All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Love and Natural Order
Gods' love for mankind is revealed throughout the universe through the natural order of His creation, as well as in His own Word (the Bible). The natural laws everywhere around us exist because the universe has a Creator who is logical and has (since the beginning) imposed order on His universe. Even after the fall of man, in Genesis and up through today, God still makes order out of much of the disruption, chaos, and disorder as a result from sin. We not only have Gods' Word, which tells us that He has loved us enough to set us into a universe of natural order... But the world and universe testify to His natural order, as well.
The universe, itself, obeys certain rules to which all things must adhere. These laws are precise, and are mathematical in nature. Natural laws are hierarchical in nature; secondary laws of nature are based on primary laws of nature, which have to be just right in order for our universe to be possible. But, where did these laws come from, and why do they exist?
If the universe were merely the accidental by-product of a big bang, then why should it obey orderly principles as it does? Or, really, any principles at all for that matter? These laws are consistent with biblical creation. Natural laws exist because the universe has a Creator God who is logical and has imposed order on His universe (Genesis 1:1).
Everything in the universe; plants, animals, rocks, every particle of matter or light wave, is bound by laws which it has no choice but to obey. The Bible tells us that there are laws of nature—"ordinances of heaven and earth" in Jeremiah 33:25. These laws describe the way God normally accomplishes His will in the universe.
God's logic is built into the universe, and so the universe is not haphazard or arbitrary. It obeys laws of chemistry that are logically derived from the laws of physics, many of which can be logically derived from other laws of physics and laws of mathematics.
The most fundamental laws of nature exist only because God wills them to; they are the logical, orderly way that the Lord upholds and sustains the universe He has created. People that do not believe in God are unable to account for the logical, orderly state of our universe, but why should the universe obey laws if there is no law-giver?
The laws of nature are perfectly consistent with biblical creation. In fact, the Bible is the foundation for natural laws. The Law of Life, or "Biogenesis" is the law that simply states that life always comes from life. This is what observational science tells us: organisms reproduce other organisms after their own kind. Louis Pasteur disproved one alleged case of spontaneous generation when he showed that life comes from previous life. Since then, we have seen that this law is universal—with no known exceptions. This is, of course, exactly what we would expect from the Bible.
According to Genesis 1, God supernaturally created the first diverse kinds of life on earth and made them to reproduce after their kind. Notice that molecules-to-man evolution violates the law of biogenesis.
The Laws of Chemistry reveal Gods' natural order in that, Life requires a specific chemistry. Our bodies are powered by chemical reactions and depend on the laws of chemistry operating in a uniform fashion. Even the information that makes up any living being is stored on a long molecule called DNA. Life as we know it would not be possible if the laws of chemistry were different. God created the laws of chemistry in just the right way so that life would be possible.
The laws of chemistry give different properties to the various elements (each made of one type of atom) and compounds (made up of two or more types of atoms that are bonded together) in the universe. For example, when given sufficient activation, energy, the lightest element (hydrogen) will react with oxygen to form water. Water itself has some interesting properties, such as the ability to hold an unusually large amount of heat energy. When frozen, water forms crystals with six-sided symmetry (which is why snowflakes are generally six-sided). Contrast this with salt (sodium chloride) crystals, which tend to form cubes. It is the six-fold symmetry of water ice that causes "holes" in its crystal, making it less dense than its own liquid. That's why ice floats in water (whereas essentially all other frozen compounds sink in their own liquid).
The properties of elements and compounds are not arbitrary. In fact, the elements can be logically organized into a periodic table based on their physical properties. Substances in the same column on the table tend to have similar properties. This follows because elements in a vertical column have the same outer electron structures. These outermost electrons determine the physical characteristics of the atom. The periodic table did not happen by chance. Atoms and molecules have their various properties because their electrons are bound by the laws of quantum physics.
In other words, chemistry is based on physics. If the laws of quantum physics were just a bit different, atoms might not even be possible. God designed the laws of physics just right so that the laws of chemistry would come out in the natural order He wanted.
And then the is the Laws of Planetary Motion. The creation scientist Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets in our solar system obey three laws of nature. He found that planets orbit in ellipses (not perfect circles as had been previously thought) with the sun at one focus of the ellipse; thus a given planet is sometimes closer to the sun than at other times. Kepler also found that planets sweep out equal areas in equal times—in other words, planets speed up as they get closer to the sun within their orbit. And third, Kepler found the exact mathematical relationship between a planet's distance from the sun (a) and its orbital period (p); planets that are farther from the sun take much longer to orbit than planets that are closer (expressed as p2=a3). Kepler's laws also apply to the orbits of moons around a given planet.
