Let's take at look at a serious warning in Romans 1
First of all, who is this letter addressed to?
Romans 1:7 NKJV
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
As those who are in Christ, we are called to be set apart and called out of the world. We have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and as 2 Peter 2 warns, we should not return to be entangled in the world's ways again as there is a heavy consequence.
At the end of this chapter God explains that He has His wrath on unrighteousness.
Romans 1:18-22
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Prior to this passage, it is established that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith and that the just live by faith through the gospel of Christ!
God has shown mankind His power and presence. His existence can be seen by the simple proof of Creation and thus we are without excuse even those who deny His power and presence by suppressing His 100% absolute truth. This is the reason why mankind instead of continuing to follow and believe God instead lift up the creation over the Creator. They promote and lift up powers other than God by giving glory to mankind, animals, science and randomized processes, etc instead of God while the evidence of His existence is clear before their eyes.
Romans 1:24-25 NKJV
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
The perversion of God's order comes at a price. God gives these individuals who know better but instead promote the perversion of what He has done up to uncleanness and to dishonor their bodies with vile passions. The natural use is based on God's order. What is against nature is the perversion of His order and in this case, God speaks directly against homosexuality. Women exchanging the natural use for what is against nature is likened to men leaving the natural use of the woman for men. This results in a penalty for this exact error which is due. There is a heavy price for going against God's order!
Romans 1:28-31 NKJV
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[c]wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they arewhisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[d] unmerciful;
Thus is a serious warning against this type of sin as well as any sin that perverts God's order. To receive the penalty for this error which is due has dire consequences. More specifically, God gives these individuals over to a debased mind because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. Instead of keeping God in the front of their lives, they instead followed the ways which are not of God. God does not force us to follow Him nor does He force us to continue to follow Him, but we do need to retain Him in our knowledge and actions! This list of things which are unfitting is an exhortation to not continue in these actions and behaviors and to continue in Him!
Romans 1:32 NKJV
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Now in reference to the OP and Christians who approve of Gay Marriage. As Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman before God, it's sad to see the world adopting a term that is and always has been something before God and perverting it for a homosexual union. Even for those in the US or other countries who claim a "separation of church and state" which is not written in the US Constitution, since marriage is a covenant in God, they should really find another term and give them a secular union that has the benefits of what is currently given to "marriage." Leave what is of God to God if they truly hate Christianity so much and want to have nothing to do with it.
The people who know the righteous judgment of God in these matters (all the perversions of His order listed previously), know that those who practice these sins are deserving of death, but more importantly, those who approve of those who practice them. This is a clear warning to the Church to remain in Him and what His word says. As those who have been called out of the world and bought at a blood price, we are no longer our own. It's not about following what we want to believe and doing what we want to be doing, but seeking what is pleasing to the Lord. As we have been born of light, we need to walk in that light. As we have the Holy Spirit, we need to not grieve the Holy Spirit or worse, quench the Spirit. Since we have escaped the pollutions of the world, we need to make sure that we are not entangled in them again as the latter end will be worse for us than the beginning.
As Christians we do need to be compassionate for those who are lost and reach out to them. However, we cannot compromise the 100% absolute truth that is in the word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we begin to compromise and adopt the values and morals of the world, we become salt that has lost its flavor. If we are indistinguishable from the world, how can we effectively witness to the world? When we look like and sound like the world, what distinguishes us from the world so we can effectively give them truth that leads to repentance? If we are walking by something outside of truth, what truth do we give? As Christians, we need to take up our cross by standing and remaining in God's truth. Let us not depart from that truth to a lie and accept a perversion of God's order.
Can a Christian be pro gay-marriage? No.
What we can do is give them truth as the Holy Spirit leads us. However, we cannot accept what is sin as something acceptable.
First of all, who is this letter addressed to?
Romans 1:7 NKJV
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
As those who are in Christ, we are called to be set apart and called out of the world. We have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and as 2 Peter 2 warns, we should not return to be entangled in the world's ways again as there is a heavy consequence.
At the end of this chapter God explains that He has His wrath on unrighteousness.
Romans 1:18-22
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Prior to this passage, it is established that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith and that the just live by faith through the gospel of Christ!
God has shown mankind His power and presence. His existence can be seen by the simple proof of Creation and thus we are without excuse even those who deny His power and presence by suppressing His 100% absolute truth. This is the reason why mankind instead of continuing to follow and believe God instead lift up the creation over the Creator. They promote and lift up powers other than God by giving glory to mankind, animals, science and randomized processes, etc instead of God while the evidence of His existence is clear before their eyes.
Romans 1:24-25 NKJV
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
The perversion of God's order comes at a price. God gives these individuals who know better but instead promote the perversion of what He has done up to uncleanness and to dishonor their bodies with vile passions. The natural use is based on God's order. What is against nature is the perversion of His order and in this case, God speaks directly against homosexuality. Women exchanging the natural use for what is against nature is likened to men leaving the natural use of the woman for men. This results in a penalty for this exact error which is due. There is a heavy price for going against God's order!
Romans 1:28-31 NKJV
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[c]wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they arewhisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[d] unmerciful;
Thus is a serious warning against this type of sin as well as any sin that perverts God's order. To receive the penalty for this error which is due has dire consequences. More specifically, God gives these individuals over to a debased mind because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. Instead of keeping God in the front of their lives, they instead followed the ways which are not of God. God does not force us to follow Him nor does He force us to continue to follow Him, but we do need to retain Him in our knowledge and actions! This list of things which are unfitting is an exhortation to not continue in these actions and behaviors and to continue in Him!
Romans 1:32 NKJV
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Now in reference to the OP and Christians who approve of Gay Marriage. As Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman before God, it's sad to see the world adopting a term that is and always has been something before God and perverting it for a homosexual union. Even for those in the US or other countries who claim a "separation of church and state" which is not written in the US Constitution, since marriage is a covenant in God, they should really find another term and give them a secular union that has the benefits of what is currently given to "marriage." Leave what is of God to God if they truly hate Christianity so much and want to have nothing to do with it.
The people who know the righteous judgment of God in these matters (all the perversions of His order listed previously), know that those who practice these sins are deserving of death, but more importantly, those who approve of those who practice them. This is a clear warning to the Church to remain in Him and what His word says. As those who have been called out of the world and bought at a blood price, we are no longer our own. It's not about following what we want to believe and doing what we want to be doing, but seeking what is pleasing to the Lord. As we have been born of light, we need to walk in that light. As we have the Holy Spirit, we need to not grieve the Holy Spirit or worse, quench the Spirit. Since we have escaped the pollutions of the world, we need to make sure that we are not entangled in them again as the latter end will be worse for us than the beginning.
As Christians we do need to be compassionate for those who are lost and reach out to them. However, we cannot compromise the 100% absolute truth that is in the word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we begin to compromise and adopt the values and morals of the world, we become salt that has lost its flavor. If we are indistinguishable from the world, how can we effectively witness to the world? When we look like and sound like the world, what distinguishes us from the world so we can effectively give them truth that leads to repentance? If we are walking by something outside of truth, what truth do we give? As Christians, we need to take up our cross by standing and remaining in God's truth. Let us not depart from that truth to a lie and accept a perversion of God's order.
Can a Christian be pro gay-marriage? No.
What we can do is give them truth as the Holy Spirit leads us. However, we cannot accept what is sin as something acceptable.
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