Rightwinger...i think you might have misunderstood me....I know that Moses wrote the first 5 books of the bible....I know what Leviticus says (and the purpose of that book)....I was not discrediting Paul, either....I said that ppl that think homosexuality is ok, they discredit Paul.
As far as "Did Jesus say anything about homosexuality" question.....well....well....he said that he did not come to eliminate the law, but rather to fulfill it. We all talk about the woman caught in adultery....and Jesus' famous words, "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone'.....but, you know what....many times, we stop there. We say that Jesus doesn't judge us....we say that Jesus is ok with sin.....We even sometimes ask, "What is sin?" Read on in that passage....what do you read?
We read Jesus telling the woman to "go, and sin no more". He did not tell her to "go, continue to do what you are doing....it is A-OK with me". No...he told her to simply, "Go, and sin no more".
You want to talk about what Jesus said about sin? Read Jesus' words in John 3:14-21.....in case you don't want to look it up, let me qoute it here for you (qouted from the Amplified version):
Joh 3:14-21 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], [Num. 21:9.] (15) In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever! (16) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (17) For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. (18) He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation--he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] (19) The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. [Isa. 5:20.] (20) For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. (21) But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are--wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him].
What do we have here? Jesus HAD to be lifted up (just as Moses lifted up the serpent). Jesus took all of the condemnation and destruction of sin upon and within himself when he was placed upon the cross. He literally became sin for us...so that we might become the righteousness of God IN Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
He (Jesus) did this so that any and all who believe in Jesus (has faith in....total reliance upon....to entrust yourself to him). You are to believe that he is truth, and that the truth shall set you free. If you believe in Him, then you will accept His word as-is.....no exceptions, no excuses.
If you do believe on Him (remember, to fully entrust yourself in His care), then you will NOT be condemned. Remember verse 18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already...." And, what is this condemnation? Read on: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." That is the condemnation....
There is only but one sin that will send anyone to hell....and that is to die without believing on Jesus. Sin is sin is sin....It is not right....sin does destroy....sin is pleasurable for a season....but if a man (or, woman) continues in his sin, he will be destroyed....Not by God's hand. But rather, by his own hand in not receiving the gift of God. Jesus said that he did not come into the world to condemn the world, but rather, that the world THROUGH him might be saved.
You keep talking about the Old Testament....I have read the OT....I know what it says....but, I also know what the NT says about sin....and about homosexuality. The NT says it is wrong....Remember what Paul said about sin? A little leaven leavens the whole lump? Well....a little sin makes the man all sin. You want to argue whether or not God still views homosexuality as sin....well, the bible says that God changes not, nor is there shadow of turning within him. The bible also says that God is not man, that he should lie. You compare the OT with the NT....all the commandments were summed up in just the one commandment that Jesus gave, Love and worship God, and love your neighbor. God forgives sin, but he does not condone sin. Sin is why Jesus suffered and died. Sin is what separates man from God. Sin is what destroys life.
You want to talk about what the NT says about homosexuality...until I show you what it says about it. then, you want to talk about what Jesus said about homosexuality...until i show you what Jesus said about it.....ppl can come up with excuses all their lives...but eventually, time will run out, and they will stand before God and give account to all their excuses....that is when there will be judgement....
I don't condemn what you do....I believe it is wrong....but for me to place judgement on you would be heaping harsher judgement on me. The human mind cannot place judgement and love at the same time. For me to judge anyone, I would no longer be loving them....and I would be guilty of breaking Jesus' commandment.
Now, I am not going to qoute scripture about homosexuality....you and whomever else thinks it is ok will not accept it. If you (or anyone else) really wants to see what GOD says about it, let them look it up. It isn't too hard to find (in fact, I will give you one place it is in...the book of Romans). I have been down this road before, and all that came out of it was a whole lot of screeching that Paul was a heretic and hated by the church, and that we cannot really believe what the bible says, and that Jesus never spoke DIRECTLY about homosexuality.....study it for yourself if you are truly concerned over what the Bible does and does not say about it
