Welcome friends to the Line of Fire. This is Michael Brown excited to spend another week with you as we stand together with you on the front lines here to infuse you with faith and truth and courage as we overcome in Jesus, as light shines in the darkness, as we function as the salt of the earth, the light of the world, hearts of compassion, backbones of steel. All this month we have been going through the scripture and talking practically about the church and LGBTQ issues and people.
What does the word say? How do we relate? How does the church function in the midst of the culture wars? We're going to do that for the rest of this week and answer so many practical questions. These are the questions that come up all the time.
These are the questions that you live with, your family lives with, single people, married people, young people, old people. This is the world in which we live. We can't stick our heads in the sand as if things have not changed.
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Just sign up on the homepage. When you do, we'll put you on our welcome tour, share more of my own testimony from LSD to PhD and just do our best to enrich you with the free resources that we have for you. This month, the textbook we're using, Always the Bible. And with that, Can You Be Gay and Christian Responding with Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality.
We covered so much ground. We spent so many days going through scripture that I want to give you a little summary once again, and then we're going to ask some practical questions in terms of the lives that we live, in terms of whether we should refer to someone as a gay Christian. The question of how we respond if a family member comes out and says, I'm gay, I'm lesbian, or I'm bisexual.
And what about meeting someone for the first time who identifies as transgender? How do we respond to that? Do we call them by their trans name? Do we use their original name, which is called deadnaming them?
Do we refer to someone by their biological sex, which is called misgendering them? How do we respond? What's a Christ-like thing to do? We're going to get through all of that this week on the broadcast. But to re-summarize for you again what the Bible says, I want to take you into a six-minute video that we did. If you watch it on the Line of Fire YouTube channel, six minutes animated in the style of PragerU, Can You Be Gay and Christian.
We played this early on, and then we went through the scripture, verses one after another after another in more depth. But to refresh you, and for those that are just tuning in, let's listen to this once again, six minutes long, Can You Be Gay and Christian. Can you be gay and Christian?
Well, if you claim to be a Christian, then Jesus is your Lord and the Bible is your authority. So the real question is, what does Jesus have to say about this? What does the Bible, God's word, have to say? Now, we know that every Christian struggles in some area, whether it be pride or anger or lust or jealousy or grief, but we also recognize that these desires and attitudes are sinful, saying no to them and yes to the Lord. In the same way, some Christians struggle with same-sex attractions, saying no to those attractions and yes to the Lord. But what about those who say God made me gay?
And if I'm in a committed relationship, then the Lord is pleased. After all, God is love and love wins. And what the Bible opposes is abusive relationships like homosexual pederasty and prostitution and promiscuity. That's what scripture condemns. But God blesses committed same-sex relationships.
Is this true? Well, let's look at what the Bible, God's word, has to say, starting at the beginning. There in Genesis 1, we learn that God creates the human race in his image, male and female, and blesses us with the ability to procreate. In other words, he designed us for heterosexuality. And it doesn't take the Bible or rocket scientists to figure that out. And it's true that there are heterosexual couples who are barren, but their relationship doesn't violate God's design. Then in Genesis 2, we see that God didn't want Adam, the first man, to be alone. So he decided to make him a suitable helper, not just a companion, but a helper.
Why? Because only with Eve would Adam be complete and able to reproduce. And how did he make Eve?
He took her out of Adam's rib or scythe, which is why Adam said that she would be called woman because she was taken out of man. And then note this, the scripture says that through marriage, the two become one. That's because they once were one, the woman taken out of the man. There's a unique complementarity between them, biologically and spiritually and emotionally.
That's why man plus man or woman plus woman can never equal man plus woman. In response, some gay theologians ask, well, if homosexuality is so important, why does the Bible mention it so infrequently? But you see, they're looking at this exactly the opposite way.
They're looking at it backwards. It's because God designed us for heterosexuality that there's so few references to homosexuality. In other words, every single reference in the Bible to marriage, family and relationships presupposes heterosexuality, as in the Ten Commandments, honor your father and mother. And Paul's directives to husbands and wives in a same sex relationship.
