The Episcopalian Church in America is considering appointing an openly "gay" bishop. Gene Robinson is a divorce man with two children, but for the last 14 years he has been living with a male partner. During this time, he has been serving as a preacher and accepted by the majority of the members.

Recently the Supreme Court of the United States, by a vote of six to three, stroke down Sodomy laws as unconstitutional. The laws of twelve states will be overturned. Some believe that this is opening the door for the recognition of homosexual marriages in the United States. Since this decision, according to the polls, support for homosexual marriages has declined. There has been some backlash to this decision.

The President of the USA, George Bush, said that he supported the concept that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. The White House has lawyers working on laws to codify that definition of marriage. The Pope is urging world leaders to resist the call for laws to approve of homosexual marriages.

The sin and perversion of homosexuality is nothing new. As early as the sixth century BC, an island in the Aegean Sea was named Lesbos by the Greeks due to so many lesbians there. (The World Evangelist, "God and Gay Guys and Gals," editorial by Basil Overton, August 1976, 2.) Of course, earlier than that, as far back as Genesis 19, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God because they were homosexuals and lesbians there.

I want to give eight serious consequences of practicing homosexuality.

If we were all persuaded to accept the practice of homosexuality, it would still be wrong. How many people believe or practice it has nothing to do with its acceptance with God. Ever since the Kinsey report of the 1950s, there has been a debate over how many people in the USA are gay. Some claim that as many as 10%. Others argue that the number is more like 1-2%. Such a debate is useless in determining whether it is good for society and approved of God.

"Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." (Exodus 23:2.) "Enter you in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7:13-14.)

Some seem to think that there is a difference between homosexuals who are in "a faithful committed relationship" and homosexuals who are not. Whether one is a "faithful homosexual" or an "unfaithful one" does not make any difference before God. Either practice, a monogamous, polygamous, serial or occasional homosexual, is sinful. One is not to be preferred before the other! A serious consequence of homosexual behavior is that it is sinful before God.

If we were all persuaded to live the homosexual life style, human life would end with this generation. It is obvious that homosexuals, men with men and women with women, cannot reproduce. For them to have children and look like a family, they have to adopt children from those who live together as man and wife.

The heterosexual union is necessary for procreation and the continuance of the human race. Homosexual unions are not necessary and would doom the human family. Think about it---every adult man and woman cannot embrace the homosexual worldview and lifestyle. To do so would bring the generations of men to an immediate end.

There is no ambiguity, difficulty, and uncertainty from God’s Word about this subject. Every time in Scripture where the subject is discussed, homosexuality is condemned. There is not the slightest hint of its approval or acceptance with God. There are no extenuating circumstances or situations that might make it right. There is no defense for it on the grounds that it is genetic and not really the responsibility of the person. It is described as an abomination and sinful before God bringing forth the wrath of God.

"Thou shalt lie with mankind as with womankind. It is an abomination." (Leviticus 19:22.) "If a man also lie with mankind as he lies with a woman both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13.) "For this cause God gave them up to vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another. Men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet." (Romans 1:26-27.)

The reason a church like the Episcopalian Church can ordain a homosexual bishop is because it has already rejected the Bible as God’s inerrant, revealed Word to mankind. If one sees the Bible as a production of men, as old traditions of the past needing an update to match modern society, as an evolved book, one will not respect what the Bible says on any subject. That church earlier disregarded God’s Word concerning the appointment of women as preachers of the Gospel. (1 Cor. 14:34, 1 Tim. 2:12-15.)

The wise man, Solomon, wrote, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34.) Any sin continued in is an abomination before God, but there is something especially destructive about homosexuality. All unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17.) But homosexuality destroys the home and the very fabric of a sound society. God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of this sin. Rome that practiced homosexuality widely even among its Caesars fell under the judgment of God. So also will our nation fall if we continue to disregard morality and purity of life. If we reject God, He will reject us.

Many churches, even those who call themselves "Christian Churches," have long ago rejected the belief that God created all things in the beginning. They have accepted the theory of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. Others have accepted a compromise position called "theistic evolution."

The homosexual community wants all of us to regard the practice of homosexuality as "natural." Yet the Bible calls it unnatural. "For even their women did change the natural use into that which is unnatural." (Romans 1:26.) But why do homosexuals call the practice "natural." They do so because they claim that the animal kingdom practices homosexuality. Brian McNaught, in his video "On Being Gay," said that homosexuality is found in every species of mammal, from the sea horse to the baboon, whether in captivity or in the wild." (American Family Journal, October 1994, 10.) There is clearly not true. Some among the animals also practice cannibalism and killing their young. Should humans act like animals? Some animals are monogamous. They are more faithful than some humans are.

Some humans practice homosexuality because of our fallen sinful state. It is not due to evolution or our kinship with the animals.

"Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." (1 Peter 2:11.) "For the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. These are contrary to one another so that you cannot do the things that you would." (Galatians 5:17.) All sins war against the soul. But the homosexual community is not willing to acknowledge that homosexual is sinful. They are seeking the approval of churches for their behavior. Even if all of the churches approved, it does not mean that God approves of it.

Sins continued in without repentance will destroy a person spiritually. There are severe consequences to living a life of sin. If we allow the sinful flesh to thrive and prosper, the spirit will die. If we want the spirit to live and prosper, we must put to death the lusts of the flesh. (Romans 6:7-18.)

There are many things that can harm us psychologically. Cultic religions can so twist the mind that professional counseling may be needed to help the person back to a normal life. But true Christianity never harms the person embracing it. When we devote our lives to Christ, we are made whole in Him. (Colossians 2:10.) Any religion which seeks to take away your personality or rob you of your possessions is not of God. God does not really need anything that we have. He owns the world. But we need much from God. In fact, we are totally dependent upon him. God wants us to be happy and whole.

Homosexuality and any other sins do not help to make us mature and complete as humans. They hinder our growth and maturity. God does not forbid anything that is good and wholesome for us. He forbids the things that seek to destroy and harm us. We are sexual beings, male and female. God made us that way so that we could be united with a mate suited for us. Males with males and females with females is not suitable or wholesome. It is a perversion. Those who practice such perversions will need professional and divine help to overcome those practices. God is forgiving and ready to receive all who repent and come to Him by faith.

(1 Cor. 6:9-11.)