As with the laws of chemistry, these laws of planetary motion are not fundamental. Rather, they are the logical derivation of other laws of nature. In fact, it was another creation scientist (Sir Isaac Newton) who discovered that Kepler's laws could be derived mathematically from certain laws of physics—specifically, the laws of gravity and motion (which Newton himself formulated).
The Laws of Physics describe the behavior of the universe at its most fundamental level. There are many different laws of physics. They describe the way the universe operates today. Some laws of physics describe how light propagates, how energy is transported, how gravity operates, how mass moves through space, and many other phenomena. The laws of physics are usually mathematical in nature; some laws of physics can be described with a concise formula. It is more than amazing that every object in the universe consistently obeys these rules.
There is too, a hierarchy in physics: some laws of physics can be derived from other laws of physics and some laws of physics may be truly fundamental (not based on other laws); they exist only because God wills them to. In fact, this must be the case for at least one law of physics (and perhaps several)—the most fundamental. (Logically, this is because if the most fundamental law were based on some other law, it would not be the most fundamental law.)
Notice that the laws of physics are highly mathematical in nature. They would not work if there were not also laws of mathematics. Mathematical laws and principles include the rules of addition, the transitive property, the commutative properties of addition and multiplication, the binomial theorem, and many others.
Like the laws of physics, some laws and properties of mathematics can be derived from other mathematical principles. But unlike the laws of physics, the laws of mathematics are abstract; they are not "attached" to any specific part of the universe. It is possible to imagine a universe where the laws of physics are different, but it is difficult to imagine a (consistent) universe where the laws of mathematics are different. The laws of mathematics are an example of a "transcendent truth." They must be true regardless of what kind of universe God created. This may be because God's nature is logical and mathematical; thus, any universe He chose to create would necessarily be mathematical in nature. The secular naturalist cannot account for the laws of mathematics. Certainly he would believe in mathematics and would use mathematics, but he is unable to account for the existence of mathematics within a naturalistic framework since mathematics is not a part of the physical universe.
However, the Christian understands that there is a God beyond the universe and that mathematics reflects the thoughts of the Lord. Understanding math is, in a sense, "thinking God's thoughts after Him" (though in a limited, finite way, of course).
Some have supposed that mathematics is a human invention. It is said that if human history had been different, an entirely different form of math would have been constructed—one with alternate laws, theorems, axioms, etc. But such thinking is not consistent. Are we to believe that the universe did not obey mathematical laws before people discovered them? Did the planets orbit differently before Kepler discovered that p2=a3? Clearly, mathematical laws are something that human beings have discovered, not invented. The only thing that might have been different (had human history taken a different course) is the notation—the way in which we choose to express mathematical truths through symbols. But these truths exist regardless of how they are expressed. Mathematics could rightly be called the "language of creation."
And there are he Laws of Logic. All the laws of nature, from physics and chemistry to the law of biogenesis, depend on the laws of logic. Like mathematics, the laws of logic are transcendent truths. We cannot imagine that the laws of logic could be anything different from what they are.
Take the law of noncontradiction for example. This law states that you cannot have both "A" and "not A" at the same time and in the same relationship. Without the laws of logic, reasoning would be impossible. But where do the laws of logic come from? The atheist cannot account for the laws of logic, even though he or she must accept that they exist in order to do any rational thinking. But according to the Bible, God is logical. Indeed, the law of noncontradiction reflects God's nature; God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19) or be tempted with evil (James 1:13) since these things contradict His perfect nature.
Since we have been made in God's image, we instinctively know the laws of logic. We are able to reason logically (though because of finite minds and sin we don't always think entirely logically).
The laws of nature are uniform... There exists a natural order. They do not (arbitrarily) change, and they apply throughout the whole cosmos. The laws of nature apply in the future just as they have applied in the past; this is one of the most basic assumptions in all of science. Without this assumption, science would be impossible. If the laws of nature suddenly and arbitrarily changed tomorrow, then past experimental results would tell us nothing about the future. Why is it that we can depend on the laws of nature to apply consistently throughout time? The secular scientists cannot justify this important assumption. But the Christian can because the Bible gives us the answer. God is Lord over all creation and sustains the universe in a consistent and logical way. God does not change, and so He upholds the universe in a consistent, uniform way throughout time (Jeremiah 33:25).