Who's the husband and who's the wife? Also, we note that there's not one single positive reference to homosexuality in the Bible, whereas every single reference to it is decidedly negative. As we move on to Leviticus, we see that there were some laws God gave Israel to keep them separate from the nations, like the dietary laws. And then there were other laws God gave that applied to all people, like do not murder. As for homosexual practice in Leviticus, God calls it detestable, and it doesn't get any less detestable if you do it over and over with the same person. When we come to the New Testament and the teaching of Jesus, he really didn't need to address this because first century Jewish teaching clearly forbade homosexual practice. But in three different ways, Jesus did address this. First, in Matthew 5, Jesus said that he didn't come to abolish the law of the prophets, but to fulfill.
And when it came to the moral laws of the Torah, he fulfilled them by taking them to an even higher standard. Second, in Matthew 15, Jesus taught that all sexual acts committed outside of marriage defiled. And then in Matthew 19, he taught that marriage, as God intended it from the beginning, was one man and one woman together for life. Coming to the teachings of Paul in Romans 1, we see that because of God's judgment on the human race, we were given over to idolatry and sexual promiscuity and homosexuality, with males and females exchanging natural sexual relationships for unnatural sexual relationships. And when Paul talks about natural sexual relationships, he's talking about natural as God created us in Genesis chapter 1. Then in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul says that those who willingly give themselves to homosexuality, along with a number of other sins, would not inherit the kingdom of God. And in fact, Paul's teaching is so clear that one lesbian scholar, Bernadette Bruton, says, I see Paul as condemning all forms of homoeroticism.
But Paul didn't stop there. He also wrote, that's what some of you once were, but God forgave you and transformed you. That's because Jesus died for homosexual sins the same way he died for heterosexual sins. As for the notion that Moses or Jesus or Paul didn't know about long-term committed same-sex relationships, the fact is they spoke and wrote by the inspiration of the Spirit. Not only so, but Jesus, the Son of God, could look into the heart of every human being. Surely he understood the struggles of someone with same-sex attractions, and yet he didn't affirm them where they were, he offered them transformation. Rather than put homosexual practice into a special category, as if it's the worst of all sins, or as if God is fine with it, put it where it belongs, like other sins but one for which Jesus died. And rather than finding your identity in your romantic attractions and sexual desires, find your identity in Jesus. That way, rather than interpreting the Scriptures through the lens of your sexuality, you can interpret your sexuality through the lens of the Scriptures. All right, I hope you found that helpful. Again, you can see it on the Line of Fire website, or just go on YouTube, type in Dr. Brown, Can You Began Christian, or at the Line of Fire website.
You can do the same thing. We're going to take a quick break, go over to the special announcement, and then as soon as we come back, we will start answering some of these practical questions together. I'm Paul Burnett, a board-certified doctor of holistic health. I have never met anyone deficient in caffeine or sugar, but I have met many people deficient in energy-supporting vitamin B12. Unlike other oral B12 supplements, Alfred Libby's Slow Dissolve Super B12 is fast-acting because the formula is scientifically developed to dissolve under the tongue, bypassing the digestive process, making it immediately available for use in the body. Alfred Libby's Slow Dissolve Super B12 is also formulated with other natural energy-supporting ingredients, such as folate, ginseng root, and other natural ingredients. You deserve to live with greater energy and mental clarity, and now, like millions of others, you can with Alfred Libby's Slow Dissolve Super B12, sold only by your wellness partner, TriVita. To order Alfred Libby's B12 for yourself, call 1-800-771-5584 or online at trivita.com. Order today and use promo code BROWN25 to receive 25% off your order. As a new customer, 100% of your order proceeds from your first order will go to support the Line of Fire radio broadcast.
Call 1-800-771-5584, 1-800-771-5584 or online at trivita.com. Thanks again for joining us on the Line of Fire. This is Michael Brown. It is my privilege and honor to stand with you and serve you and help equip you and infuse you with faith and truth and courage. Those are not empty words to us.
