{"id":838,"date":"2015-07-15T18:29:13","date_gmt":"2015-07-15T07:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/?p=838"},"modified":"2015-07-15T18:29:13","modified_gmt":"2015-07-15T07:29:13","slug":"nonsense-in-the-name-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/2015\/07\/nonsense-in-the-name-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Nonsense in the Name of God"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the current debate regarding homosexual union, it is patently obvious that \u201ctruth has become the first casualty in this war<\/em><\/span>.\u201d \u00a0Many are adducing arguments in support of homosexual union that are simply non arguments. We have written elsewhere in regard to such facile arguments as \u201cLove is Love<\/a>\u201d. However, the greatest nonsense being spewed forth on this issue comes from those who, claiming to speak for God, tell lies in the Name of God<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

At this point, we particularly single out those people who claim to be Christians, claim to love Jesus and at the same time claim that practicing homosexuals are acceptable to God, loved by God, and are therefore not required by God to repent of their sin and rebellion. It is not our intent to interact with their claims at this point, for that is just an exercise in futility. Rather, it is our purpose to show the folly of their position by looking at the Biblical evidence. Specifically, we simply intend to draw some parallels and then leave the reader to make the obvious conclusions for themselves.<\/p>\n

The Older Testament concludes with these words:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff<\/em>; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,\u201d says the Lord of hosts, \u201cso that it will leave them neither root nor branch.\u201d \u201cBut for you who fear My name<\/strong> the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. \u201cAnd you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,\u201d says the Lord of hosts. \u201cRemember the law of Moses My servant<\/em>, even the <\/em>statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. \u201cBehold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. \u201cAnd he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their <\/em>children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.<\/span>\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

In looking at this text, three things are to be noted. First<\/em><\/span>, it is important that we understand the place of judgement. Throughout the Scriptures, salvation is always associated with judgement. God\u2019s people cannot be saved unless God\u2019s adversaries are judged. Thus, Malachi rightly begins with a stern warning to the evil doer. He, like his fellow prophets,[2]<\/a> points us to the great and awesome Day of the Lord. Second<\/em><\/span>, the line of demarcation is given in the words \u2013 for you who fear<\/em> <\/span>[or revere] My name<\/em><\/span>. Both in Hebrew and Greek, the terms for name go far beyond simply being an appellation appended to a person in order to distinguish him from another. Rather, these terms point to character and being. This is why we see names being changed in Scripture. This is exactly why the Pharisees forbade Peter and John \u201cto speak or teach \u2026 in the name<\/strong> of Jesus.<\/span>\u201d[3]<\/a> Consequently, those who serve God, who love God, will reflect His character and being in their lives morally and ethically. Third<\/em><\/span>, the text points us to the source of knowledge wherein we find God\u2019s revealed standard \u2013 Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him<\/em><\/span> \u2013 so that we may show our love in true, not feigned, obedience.<\/p>\n

Now, some will immediately object that this is the Older Testament and that we in the Newer Testament are somehow under a different set of rules.[4]<\/a> This is simply more nonsense; an objection raised in the hope that the guilty conscience may be eased. In truth, the points highlighted from the text of Malachi are all treated equally in the Newer Testament.[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

In bringing these three points together, we learn the following:<\/p>\n

a)<\/span> As God judges the wicked, there are obviously behaviours which He disapproves of and condemns.<\/p>\n

b)<\/span> The truth of a) is found in the fact that those who are accepted by God are those who love and revere His holy name and therefore seek to abide by the characteristics of His eternal Being.<\/p>\n

c)<\/span> God, realising Man\u2019s sinful estate, gave through Moses the revelation of His eternal Being so that Man would know what was and was not acceptable to God.<\/p>\n

Therefore, if we want to please God we must obey those laws, given by God Himself, in which the holiness of His character and His right as Sovereign are manifest. It means that we, the creature, respect the parameters placed upon us by God, the Creator, and live by His rules. \u00a0If we do not obey those laws or abide by His rules, we can never be said to \u201cfear\u201d or \u201crevere\u201d the name of God. If we do not \u201cfear\u201d or \u201crevere\u201d the name of God, then we must be considered as the \u201cevildoer\u201d.[6]<\/a> This truth is superbly clear in Scripture. Yet, today, we have those who say that they \u201cfear the name of God\u201d, that they love Jesus, and that they are Christians; all the while they despise the laws and rules given by God.<\/p>\n

This situation outlined is seen definitely and clearly in regard to the battle over homosexuality and homosexual union. Thus, it seemed appropriate to highlight the absolute inconsistency of those who speak nonsense in the name of God.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s law prescribes the death penalty for a number of sins; significant sins that attack either God or Man. Thus, God says that the following are to forfeit their lives:[7]<\/a><\/p>\n