We have seen that the laws of nature depend on other laws of nature, which ultimately depend on God's will. Thus, God created the laws of physics in just the right way so that the laws of chemistry would be correct, so that life can exist. It is doubtful that any human would have been able to solve such a complex puzzle. Yet, the Lord has done so. The atheist cannot account for these laws of nature (even though he agrees that they must exist), for such laws are inconsistent with naturalism. Yet, they are perfectly consistent with the Bible. We expect the universe to be organized in a logical, orderly fashion and to obey uniform laws because the universe was created by the power of God.
So many young people and adults are struggling with their sexual identity today and it is more than just an odd occurrence. "Who am I sexually? Am I a man or a woman? Am I man on the inside and a woman on the outside, or vice versa?
Children and teens in grade school, middle school and high school today, are being taught that a percentage of all their classmates will have a different life-style... a different sexual orientation. The point in announcing such a prediction is to also teach them to have tolerance for another life style... which, is more a regression than it is a style. The force behind this advancement would be right to remind our children to be loving of one another, but to love everything and anything each other does is NOT what God wants. There is a big difference between the two. Because people have begun to tolerate what is not natural, and the unnatural is becoming natural by a large number of our society.
The breakdown of Gods' original order in nature gives us many warnings... just as His own Word does. Warnings that fall out in the form of disorder, destruction, disaster, and death in the natural world whenever we step outside of what God says is right or wrong... natural and unnatural. Sex outside of marriage is one major issues. When asked sometimes if I am gay... my first reply is, "No, I'm celibate"... that always begs for an explanation! But, I say that because, in my mind it's in keeping with the ORDER set by Gods' Word. You see... because I am not married, I am not Free to have sex, period... even "pretend sex", or "foreplay", or whatever you call, "not having sex - sex!... and that leaves out any reason to consider being gay, "if" I thought "unnatural affection" was acceptable with God. You can argue that point if you like, but I have lot's of physical contact with other men at church and at home that homosexuals also enjoy, but nobody I know at church or in my home thinks of it as unnatural affection.
Several of us men at church the other day were in the hall, when one of the older Godly members held a hug just a little too long for my friend and he said... "Ok, weird moment"... and everyone laughed, lovingly. But in all seriousness, it gets "odd" when it goes beyond un-natural affection. Now, how did we know what was unnatural before Gods' Word told us?... I mean, have you ever wondered where that first weird feeling came from? We'll talk about that one later.
Now people are trying to re-invent what the family actually is, but the fact remains that the True family (according to God's Word) in the United states is in big trouble and declining. Our society is reaping the negative influence of the break down of the family. The fruit of this breakdown is directly linked to the increase in crime, first in the home, then in the neighborhood... and it grows from there... suicide is up, murder, murder - then suicide, and mass murder is up, but when society abandons the natural and the normal family... that society will "reap what is sows".
Another warning in the natural world is the AIDS epidemic. Sexually transmitted diseases are NOT normal from God's perspective. If every man had his own wife and every wife had her own husband as God tells us to in 1 Cor. 7:1-3, then we would never hear of sexually transmitted diseases, in fact, many of these diseases would be eradicated from the face of the earth if every person stayed with just their marriage partner. But our society is taught that these diseases can be dealt with by practicing safe sex and that sex outside of marriage is normal.
I think we need to look at the history of this struggle, at least from the historical background of United States. If we were to go back in time 200 years or even 100 years, we'd find very few people in society struggling with their sexual identity. They would realize that if they were born a male, then their identity was male and they should pursue the life of a male and all that that involves. If someone was born a woman the same would be true. No one confused the issues back then. They just accepted their sexual identity as God had created them. Any un-natural affection in those days was known as just that... Un-natural. If that was their choice to pursue unnatural affection, it was just understood as such. The Society of 100 and 200 years ago was certainly more sensitive to Biblical teachings than our present society and that sensitivity had an impact on "how" individuals dealt with sexual identity questions.