So let's break down some specific questions about terminology, about etiquette. What I'm seeking to do is share wisdom that I've acquired with 20 years of ministry in the area of, quote, gay Christianity or gay activism or LGBTQ plus issues. This is something God laid in my heart 20 years ago, called me to reach out and resist, reach out to the people with compassion, resist the agenda with courage. So you can just prayerfully consider this.
I can't give you chapter and verse on each of these issues because these are unique issues to our times. I can give you biblical principles and wisdom that, again, we have hearts of compassion, backbones of steel. Grace and truth come together. Jesus is filled with grace and truth. He's the embodiment of the Father in earthly form. The fullness of the deity dwells in him bodily. John 1.14 tells us the Word became flesh. Colossians 2.9, the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily. Hebrews 1 says he is the very shining fourth of the Father. So we see Jesus. We see the Father. We understand who God is. He's a God of love and truth. So we don't compromise the truth, but we don't water down the love.
How do we respond then? Should we use the term gay Christian or some even say queer Christian? Queer Christian is obviously pushing the envelope in various ways and it's only a small minority that would want to identify in that way and still say, hey, consider us evangelical brothers and sisters. Let's talk about those who hold to the fundamentals of the faith. They believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. They believe that salvation only comes through Jesus.
They believe that Jew or Gentile, black or white, young or old, male or female, all of us must come through the cross to be saved. And they believe the Bible prohibits homosexual relationships. In other words, God prohibits same-sex marriage and doesn't recognize it as marriage. God prohibits romantic and sexual acts between same-sex couples. The whole to all of that, they themselves are same-sex attracted. They themselves are same-sex attracted and they say no to it.
Jesus said if anyone would come after him, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. So they say no to the desires. They recognize the desires are wrong and sinful in God's sight. They recognize that unless God changes them, they will not have a romantic or sexual relationship.
So they're doing something tremendously commendable. They're actually saying, maybe they're 22 years old, and they're saying that I understand that the way I feel, the desires I have, are not in accordance with the will and desire of God. And therefore, I must say no to them and honor the Lord. And if that means being single all my life, then I will be single all my life, whatever it takes to honor the Lord. That's incredible. That's commendable.
That's honorable. I don't believe that God is staggered by it because he requires everything from all of us. He never promised us a husband or a wife or a good life in this world.
He promised us eternal life ultimately, and we may go through a lot of hardship in this world. But to me, as a heterosexual, just celebrating 48 years of marriage, you may be listening at a later time and it's even more, longer marriage. But as I'm speaking these words, yesterday just celebrated 48 years of marriage. Nancy and I met at 19. We were married two days shy of my 21st birthday.
She had just turned 21. So I've been happily married all these years with kids and grandkids. I've not been in your shoes. I've not had to make that choice that following Jesus might mean singleness, that following Jesus might mean not having a romantic relationship, that following Jesus might mean no sexual activity.
I did not have to make that choice. So those of you who said, if that's what it takes, I'm going to honor the Lord. God bless you. I honor you. I respect you. I'm standing with you. I'm here to help.
Now you might say, Dr. Brown, this is how I identify. I identify as a gay Christian. I identify as a gay Christian because I believe it's important that people understand that you can be gay and follow Jesus. I believe it's empowering to others. It's encouraging to others. I believe it's also an open confession on my end of potential weakness or temptation.
And this helps me to be open and vulnerable. And you may have other reasons for doing it, but those would be some of those reasons. And you might say that this could be a male Christian, a female Christian, an old Christian, a young Christian, and you're happy to be a gay Christian. With all respect, with all respect to your commitment to the Lord, with all respect to the fact that you're giving your heart, your mind, your body, your soul to Jesus, and saying, here I am, I belong to you, and I want to honor you with my body, with my mind, with my heart. With all respect to that, here's why I do not believe it's a good idea to put gay in front of Christian. Now, you might be someone who says, oh, no, no, you're misunderstanding the Bible. The Bible's outdated. We have a better understanding of scripture now. And some of the biblical authors were just writing as people of their time, so you say you're a gay Christian because you have rejected some of the authority of scripture.
