GAY TRUTH

Author: Rachel Gilson. It’s easy for people to misunderstand why I left a life of romantic and sexual relationships with women. They string the list of renunciations together like a necklace — no to a former love, no to former sexual patterns, no to fulfilling unasked-for attractions, no to a way of life — and to some this looks like a type of adornment. To many more, a chafing collar. My life, however, is sustained by a resounding  yes , a yes that is only found in Jesus Christ . Like a diamond that weighs down your hand, that makes you avert your eyes for its rainbow brilliance, coming to know Jesus has continually revealed just how dingy, superficial, and man-made the things were I used to consider a treasure. But God has saved me and shown me that saying yes to Jesus is far better. A Better Authenticity Perhaps nothing carries more cultural cache today than the longing for the authentic, especially in the self. But how can we tell what our authentic self is? T...

The Distinction Between the Ceremonial and Moral Law As Necessary for Biblical Interpretation Recognizing this distinction between the ceremonial and moral law is vitally important in properly understanding such passages as 1 Samuel 15:22: “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” The Lord has commanded of His covenant people adherence to both His moral and His ceremonial law ; however, in this passage, obedience “is better than sacrifice.”  How can this be since God has commanded both? The answer is that, even for the children of Israel who were commanded to offer sacrifices in accordance with the ceremonial law that regulated their lives and worship, loyalty to the Lord by obeying His moral law came first. Persons who disregarded the commandments of God’s moral law were not welcome to present their offerings. This fact is clearly s...

THE MORAL AND CEREMONIAL LAWS DISTINGUISHED The chief failure of those who reduce the book of Leviticus to a non-applicable status is in not recognizing the proper biblical distinctions between that which God intended to be temporary and that which is permanent and applicable to all persons.  The Bible does make distinctions between what was temporary, solely intended for the children of Israel , and that which is universal, unchanging, and obligatory upon all peoples in all places. We have not denied that parts of the book of Leviticus offer temporary instruction. Some regulations are no longer observed due to divine amendment. We have already seen this to be the case with regard to the dietary laws and the ordinances that pertained to the priesthood. Bible scholars and theologians have recognized these distinctions and categorized them as the ceremonial and moral law. God’s moral law refers to those precepts that are perpetually binding upon all peoples in all tim...

Returning the Challenge—Leviticus, Bestiality , and Pedophilia Those who propose that we no longer consider the Leviticus prohibitions of homosexuality as binding must tell us what is to be done with the rest of the book.   They are left in the inconsistent position of either rejecting it all (which Jesus did not do, as seen in Matthew 22:39—Jesus citing Leviticus 19:18) or revealing their true colors and showing their own subjectively selective approach to biblical interpretation.  We can discern what is permanent and what is temporary in God ’s Word.  If God has not repealed His Law at any given point, His Law stands, which poses a problem for those advocating the acceptability of homosexuality with the Bible , for they must answer why bestiality and pedophilia are moral evils.   Such practices are sinful because God declares them so. Specifically, bestiality is condemned in Leviticus 18:23, just one verse after the first Leviticus prohibition of homos...

ANSWERING THE EVASIONS AND REVISIONS Even professing Christians encounter difficulties when they consider the book of Leviticus . Few people understand this third book of the Bible. Discussions become bogged down due to a lack of Bible reading and knowledge. Some people will make grandiose claims and bold assertions about the Law of God , about the book of Leviticus, and about “Holiness Codes” despite the fact that they are woefully misrepresenting the truth of God ’s Word (1 Timothy 1:7). A great deal of confusion could be avoided if those who bear the name of the Lord would spend more time reading the Bible. Often, this is enough to refute the revisionists’ contentions. Leviticus Only for the Jews? A Case of Geographical Morality Rabbi Jacob Milgrom has taught that the laws against homosexuality in the Old Testament were exclusively Jewish in scope and application. He has attempted to prove his point by going to the text of Leviticus and making reference to the land. He ...