The questioning of our sexuality had to be introduced to society and it was... especially in the 70's and 80's. During that time young minds were introduced to a thought process that went against the grain of what was factual and normal. Some were beginning to say, "it's normal for some men to have sexual feelings for other men" Or "for women to have sexual feelings toward other women." Once this kind of mind set and questioning was introduced to society it was not long before people were "coming out of the closet" as they used to say. The question we need to ask is, "Is this kind of thinking natural?" For instance, it's normal for mothers to love and nurture their babies. It's been that way for thousands of years. But then some in this society introduced a way that mothers could abort their healthy babies before they were born. This practice of aborting children has become normal today, but 100 years ago it would have been considered murder and many Christians today still believe it's murder. Even 50 to 100 years ago, mothers would have given their lives to save their babies, but now, many mothers take their babies lives so they will not interfere with the mother's life style and people in society think this is "NORMAL". What was unthinkable and unnatural has become normal. The problem is, abortion is still not acceptable and normal according to God's Word. The masses of society can be moved to do unnatural things by the philosophies it receives.
Perhaps the reign of Adolph Hilter during the 2nd World proves to illustrate that point. Millions of Germans were convinced that they must rid the world of Millions of Jews and that this was the best choice for the human race. The majority of the German population was swept up in this horrible event and the rest is history.
My point is, people believed things that were not true, not natural and not normal and acted accordingly.
We need to know where we've come from and why before we can really understand where our society is today and how we got here.
I understand that some people are born with actual chromosome issues that cause them to be born both male and female (to some degree) or born with genetic problems that do not allow them to function in the same way as a male or female with out those genetic problems.
These also are people for whom Jesus Christ died and we need to love them and share our Christian Faith with them. As with any genetic abnormality, these folks did not choose to be born this way. It is not the intent of this article to deal with genetic or chromosomal disorders. Rather, the intent here is to focus on those that are CLEARLY born male or female and yet they struggle with their sexual identity.
Jesus was quite clear concerning marriage and sexual union in Mark 10: 6,
But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 7, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9, Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
Two biblical truths are seen here. First, God clearly makes us either male or female (understanding since the fall that the corrupted genetic code of humans has brought about abnormalities in rare cases). Your maleness or femaleness is determined by you sexual identity at birth and not by your thought process or by philosophies or teachings that persuade you otherwise. Second, Jesus is quite clear as to who can cleave to each other or have sexual relationships with one another. On this issue Jesus gives two parameters: 1. Only heterosexual relationships are permitted. 2. Only heterosexual relationships between married men and women are permitted.
Genesis chapter one also gives us another very important biblical truth that we must understand:
Genesis 1: 27, So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28, Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth...
Notice that the God given plan for sexual union involves reproduction. Again, we understand that some women are not able to bear children and some men are sterile. However, the normal situation in marriage can produce offspring. Once again, this plan of God can only take place through heterosexual relationships. That is the natural order He has set.
The Word of God speaks clearly to the fact that the unnatural affection is an abomination, not natural, shameful, unrighteous and against sound doctrine.
God has Created Men and Women distinct from one another and He Commands that we maintain that distinction. In the design of these two types of bodies there is a natural order and the body parts have purpose and distinction... a natural order, and respect to that order should also be considered in the struggle for sexual orientation.
So where does this leave the person struggling with his or her sexual identity? If you want to please and obey God, it leaves you confronted with Biblical truths that teach us that your sexual identity is according to your sexual identity at birth.
God's truths also confront us with God's original plan for only men and women in heterosexual relationships to be joined together in permanent marriages (unless one should die).
Consider the history of civilizations that have struggled with sexual identity and unnatural sexuality. Sodom and Gomorah were destroyed by God's wrath, but other civilizations were destroyed in and of themselves just because of the debased society that resulted from sexual identity confusion. Consider the Great Empire of Rome. Many historians are convinced that once unnatural sexual activity became normal and accepted in that society that the end had come. Please follow this biblical logic: if you break down the natural God given sexual identity, you break down God given heterosexual marriages. If you break down the God given heterosexual marriages, you break down the God given family unit. If you break down the God given family unit, you break down the society that those families are in. The United States is quickly entering a time when many if not the majority of the families are crumbling at the foundations. Men be men! Women be women! There is no other choice from God's perspective and it's the best choice, to follow His natural loving order.
I love you.
The universe, itself, obeys certain rules to which all things must adhere. These laws are precise, and are mathematical in nature. Natural laws are hierarchical in nature; secondary laws of nature are based on primary laws of nature, which have to be just right in order for our universe to be possible. But, where did these laws come from, and why do they exist?
If the universe were merely the accidental by-product of a big bang, then why should it obey orderly principles as it does? Or, really, any principles at all for that matter? These laws are consistent with biblical creation. Natural laws exist because the universe has a Creator God who is logical and has imposed order on His universe (Genesis 1:1).
