Why didn't Paul miraculously heal them? What happened to the healing power Paul had once had?
God can heal anyone He wants to heal. He can use anyone He wants to perform His healings through. God may choose to heal someone through the prayers of His Children. He may choose to heal someone through a person skilled in the art of "cures" (i.e. a doctor). God may choose to heal someone through a spiritually gifted individual. God may choose to not heal someone through any means. God didn't heal Paul of a major affliction. He had His reasons. Paul came to understand and accept those reasons.
Much of what people are claiming to be "healings" today are not. They do not pass Biblical tests of miraculous healings. Look at "healings" in the Bible. Are we seeing those kinds of healings today? Are the "sick" people obviously and proveably crippled, lame, blind, deaf, deformed, leperous, etc? Many so-called healings today are shams and fabrications. Some true healings are easily explained by medical and health science. Those that are truely of God and miraculous will bring glory to His Name and no other name. We should use our minds and fill it with knowledge and understanding so we can discern what is of God.
Taking God's Grace to the World!
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"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
Last Updated: 12/20/1999
"Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again, for the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Abraham's wife Sarah."
"See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life. I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand."
"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases."
"Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, 'What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?' 'Give me your son,' Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, 'O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?' then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the Lord, 'O Lord my God, let this boy's life return to him!' The Lord heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived.'"
"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."
"Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John, Then Peter said, 'Look at us!' So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.' Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk."
"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of you holy servant Jesus."
"...people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed."
"His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured."
"To one there is given...gifts of healing by that same Spirit."