P.r.o.o.f. of eXistence

T.D. Jakes Stands on Right Ground: Christianity & Homosexuality

Im one who is quick to push TD Jakes into a “Christian” circle with Ted Hagaard and Joel Olsteen… (in other words a bit OFF when it comes to good pastors).

But I am also one who gives credit where it is due.

Recently, TD Jakes went on Oprah (sigh*) to talk about his “Fame” and MegaChurch and criticisms.

Then Oprah touched on that one subject that is known to put pastors under the microscope - Homosexuality. A pastor, in this position has 2 options:

• 1) Stand your ground on your opinion and be called Homophobic, arrogant, a bigot, and narrow minded,
• 2) Compromise and say there is nothing wrong with it (absolutely unbiblical…).

In my opinion, TD answered this issue perfectly!

OPRAH:“Would you say that everybody is embraced in your church?” Winfrey asked. “Cause you know you have been accused of saying that gay people would not be welcome.”

TD: “That’s not true at all,” Jakes began. “The perception in our society today is that if you don’t say you’re for same-sex marriage or if you say homosexuality is a sin that you’re homophobic and you’re against gay people. And that’s not true.”

The pastor continued, “I’m not called to give my opinion. I’m called as a pastor to give the scriptural position on it,” the pastor added. “Doesn’t mean that I have to agree with you to love you. I don’t dislike anybody. I love everybody.”

Winfrey went on to ask if Jakes thinks being gay is a sin.

TD: “I think that sex between two people of the same sex is condemned in the Scriptures, and as long as it is condemned in the Scriptures, I don’t get to say what I think. I get to say what the Bible says,” Jakes said.

A perfect answer. You see, people like to act like we as Christian’s position ourselves on things because we want to or because we want to be better or “more holy” than you and then boast on it. NO. We believe in the Scriptures as Truth and if we compromise Truth, we are not living by it - the Words of God.

Its amazing though, how even though TD said:

“ if you don’t say you’re for same-sex marriage or if you say homosexuality is a sin that you’re homophobic and you’re against gay people. And that’s not true.”

That the FIRST, the very FIRST thing these media/society people he talked about went and did exactly what he predicted.

Critics immediately contradicted Jakes’ comments by branding the pastor’s statements as “homophobic” and “anti-gay,” with some in the liberal media even calling the megachurch pastor hypocritical in light of an incident involving one of his son’s several years ago.

New York-based Gawker.com portrayed Winfrey as asking Jakes if he “likes gay people,” while calling the minister a bigot.

”[…] she lets Jakes spout anti-gay sentiment while swearing off homophobia,” Gawker’s Rich Juzwiak writes in his article, titled “Anti-Gay Pastor Doesn’t Want to Be Known For Being Anti-Gay.”

Juzwiak claims that by “disagreeing” with gay people, one is actually “disagreeing with something that is fundamental to their existence: how they love.” He goes on to insinuate that holding a biblical view of homosexuality “values an institution over human beings who are going to love each other and be together anyway, like they have been since the dawn of time.”

Dismissively calling Jakes’ “love” for homosexuals worthless, Juzwiak points readers to a 2009 report on Jermaine Jakes’ arrest in a “gay sex sting” in a local park. Jakes’ stepson was accused of exposing himself to two undercover police officers.

How pathetically predictable is that!?

Look at how one critic calls TD’s love for Homosexual’s as “worthless” simply for disagreeing. Really???

You see, people, it IS possible to be a SECULAR bigot, and these people above have showed that perfectly.

Let me say one last thing.

TOLERANCE does not constitute APPROVAL of something.

Tolerance is: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward thosewhose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc.,differ from one’s own…

TOLERANCE means there is an existence of a difference, but you accept that difference and live with its existence. It does NOT mean to force the other side to stop believing what they believe. 

If you are going to be a Christian, you HAVE to accept the Word as Truth. If you are outside of the fold, than you… of course… do not. 

As Christians, the Bible is not Tolerant. We should, and you should, know this. It is black and white “if you are not with Me you are against Me…” says Christ. Black and White!

But for you secular critics… you are being just as INTOLERANT when you attack us, for believing in the Holy Scriptures and what they say. That my friend is secular Bigotry.

What is bigotry? 

Bigotry is stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, oropinion that differs from one’s own.

As Christians, we are Intolerant of Sin. Its true. But we do not force anyone to believe if they do not want them to… [I] simply ask that if they want to not believe - they completely remove themselves from us so as to not display a false image of the Scriptures.

The Secularist/Homosexual critics against the Christian/Biblical stance on Homosexuality is being FAR more Bigoted in that it is attempting to FORCE the church to change their beliefs… (or in other words not follow scripture).

So… again - thank you Pastor TD Jakes for standing on Solid Ground, on this issue. I pray that you do the same in all things. 

Recently I heard about a LGBT Oriented Christian group here at USC. Upon initial thought, I thought “oh thats cool, reaching out to the lost.”

Then I realized, this group was one of the growing Pro-homosexual “Christian” groups that have been growing across the United States.

Upon beginning school at USC, I realized that I would be very busy and unable to blog much, but honestly there are some things that press me to get off my chest.

This is one of them.

Being Christian and Gay does not exist. [Pause].

Let me explain why.