Everything in the universe; plants, animals, rocks, every particle of matter or light wave, is bound by laws which it has no choice but to obey. The Bible tells us that there are laws of nature—"ordinances of heaven and earth" in Jeremiah 33:25. These laws describe the way God normally accomplishes His will in the universe.
God's logic is built into the universe, and so the universe is not haphazard or arbitrary. It obeys laws of chemistry that are logically derived from the laws of physics, many of which can be logically derived from other laws of physics and laws of mathematics.
The most fundamental laws of nature exist only because God wills them to; they are the logical, orderly way that the Lord upholds and sustains the universe He has created. People that do not believe in God are unable to account for the logical, orderly state of our universe, but why should the universe obey laws if there is no law-giver?
The laws of nature are perfectly consistent with biblical creation. In fact, the Bible is the foundation for natural laws. The Law of Life, or "Biogenesis" is the law that simply states that life always comes from life. This is what observational science tells us: organisms reproduce other organisms after their own kind. Louis Pasteur disproved one alleged case of spontaneous generation when he showed that life comes from previous life. Since then, we have seen that this law is universal—with no known exceptions. This is, of course, exactly what we would expect from the Bible.
According to Genesis 1, God supernaturally created the first diverse kinds of life on earth and made them to reproduce after their kind. Notice that molecules-to-man evolution violates the law of biogenesis.
The Laws of Chemistry reveal Gods' natural order in that, Life requires a specific chemistry. Our bodies are powered by chemical reactions and depend on the laws of chemistry operating in a uniform fashion. Even the information that makes up any living being is stored on a long molecule called DNA. Life as we know it would not be possible if the laws of chemistry were different. God created the laws of chemistry in just the right way so that life would be possible.
The laws of chemistry give different properties to the various elements (each made of one type of atom) and compounds (made up of two or more types of atoms that are bonded together) in the universe. For example, when given sufficient activation, energy, the lightest element (hydrogen) will react with oxygen to form water. Water itself has some interesting properties, such as the ability to hold an unusually large amount of heat energy. When frozen, water forms crystals with six-sided symmetry (which is why snowflakes are generally six-sided). Contrast this with salt (sodium chloride) crystals, which tend to form cubes. It is the six-fold symmetry of water ice that causes "holes" in its crystal, making it less dense than its own liquid. That's why ice floats in water (whereas essentially all other frozen compounds sink in their own liquid).
The properties of elements and compounds are not arbitrary. In fact, the elements can be logically organized into a periodic table based on their physical properties. Substances in the same column on the table tend to have similar properties. This follows because elements in a vertical column have the same outer electron structures. These outermost electrons determine the physical characteristics of the atom. The periodic table did not happen by chance. Atoms and molecules have their various properties because their electrons are bound by the laws of quantum physics.
In other words, chemistry is based on physics. If the laws of quantum physics were just a bit different, atoms might not even be possible. God designed the laws of physics just right so that the laws of chemistry would come out in the natural order He wanted.
And then the is the Laws of Planetary Motion. The creation scientist Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets in our solar system obey three laws of nature. He found that planets orbit in ellipses (not perfect circles as had been previously thought) with the sun at one focus of the ellipse; thus a given planet is sometimes closer to the sun than at other times. Kepler also found that planets sweep out equal areas in equal times—in other words, planets speed up as they get closer to the sun within their orbit. And third, Kepler found the exact mathematical relationship between a planet's distance from the sun (a) and its orbital period (p); planets that are farther from the sun take much longer to orbit than planets that are closer (expressed as p2=a3). Kepler's laws also apply to the orbits of moons around a given planet.
As with the laws of chemistry, these laws of planetary motion are not fundamental. Rather, they are the logical derivation of other laws of nature. In fact, it was another creation scientist (Sir Isaac Newton) who discovered that Kepler's laws could be derived mathematically from certain laws of physics—specifically, the laws of gravity and motion (which Newton himself formulated).
The Laws of Physics describe the behavior of the universe at its most fundamental level. There are many different laws of physics. They describe the way the universe operates today. Some laws of physics describe how light propagates, how energy is transported, how gravity operates, how mass moves through space, and many other phenomena. The laws of physics are usually mathematical in nature; some laws of physics can be described with a concise formula. It is more than amazing that every object in the universe consistently obeys these rules.
There is too, a hierarchy in physics: some laws of physics can be derived from other laws of physics and some laws of physics may be truly fundamental (not based on other laws); they exist only because God wills them to. In fact, this must be the case for at least one law of physics (and perhaps several)—the most fundamental. (Logically, this is because if the most fundamental law were based on some other law, it would not be the most fundamental law.)
