I have shamefully neglected to post about the things that I have learned pertaining to the question:
Is Jesus really one-in-the-same as Creator God? I do plan on looking at the Scriptures more before posting on this but I had something else that I thought worth sharing.
Last week Jay and I were at a marriage study at Chris and Holly's when we all got to talking about whether or not we could back up the things we believe. Can we really prove that it is Scripture? And if it is, can we tell someone exactly where to find it? This led to a discussion involving many things.
One of those things was regarding homosexuality. We are all very confident that it is wrong but very few of us can quote the passage or even reference it. I remembered that Romans chapter one has a little to say about this but could not quote it.
Yesterday morning as I was praying I was absent-mindedly flipping the pages on my Bible and they stopped at a certain spot. I didn't think anything of it but for some reason stopped mid prayer and read:
'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
~Leviticus 20:13I was shocked that this was the passage that my Bible had been flipped to.
After thinking about it for a minute I thought that a lot of people would argue that since it is in the Old Testament "dos & don'ts" that it doesn't apply or is not required to follow this anymore. In short, that it's legalistic.
So I moseyed on over to Romans.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. ~Romans 1:26-27It has not come up much in my personal experience but I was astounded to see how God showed me exactly what His opinion was in this area. I read both chapters in the whole to make sure that I was not taking anything out of context. I am confident that I am not. As we have neighbors who live this kind of lifestyle I feel somewhat armed after seeing these passages. Although in my cowardice, I hope to never have a confrontation with them as they have been nothing but kind to us, I now have ground to stand on should the occasion arise.
Another topic that came up was where does the Bible say, in no uncertain terms that Jesus is indeed God? I honestly have never known a passage that would clearly state that to anyone and everyone, not just to believers who already know it to be true.
Holly called me Sunday morning to read me a few things and among them was this verse:
We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, so that we may know him who is true.And we are in him who is true-even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. ~1 John 5:20I had to shake my head and smile at myself because I have been so foolish. All of the questions that I've had, the doubts and fears, the answers have always been right under my nose. I knew they were there but I did not look. I had heard it all before. I have no idea what changed and I still have struggles but it has occurred to me that I was complicating something that was really very basic.
As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."
"Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips";
"Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known."
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. In and of myself, I do nothing righteous. So anything righteous in me is from God.
Praise the Lord!
And the law is simply there to make us aware of our wickedness without God so that we may not boast about the righteousness in us with God.
After many years of sadness and fear and confusion I realize that it was for nothing because the answers are right in front of me.
So, as my sister so eloquently put in a recent email about a Valentine party, I am going to K.I.S.S. this life and just follow what the Bible clearly says.
Keep It Simple Stupid!