I'm not speaking to you. I'm praying for you to really know the Lord and really repent and understand that God's word changes us. We don't change God's word. Having said all that, having said all that, to those of you who would put gay in front of Christian, you believe in Jesus the same way I do, here's why I want to urge you to reconsider.
Here's why I don't believe it is a good thing to do. Number one, we don't put other things in front of Christian having to do with our weakness, having to do with areas of temptation, having to do with aspects of the fall that still remain in our lives. For example, maybe you find you have a tendency to lust, heterosexual lust, and that's just, it's always in you.
It was in you when you were single, it's still in you when you're married, you're always looking at somebody else, you have to say no to it, but it doesn't just go away, that desire is there. You don't refer to yourself as a lustful Christian. Let's say you're a child of alcoholics, you're an alcoholic, now you're saved, and in your mind you're a recovering alcoholic but you're following Jesus.
That's just how you think. You don't say, I'm an alcoholic Christian. We can just go down the list, I'm a gossiping Christian, I'm a gambling Christian.
You don't put something in front of that. You say, Dr. Brown, you might say you're a Jewish Christian, of course to many Jewish people that's an oxymoron. The reason for saying that has nothing to do with sinful tendency. The reason for saying that is simply because in many people's minds you cannot be a Jewish person and follow Jesus at the same time. In the Jewish community they think, well you used to be Jewish, you're not Jewish anymore. You used to be Jewish and you're not anymore. That's why we refer to ourselves as Messianic Jews to try to make that even more plain. We're Jews and we follow Jesus. But I don't have to deny being a Jew, I am a Jew. Just like I don't have to deny being a man, I am a man.
And I find the fullness of what it means to be a Jew by following Jesus. When you say you're a gay Christian, you are now putting an aspect of the fallen human nature before the reality of new life in Jesus. You are choosing to make that part of your very identification as opposed to being a new creation and you're not who you used to be. Better to say I'm a follower of Jesus and I struggle with same-sex attraction rather than make that part of your identity. In fact, in centuries past there was not even a clear identity in many circles of being homosexual as much as the activity of a man who would be with a man or a woman who would be with a woman sexually and or romantically. That was the definer, the idea of you are gay. This is something that in more recent decades has really become a way of speaking to people. It's a way of trying to piggyback on the civil rights movement. Gay is the new black, trans is the new black.
We talked about that. It's also a way that puts you in a certain status, a separated status within the body. Different than everybody else who is just a follower of Jesus or a Christian. And it can unnecessarily draw people together who struggle in the same area. Rather than help each other, you can open the door to temptation and a wrong pull. Better to recognize when we say can you be gay and Christian. If that means can you practice homosexuality and follow Jesus at the same time, obviously not. If it means can you follow Jesus while struggling with same-sex attraction, you can follow Jesus while struggling with all kinds of things. But the truth will set you free.
Those things will not have the mastery over you, you'll have mastery over them. And also by saying you're a gay Christian, you deny the possibility that God could change you. And I know lots of ex-gays and they're on all different spectrums. Some were miraculously touched by God and lost their same-sex attraction and found themselves opposite sex attracted. I know others that found themselves attracted to the person they married, just that. That's the one they're attracted to. Others found it diminishing in their same-sex attraction to the point that they could have a healthy heterosexual relationship. Not entirely free, but healthy enough to be able to do it. And then others still find themselves same-sex attracted, say no to it, and are leaving satisfied single lives.
Why put yourself in a category where you can't think of changing because this is part of your identity? So I strongly urge you to reconsider while commending you for wanting to honor the Lord with your heart, your life, and your body. Okay, this is Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks so much for tuning in. Just a reminder that we are listener supported. If we have been a blessing to you, if you're being enriched in the Word and prayer and your own walk with God through this broadcast, then stand with us so that we can reach many, many more and bless many, many more. Together, friends, we're making a difference. So go to TheLineOfFire.org, TheLineOfFire.org, and click donate.