Notice that the laws of physics are highly mathematical in nature. They would not work if there were not also laws of mathematics. Mathematical laws and principles include the rules of addition, the transitive property, the commutative properties of addition and multiplication, the binomial theorem, and many others.
Like the laws of physics, some laws and properties of mathematics can be derived from other mathematical principles. But unlike the laws of physics, the laws of mathematics are abstract; they are not "attached" to any specific part of the universe. It is possible to imagine a universe where the laws of physics are different, but it is difficult to imagine a (consistent) universe where the laws of mathematics are different. The laws of mathematics are an example of a "transcendent truth." They must be true regardless of what kind of universe God created. This may be because God's nature is logical and mathematical; thus, any universe He chose to create would necessarily be mathematical in nature. The secular naturalist cannot account for the laws of mathematics. Certainly he would believe in mathematics and would use mathematics, but he is unable to account for the existence of mathematics within a naturalistic framework since mathematics is not a part of the physical universe.
However, the Christian understands that there is a God beyond the universe and that mathematics reflects the thoughts of the Lord. Understanding math is, in a sense, "thinking God's thoughts after Him" (though in a limited, finite way, of course).
Some have supposed that mathematics is a human invention. It is said that if human history had been different, an entirely different form of math would have been constructed—one with alternate laws, theorems, axioms, etc. But such thinking is not consistent. Are we to believe that the universe did not obey mathematical laws before people discovered them? Did the planets orbit differently before Kepler discovered that p2=a3? Clearly, mathematical laws are something that human beings have discovered, not invented. The only thing that might have been different (had human history taken a different course) is the notation—the way in which we choose to express mathematical truths through symbols. But these truths exist regardless of how they are expressed. Mathematics could rightly be called the "language of creation."
And there are he Laws of Logic. All the laws of nature, from physics and chemistry to the law of biogenesis, depend on the laws of logic. Like mathematics, the laws of logic are transcendent truths. We cannot imagine that the laws of logic could be anything different from what they are.
Take the law of noncontradiction for example. This law states that you cannot have both "A" and "not A" at the same time and in the same relationship. Without the laws of logic, reasoning would be impossible. But where do the laws of logic come from? The atheist cannot account for the laws of logic, even though he or she must accept that they exist in order to do any rational thinking. But according to the Bible, God is logical. Indeed, the law of noncontradiction reflects God's nature; God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19) or be tempted with evil (James 1:13) since these things contradict His perfect nature.
Since we have been made in God's image, we instinctively know the laws of logic. We are able to reason logically (though because of finite minds and sin we don't always think entirely logically).
The laws of nature are uniform... There exists a natural order. They do not (arbitrarily) change, and they apply throughout the whole cosmos. The laws of nature apply in the future just as they have applied in the past; this is one of the most basic assumptions in all of science. Without this assumption, science would be impossible. If the laws of nature suddenly and arbitrarily changed tomorrow, then past experimental results would tell us nothing about the future. Why is it that we can depend on the laws of nature to apply consistently throughout time? The secular scientists cannot justify this important assumption. But the Christian can because the Bible gives us the answer. God is Lord over all creation and sustains the universe in a consistent and logical way. God does not change, and so He upholds the universe in a consistent, uniform way throughout time (Jeremiah 33:25).
We have seen that the laws of nature depend on other laws of nature, which ultimately depend on God's will. Thus, God created the laws of physics in just the right way so that the laws of chemistry would be correct, so that life can exist. It is doubtful that any human would have been able to solve such a complex puzzle. Yet, the Lord has done so. The atheist cannot account for these laws of nature (even though he agrees that they must exist), for such laws are inconsistent with naturalism. Yet, they are perfectly consistent with the Bible. We expect the universe to be organized in a logical, orderly fashion and to obey uniform laws because the universe was created by the power of God.
So many young people and adults are struggling with their sexual identity today and it is more than just an odd occurrence. "Who am I sexually? Am I a man or a woman? Am I man on the inside and a woman on the outside, or vice versa?
Children and teens in grade school, middle school and high school today, are being taught that a percentage of all their classmates will have a different life-style... a different sexual orientation. The point in announcing such a prediction is to also teach them to have tolerance for another life style... which, is more a regression than it is a style. The force behind this advancement would be right to remind our children to be loving of one another, but to love everything and anything each other does is NOT what God wants. There is a big difference between the two. Because people have begun to tolerate what is not natural, and the unnatural is becoming natural by a large number of our society.
