We worship God, not because He ‘needs’ to be worshipped but, because we need to worship: as creatures, our Creator; as sinners, our Savior.
And don’t forget to enjoy Goodness, Truth and Beauty.
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Sermon Discussion
- The Sword of the Spirit
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- The Comfort of Sovereignty
- Advent: Hope
- Advent: Incarnation
- Advent: The Power of One
Hi! I have been trying to put together how “the lie” (where Paul in Romans 1 talks about the lie believed by people because they have hardness of heart and no longer think of God as holy nor of Him having “otherness” from mankind) relates to the verses that follow…specifically to engaging in homosexual behavior. I understand that hardness of heart leads to worship of the creature rather than the Creator, but what about that particular behavior that Paul seems to hone in on first and foremost? Thanks! Laurie
Ah, the Lie and homosexuality. There they are together in Romans 1. In fact, it seems to be a primary expression of the Lie. At least it’s the first thing mentioned following Romans 1:25: “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 (Rom. 1:26-27).”
To keep it reasonably brief – this is why ‘Two-ism verses One-ism’ is such a helpful framework. Two-ism (God independent of and other than His creation) is about distinctions. First between God and creation, then about the distinctions within creation (kind of interesting to read Genesis 1 in this light). Distinctions like male and female are understood as being designed to be fulfilled rather than ‘overcome’. One-ism effectively drags God (who becomes ‘god’, ‘the force’, etc.) down into the realm of creation and this changes the nature of distinctions. Rather than a glorious design to fulfill, they become a hindrance, an ‘illusion’, a [insert fuzzy new-age term here].
The creation of humanity, male and female, designed in the image of God and for marriage (Gen. 1:27, 2:21-25) precedes the Fall. It has nothing to do with sin, it’s the design God chose. We experience, fulfill and represent His image in maleness and femaleness, and especially in the sacred and exclusive union of marriage.
Homosexuality violates this at the most essential level. It’s ‘worse’ than adultery in this sense. Adultery violates the sacred union – horrific in and of itself – but it doesn’t violate the design of male and female. Homosexuality violates that more basic distinction. I’m not saying there’re ‘good’ sins and ‘bad’ sins. I’m answering your very perceptive question. Homosexuality is a unique sin in that it violates the design in the most thorough and fundamental way. I believe that’s why it’s the first thing Paul mentions there.
Shalom,
Chris
Psalm 104:24 Oh Lord how manifold are your works (how many there are). In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions.
We see God in the beauty He has created around us. We can see God in the greatness and the accuracy of all things great and small that he has created from the ant to the elephant. We see God in the great power of the earth that empowers every living thing and literally holds the universe together. We see His great order of things working together, one system working with and supporting another and another and another. We see God in the great mysteries that surround us, that captivate our minds and spark our imaginations.
God has given us a river of reasons to praise Him, that we should always be in awe of His majesty. Praise our God on High, the Everlasting God of our creation. Join me in this worship now…Worthy are you our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things. Everything was created and exists because that was Your will. Rev. 4:11.
“The creation of humanity, male and female, designed in the image of God and for marriage (Gen. 1:27, 2:21-25) precedes the Fall.” I really resonate with this verse. I think that this could be one of the most underrated verses in the bible.
It brings a lot of things into focus, and understood, saves a lot of wasted effort and grief. Another perspective on this truth is to see that the Fall did not introduce relationships. It introduced conflict into existing relationships. It’s common to imagine that work is a result of the Fall (and it can feel like it sometimes). But we were designed for work: The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Gen 2:15). It’s frustration and conflict – painful toil, thorns and thistles, sweat … and death that are the result of the Fall. Likewise, male, female and marriage were the design of the Creator. The conflict comes from the Fall (Gen. 3:16).
CJS