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NASB | Romans 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 1:21 For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened. |
Subject: Active Homosexuals: Truly Christian? |
Bible Note: Returned greetings to you also, Mommapbs. 1 Cor. 6:9,10 gives a catalog of the most common types of moral sins that are typically characteristic of the unsaved. The list is not exhaustive, of course, but of the ten named, only two have anything to do with homosexuality, so one must conclude that the sin of homosexuality is not the only damning sin, but it is none the less damning. So let's include homosexuality, as Paul did, in the list of sins whose practitioners "will not inherit the kingdom of God" to use Paul's phraseology. Now let's move to v. 11 which says (of the Corinthian believers) "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." ..... Though not all the Corinthian Christians or all Christians anywhere else, then or now, have been guilty of all those particular sins, every Christian is an ex-sinner, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Paul was reminding, perhaps even warning, the Corinthian Christians that those who continued the pattern of leading the same sinful and decadent life were not going to inherit eternal salvation because it would indicate that they were never regenerated, never born again, never saved. He gives the characteristics of the new life in Christ in v. 11. "Washed" refers to this 'born-again' life in Christ Jesus through regeneration which results in spiritual cleansing. "Sanctified" results in a new lifestyle, new behavior which a regenerated life always produces. "Justified" is a new standing before God by which the Christian is clothed in the righteousness of Christ and his sin put on Christ's account made possible through His death on the cross. .... 2 Cor. 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." The term "new creation" refers to the new birth or regeneration. "Old things have passed away" refers to the old life of sin -- the old priorites, loves, values, and lifestyles are gone. This does not mean that the new Christian will never sin again. The new Christian must live with sin and evil in this world, but he must not continue to live a life of sin or be under the control of sin. ..... One can claim to be Christian and wear the name Christian, but if there is no new birth in Christ, there can be no salvation. (see John 3:3). Will the murderer who is truly born again continue to murder? Will the adulterer continue to commit adultery after his regeneration? The thief continue to steal? The homosexual continue the practice of what God calls an abomination? I submit that the solid evidence of Scripture renders a verdict to the contrary that is far too compelling to ignore. --Hank |