The breakdown of Gods' original order in nature gives us many warnings... just as His own Word does. Warnings that fall out in the form of disorder, destruction, disaster, and death in the natural world whenever we step outside of what God says is right or wrong... natural and unnatural. Sex outside of marriage is one major issues. When asked sometimes if I am gay... my first reply is, "No, I'm celibate"... that always begs for an explanation! But, I say that because, in my mind it's in keeping with the ORDER set by Gods' Word. You see... because I am not married, I am not Free to have sex, period... even "pretend sex", or "foreplay", or whatever you call, "not having sex - sex!... and that leaves out any reason to consider being gay, "if" I thought "unnatural affection" was acceptable with God. You can argue that point if you like, but I have lot's of physical contact with other men at church and at home that homosexuals also enjoy, but nobody I know at church or in my home thinks of it as unnatural affection.
Several of us men at church the other day were in the hall, when one of the older Godly members held a hug just a little too long for my friend and he said... "Ok, weird moment"... and everyone laughed, lovingly. But in all seriousness, it gets "odd" when it goes beyond un-natural affection. Now, how did we know what was unnatural before Gods' Word told us?... I mean, have you ever wondered where that first weird feeling came from? We'll talk about that one later.
Now people are trying to re-invent what the family actually is, but the fact remains that the True family (according to God's Word) in the United states is in big trouble and declining. Our society is reaping the negative influence of the break down of the family. The fruit of this breakdown is directly linked to the increase in crime, first in the home, then in the neighborhood... and it grows from there... suicide is up, murder, murder - then suicide, and mass murder is up, but when society abandons the natural and the normal family... that society will "reap what is sows".
Another warning in the natural world is the AIDS epidemic. Sexually transmitted diseases are NOT normal from God's perspective. If every man had his own wife and every wife had her own husband as God tells us to in 1 Cor. 7:1-3, then we would never hear of sexually transmitted diseases, in fact, many of these diseases would be eradicated from the face of the earth if every person stayed with just their marriage partner. But our society is taught that these diseases can be dealt with by practicing safe sex and that sex outside of marriage is normal.
I think we need to look at the history of this struggle, at least from the historical background of United States. If we were to go back in time 200 years or even 100 years, we'd find very few people in society struggling with their sexual identity. They would realize that if they were born a male, then their identity was male and they should pursue the life of a male and all that that involves. If someone was born a woman the same would be true. No one confused the issues back then. They just accepted their sexual identity as God had created them. Any un-natural affection in those days was known as just that... Un-natural. If that was their choice to pursue unnatural affection, it was just understood as such. The Society of 100 and 200 years ago was certainly more sensitive to Biblical teachings than our present society and that sensitivity had an impact on "how" individuals dealt with sexual identity questions.
The questioning of our sexuality had to be introduced to society and it was... especially in the 70's and 80's. During that time young minds were introduced to a thought process that went against the grain of what was factual and normal. Some were beginning to say, "it's normal for some men to have sexual feelings for other men" Or "for women to have sexual feelings toward other women." Once this kind of mind set and questioning was introduced to society it was not long before people were "coming out of the closet" as they used to say. The question we need to ask is, "Is this kind of thinking natural?" For instance, it's normal for mothers to love and nurture their babies. It's been that way for thousands of years. But then some in this society introduced a way that mothers could abort their healthy babies before they were born. This practice of aborting children has become normal today, but 100 years ago it would have been considered murder and many Christians today still believe it's murder. Even 50 to 100 years ago, mothers would have given their lives to save their babies, but now, many mothers take their babies lives so they will not interfere with the mother's life style and people in society think this is "NORMAL". What was unthinkable and unnatural has become normal. The problem is, abortion is still not acceptable and normal according to God's Word. The masses of society can be moved to do unnatural things by the philosophies it receives.
Perhaps the reign of Adolph Hilter during the 2nd World proves to illustrate that point. Millions of Germans were convinced that they must rid the world of Millions of Jews and that this was the best choice for the human race. The majority of the German population was swept up in this horrible event and the rest is history.
My point is, people believed things that were not true, not natural and not normal and acted accordingly.
We need to know where we've come from and why before we can really understand where our society is today and how we got here.
I understand that some people are born with actual chromosome issues that cause them to be born both male and female (to some degree) or born with genetic problems that do not allow them to function in the same way as a male or female with out those genetic problems.