As Christians, we all sin, and will trip up now and then in our walk (meaning we continue to sin). There is an important difference between tripping up and sinning, and purposely seeking out sin.

Accidental slips (from anger etc) or temptation can cause us to sin. This is why we need to flee from both stated causes (be slow to anger, and flee from temptation). When we PURPOSELY sin, this creates a huge problem for the Christian. In fact, I would state that you are not Christian.

So what does it mean to be a Christian. Being Christian is to follow Christ. You accept Christ as your “personal Lord and Savior,” knowing He died on the cross for your sin, and in order to receive salvation you must ask Him to take control of your life. In doing so, you repent from sin, and chase after God and His will.

 You are in. Thats it.

The key here is not simply belief, but knowing; accepting and repenting. Upon repentance (which constitutes a realization of sin - aka confession and recognition) you seek to never again return to sin. This does not mean that returning to sin is impossible, you simply made a decision to put it away, behind you. A new life, a new creation. The Holy Spirit, which lives in you and assists us, allows us to have the power to change and follow Christ.

If you do not repent, you do 2 things. 1. You seer your conscience, meaning it becomes no big deal for you to sin. You do not recognize it as a problem, just something you do.

The issue here is that you stated to have recognized Christ’s Crucifixion for your sins, yet you are now using the Cross as a “get out of sin free card” rather than a one time deal. Will you continue to put Christ on the cross for fleeting pleasure?

Lecrae, a Christian rapper, described purposeful sin  as ”  spitting on [Christ] bloody face as if I never cared.”

Wow.

The second issue can be pointed out by the book of Hebrews: 

⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

 You as a Christian, are kept in the hands of God. No one can pull you away. This is described as “Once Saved Always Saved.”

So is there a contradiction above as Hebrew’s describe “falling away?” No. In fact, because you cannot fall away, one who has claimed Christ as His God and doesn’t act it out, is most likely to have never “tasted heavenly gift.” Otherwise, God will not let you fall. Even more alarming, if you could fall away having tasted these gifts (which would require you to purposely seek out sin and evil things)you cannot again be brought back to “repentance” or “salvation.” (I can go more into this later).

So what am I getting at?

1. Homosexuality is a Sin.

As Christian, we admit we are “born into sin.” The Homosexual’s excuse (though not scientifically proven) is that they were “Born this way” so therefore it is stupid to call such “sexuality” an “abomination” or “sin” and that Christians that do such things are “bigots” or “hate-mongers.”

Now I admit, there are some so-called Christians that approach the issue with a saddening and sickening manner. But do not get me wrong, Homosexuality is a Sin.

Sin needs repentance.

Living as a Homosexual, is not compatible with being a Christian. In a sense, a Homosexual that claims to be Christian is a Christian that has not repented, and is using the Cross of Christ as a scapegoat to continue in sin.

This is heresy. This is a problem. This is absolutely false, and un-Christian.

As I explained above, Christianity requires repentance to God. Repentance is a requirement for salvation. You do not need to clean yourself up before coming to Christ, He will do that for you, but there needs to be a relinquishing of the old self, for the new self.

Yes, you can accept Christ as a Christian, while engaged in Homosexuality. Just like a thief can be saved while still a thief (or lier, or adulterer etc). But this same person CANNOT be safe in their salvation by finding it sufficient to continue in their sin… this person should QUESTION the Gospel they were given, for the Gospel requires…Belief in Christ which begets Confession & Repentance.

Christianity means “like-Christ.” Christ was perfect, something we will never be. But we are to emulate Him in all things. Christ was sinless, so we are to live a life away from sin, our old self.

The Bible shows us what it is to be a Christian. Combining your sin and compromising it into your faith, is not Christianity… no matter what there world says, like this quote from the article below:

To be gay and Christian at the same time can feel like conflicting identities, but a weeklong summer camp in Minnesota gives teens license to be both.

Such a thing cannot, should not, nor will exist in the Truth that Christianity offers.

No matter how much Herndon Davis writes, it is not possible to be “Black, Gay and Christian.” Davis call’s his book

 a Biblically-based, empowerment tool providing spiritual direction, motivational support and Christ-centered guidance on how to live proud, fully committed, prosperous lives as gay/lesbian Christians without having to change orientation or behavior.

If you do not find fault in that statement above, let me help you out.

Problem No. 1: “Biblically-based” is false. The Bible rejects Homosexuality. Its Sin.

No. 2: If you need an “empowerment tool, motivational support” for Being Gay and Christian outside of the Bible (rather than within), there is something wrong.

No. 3: Living “proudly” is un-biblical

No. 4: Living “prosperously” is Biblical, only when it concerns your Spiritual Welfare (nothing wrong with Being rich, but if you have to sin or ignore Christ to do it then there is another issue.)

No. 5: “without having to change orientation or behavior” - The Bible’s message & Christianity is about CHANGE! If you do not have to change, why become Christian?

- God Bless

(P.s.For those who have stated Homosexuality is not a sin: here is your Proof - READ AWAY) 

 I would like to thank babydali - in the notes below- for bringing my lack of “proof” that Homosexuality IS a SIN to my attention - i find it amazing that as an atheist, you wish to tell me what my own Bible/faith has stated.

Also thanks for reblogging! Unfortunately you had to cut out the explanation (everything after “Let me explain why”) which suites the world view which is ever so willing to ignore the truth. God Bless!