May 3, 2014 by Daniel P. Clark

Sex is Sacred

This is an excerpt of commentary on an article by Luke NixFor the original post click here Ravi Zacharias on Race and Homosexuality

Daniel P. Clark
Sex is sacred whether by gender or act. Man(kind) was created in God’s image and is sacred. Marriage is established by God and is sacred as well. It is symbolic of the relationship between God and His people (meaning all who have accepted Jesus the Christ, repented and confessed Him, are now part of the “bride of Christ”). In the ten commandments the first thing after ‘loving God with all and to love others as yourself’ is to have no idols or false God’s before him. God is jealously in love with us. His desire is that we come to know Him and then love Him in return.It is possible for us to have the tendency to love other than purposed within our creation. Simply put because we’ve inherited a fallen nature. So if anyone says they were born that way… they may very well have been, that’s not for me to know. But the good news is that they can be “born again” and be redeemed from our inherit fallen nature.The only reason we can be in holy matrimony with the Son of God and be redeemed from our broken nature is because of His just payment for everything wrong within our lives: given with Jesus’ ( who is the Christ) sacrifice on the cross. He who has never known corruption and was faultless, without tarnish, paid the price we owed for breaking His law. That payment was great, heavy, and ultimately severe. But it was necessary for our sakes so that we can be free from bondage and the heavy payment of justice. Out of love it has been payed. And not only that; He conquered death, and is alive. So just as He lives, so shall we. And it was all through love, that this just punishment was paid for on our behalf. And we are the precious ones called to be with Him, just as His symbolic marriage was established.

This call and gift is given to everyone, and anyone, who receive’s Him. There is no partiality in that. You are no more righteous than I, nor I than you. We are created equal. It is not our goodness that leads God to love us. No, ‘while we were still sinners’ He loved us and died for us.

‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that “whoever” believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ & ‘that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’

With God we have established value, purpose, and meaning. Moral values derive from this, and God gave them to us. If you imagine away God, then you’ve removed the foundation for value, purpose, meaning, and morality. There is nothing darker, more lost, or devoid than to live the few years we have in life this way. Seeking only what is convenient for ourselves.

 

Mary Contrary
Well said Daniel

 

Luke Nix
+Daniel P. Clark While I do agree with what you said (and very well, at that), do you believe that Christ’s sacrifice gives man license to act upon any and/or all sinful inclinations without any responsibility to deny themselves and follow Christ?

 

+Mary Contrary, you sure do seem judgmental of my and Dr. Zacharias’ view. How do you not fall victim to your own complaint?

 

Daniel P. Clark
Thank you. +Mary Contrary :-)+Luke Nix I wouldn’t say license. Before Christ: man was under the law. Christ is the fulfillment of the law, in that, all is paid for. When we violate purpose (we who are in Christ) we do so now against love rather than law. For the grace that God gives us is that he takes on our wickedness at the cross and we take on His righteousness.Now it would be foolish to take this as license to sin. For Jesus says clearly that “If you were of my Father you would do the things of my Father”. And “You shall know them by their fruits.” In other words being in Christ brings about evidence of our life towards righteousness. It is the work of Christ in our lives. Those who would “go through the motions” all for themselves and use Christ’s sacrifice as “license” are wolves in sheep’s clothing, thieves, and false converts. The evidence of a life change may not be immediate, but God is faithful towards His children.

It is with a sincere heart of repentance that we come to Christ. And from that Salvation which He works we put off the old man and walk as He did. The works we do add nothing towards getting to heaven, or being more loved… nothing at all. Any good work we do apart from Christ is as filthy rags before Him. So it is by submitting ourselves to Him in surrender that we can walk and have liberty in what we do. Should we do wrong because we are weak it is not for us to say “woe is me” and fear we’ve lost love or salvation. No, God is faithful even when we are faithless. It was while we were wicked, and in sin, that He loved us and redeemed us. When we repent “He is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Christians will fall at times into wrong doing or temptation. Sinners run to it. But it is Satan’s desire that we condemn ourselves and bare the shame of it, when it is Christ who has already taken the shame for us.