These also are people for whom Jesus Christ died and we need to love them and share our Christian Faith with them. As with any genetic abnormality, these folks did not choose to be born this way. It is not the intent of this article to deal with genetic or chromosomal disorders. Rather, the intent here is to focus on those that are CLEARLY born male or female and yet they struggle with their sexual identity.
Jesus was quite clear concerning marriage and sexual union in Mark 10: 6,
But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 7, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9, Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
Two biblical truths are seen here. First, God clearly makes us either male or female (understanding since the fall that the corrupted genetic code of humans has brought about abnormalities in rare cases). Your maleness or femaleness is determined by you sexual identity at birth and not by your thought process or by philosophies or teachings that persuade you otherwise. Second, Jesus is quite clear as to who can cleave to each other or have sexual relationships with one another. On this issue Jesus gives two parameters: 1. Only heterosexual relationships are permitted. 2. Only heterosexual relationships between married men and women are permitted.
Genesis chapter one also gives us another very important biblical truth that we must understand:
Genesis 1: 27, So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28, Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth...
Notice that the God given plan for sexual union involves reproduction. Again, we understand that some women are not able to bear children and some men are sterile. However, the normal situation in marriage can produce offspring. Once again, this plan of God can only take place through heterosexual relationships. That is the natural order He has set.
The Word of God speaks clearly to the fact that the unnatural affection is an abomination, not natural, shameful, unrighteous and against sound doctrine.
God has Created Men and Women distinct from one another and He Commands that we maintain that distinction. In the design of these two types of bodies there is a natural order and the body parts have purpose and distinction... a natural order, and respect to that order should also be considered in the struggle for sexual orientation.
So where does this leave the person struggling with his or her sexual identity? If you want to please and obey God, it leaves you confronted with Biblical truths that teach us that your sexual identity is according to your sexual identity at birth.
God's truths also confront us with God's original plan for only men and women in heterosexual relationships to be joined together in permanent marriages (unless one should die).
Consider the history of civilizations that have struggled with sexual identity and unnatural sexuality. Sodom and Gomorah were destroyed by God's wrath, but other civilizations were destroyed in and of themselves just because of the debased society that resulted from sexual identity confusion. Consider the Great Empire of Rome. Many historians are convinced that once unnatural sexual activity became normal and accepted in that society that the end had come. Please follow this biblical logic: if you break down the natural God given sexual identity, you break down God given heterosexual marriages. If you break down the God given heterosexual marriages, you break down the God given family unit. If you break down the God given family unit, you break down the society that those families are in. The United States is quickly entering a time when many if not the majority of the families are crumbling at the foundations. Men be men! Women be women! There is no other choice from God's perspective and it's the best choice, to follow His natural loving order.
I love you.
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Comment
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Comment by preston on January 23, 2010 at 5:29pm
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Thank you Amanda and Ginny. I was not sure that these writings were able to be seen out there or not. I appreciate your comments... not because you seem to agree, but because you took the time to comment. I hope to spend more time here with you and get to know more people to share with.
Anyway, about the blog... It is hard to talk about this area of truth today. I mean, it is easy to tell the truth... as I understand it from Gods' Word... but, hard in a way so as not to speak down - inflate or puff up myself (as Amanda so correctly suggests not to do) My ministry (for now anyway) seems to be around the area of LOVE... I mean Gods' LOVE. And so, I must be "loving" even in the area of controversial issues. It is not my truth I am sharing... so pride would seem vain, anyway. Here is what I would like to add to the discussion... UNDERNEATH "our" desire to be intimate, is the compelling need to love and be loved. I believe this is because we are 1st, Created in Gods' image... we are like Him, His Son, and His Spirit. 2nd, because it is a blessing, He wants it for us to enjoy. However, this desire to love and be loved can only be satisfied FIRST - BY CHRIST JESUS. It goes back to the "Natural Order" I've been talking about. Once we are in Christ, love (Real Love) and intimacy is experienced. Oh, people can get a taste of it from the many many FALSE expressions of love the world offers, but it is ultimately a sad, destructive, wasteful, pursuit... with fruit like; really never quite being completely satisfied, broken homes, divorce, disease, and even early death, I don't mean early to Christ's knowledge, but earlier than His will for us. In truth... it was never His will for us to die here. Anyway, I better let that soak... heheAgain, Thank you both.
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Comment by Ginnybee on January 23, 2010 at 11:14am
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WOW..Preston! That is a beautifully stated explanation! Love it!
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