In a recent article, Christian singer Ray Boltz announced that he is gay. He then went on to say that he believes God made him that way and that now, since he has "come out" regarding living a homosexual lifestyle, he feels closer to God. I am sorry to say it, but Mr. Boltz is deceived.
I don't want to suggest that I know how anyone feels because only the person and God can truly know this. However, I can say that deciding he is a homosexual and thinking that this brings him closer to God is a contradiction to the Bible.
The reason his statements are so very disturbing is that Ray has been a Christian performer for many years. Because he is a Christian performer, people look up to him regarding his musical gift.
Here lies the problem. People may be deceived into believing homosexuality is acceptable to God and there is nothing wrong with living this lifestyle. To make matters worse, Ray horrifically betrayed his wife of 30 years and their innocent children, which will affect them for generations to come.
The Bible is very clear that God does not approve of homosexuality. "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable, LEVITICUS 18:22. If a man lies with man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. LEVITICUS 20:13"". The Bible also says that the natural order is for a man to marry a woman and to be monogamous to her and her to him. We know that marriage was ordained by God early on in the creation of man (Genesis 2:24). We also know that God describes marriage as a sacred union between one man and one woman.
It is very clear in the Bible that God hates sin. We know, as a Christian, we are to turn away from sin. The Bible also tells us that a Christian is simply a sinner saved by grace. Grace is a gift from God. In Romans Chapter one, God talks about one of the ways that we bring His judgment upon ourselves by taking the truth of God's Word and contradicting it. When we contradict God, we are telling Him that we know better than he does.
In order for us to understand this, let us look at how the Amplified Bible puts it: Romans 1:18: For God's [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. Romans 1: 26: For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one, 27, And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another--men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.
I believe the main focus of these verses is although we know the truth of God and His word, we exchange that truth with our own feelings and emotions; especially when we do it under the guise of being a Christian. When we take God's Word and we change it to suit our own purposes, then, we place ourselves in opposition to God.
These verses are not limited just to homosexuality. God is referring to many different sins. Adultery, stealing, and lying all are sins that God hates. The difference is we acknowledge and accept that these sins are wrong. I am sure there are many men that feel like they need to sleep around and can't stay with just one woman. On the contrary, we know this is not how God intended us to act. Homosexuality is no different.
We have to be very clear on what it means to be a Christian. We, as Christians, receive our salvation as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ. Once we are saved, it is our responsibility to obey the Word of God. God understands that we are still human and that we sometimes fall. The only perfect man was Jesus Christ. Our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins comes only through repentance, which means to turn away from sin and to align our way of thinking up with God's Word. This does not mean that we give into our sinful desires and then blame God for making us that way.
The Word of God is very clear. If we admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action] (1 John 1:9). I pray that God restore Ray Boltz to the truth of His Word!
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