Yes we still live with consequences here on earth for our actions. Both we and those around us. But once we are His children then Jesus himself speaks to the Father on our behalf saying “I have paid the price” and our sins are remembered no more. This is true for all that we’ve repented of.

It is still good though that our conscience bears witness to us should we seek out evil, and that it bring guilt should we do so willingly. For that would be to serve two masters… which is idolatry and adultery. God is a jealous God, as man is over his wife, and even more so.

God’s great love has bought our freedom. We should treat it just as a marriage in communication, faithfulness, growth, love, and trust: seeking Him with passion. Under grace we “could” do wrong and that would not change the fact that He loves us. But we must also be cautious to make sure our hearts our genuinely His. For the worst thing we could do to ourselves is deceive ourselves thinking we are His. For Jesus said on judgement day many will be shocked when He doesn’t find their name written in the book of life. They will say “We even did miracles in your name” and God replies “Depart from me you WORKERS OF INIQUITY. For I never knew you”.

So then again, our actions reveal what is truly within. A good tree does not bear bad fruit. Nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

Two notes. The scripture says
1) “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” – Galatians 6:7
2) Sin separates us from God until we repent of it. And it opens the door for wicked spirits. (‘Submit to God resist the devil and he will flee from you’ – James 4:7)

I’m all for striving to be like Christ, and taking up our cross and following Him. That is very important. Good disciplines help establish life. For God is perfecting us in Him. The wise way would be to call on His strength and not rely on our own. For He asks us to share His yoke for His burden is light. When we do it on our own strength we weary quickly and will always fail. It is by His strength that we can be victorious.

 

Luke Nix
+Daniel P. Clark Having said all that, how would you apply it to individuals who openly practice homosexuality, and how would you apply it to the discussion about legalizing homosexual marriage?

 

Mary Contrary
+Luke Nix It took you 7 months to come up with that? That I’M judgmental? Wow. As seems to be a bit of a pattern with you, your interesting preoccupation with where people put their ‘bits,’ has caused you to miss Daniels point completely.

 

Daniel P. Clark
+Luke Nix I would not face them as enemies, but as a friend. To help shine the light of truth in darkness.Discussions need to step back further to address our worldviews. When one worldview doesn’t see and understand as the other then people often just dismiss the person and their ideas/beliefs because it seems like foolishness. The reason this is important to address is because of value, morals, and accountability. If you take God out of the picture, what meaning is left for these words? Only once an understanding of how God is involved with these three principles can a mind perceive exactly where they stand before God. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10I am not the one who makes judgement against people, for I am just as they are in this regard. Christians are to hold each other accountable. But the people of the world walk in darkness. We are to be light to the world. Not to rail against them, but to persuade with truth and wisdom. “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” – Matthew 10:6 This is one of the most neglected things I’ve seen amongst Christians when addressing the issue of homosexuality. People want to know the truth, but they will not easily listen to one who attacks them.

So in a one on one conversation I would be as a friend. In a political situation I would be diplomatic and first establish “where” I’m coming from. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:20

There is a clash of understanding when someone identifies themselves as lbgt’s. Often those who live that way express the title as a choice of simply loving and living a different way. Those on the other end of the spectrum of course see the deeper implication. And that to me seems odd as people would then be “identifying themselves” by their sexual practices. Shouldn’t that be as awkward as your parents walking in and exclaiming “hey, we’re very active in the bedroom wink wink”. Anyways that’s just an oddity I feel in the whole scenario. I love all such people, and I in no way agree with their practices. I would rather be a friend, reveal the truth, and let the truth do the work in them. For it is the Holy Spirit who convicts an individual. Winning an argument seldom wins a soul.

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” – John 16:5-11

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:” – Hebrews 12:14

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God Bless! – Daniel P. Clark

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