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Saturday, August 28, 2010
Episode 6 :: Question 6 on Homosexuality
9:01 AM | Posted by
St. Burnish
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| Pastor Chris Oyakhilome |
Question 6—Winnie (USA): I would like to ask concerning homosexuality? What does God say about the lesbians and gay people? Is it God who made people to be like that, because psychology tells us that some of those people are born bisexual and their sexual intercourse, abnormal?
Answer 6: Alright. Let me read. I have several scriptures to read to you, and this would be very instructive. The first one would be from Romans 1: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. [Romans 1:20]” Now, what this is saying is this, that the invisible things of God can be understood by visible things around us. In other words, you look at natural things of life and you can have an idea what God’s real will is and how to interpret spiritual things—some spiritual things. Alright! Now, verse 21: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [Romans 1:21]” Now, notice he’s talking about a certain group of people who rejected God in their minds. I want you to notice what it says. Verse 22: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause. [Romans 1:22-26]” I want to read to you, just in case you are wondering how to put these people in perspective—who he’s talking about. I want to read verse 18 to you. It says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; [Romans 1:18]” It’s talking about people who God is angry with because of their behavior. It says they hold truth in unrighteousness. They know the truth, but they are not acting accordingly. He says, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it unto them. So, they are without excuse. Alright, now go back to verse 24: “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature [Romans 1:24-26]”. Notice what it says about the women; they changed the natural use into that which is against nature. What’s he saying? You will get a glimpse of it when we read the next part: “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet”[Romans 1:27]. You see that? That’s homosexuality.
It says, the women left the natural use and went after that which is against nature. He’s referring to women and women. Then it says, “likewise [just like them] the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error.” So, it’s an error. So, God is saying it is wrong. Verse 28: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; [Romans 1:28]” Let me read to you God’s mind about this thing right from the Old Testament. Leviticus 20:13: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” That’s God’s thinking. See, He says if a man also shall lie with man as he does with a woman, it says both of them have committed an abomination. It tells you that God always kicked against this thing. It was never natural at any time. God always kicked against it.
Let me read Deuteronomy to you. Deuteronomy 23: 17: “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.” In the same way that he condemned a whore, he condemned a sodomite. A sodomite is a homosexual – a gay [person] - that’s what he’s saying. 1 Corinthians 6 from verse 9: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate”, [mark effeminate], “nor abusers of themselves with mankind”. He says these shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Effeminate is talking about those who are womanish; he’s talking about boys – guys - who act like women and are used as though they are females by their male counterpart. So, those are the members of the gay community that act like women. They are effeminate and then the next one, it says: “…nor abusers of themselves with mankind”. That’s homosexuals. Newer versions will tell you that’s homosexuals. It says they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. I think that that’s really strong.
So, God didn’t make them to be like that, and it is not a deformity of some kind. It is a mental deformity rather than a physical problem. And, if you have a problem with homosexuality, you need prayer. You need that devil to be cast out of you, cast out of your mind, because it’s devilish; it’s demonic. It’s an oppression of the mind. You need to reject it and not to accept it. Don’t have an explanation for it. From the scriptures I’ve read to you, God is absolutely against it. So don’t explain it away.
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Episode 6 :: Question 5 on Jesus Christ and Speaking in Tongues
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| Pastor Chris Oyakhilome |
Question 5—Robson (South Africa): Why did Jesus not speak in tongues when he was on earth?
Answer 5: Okay. There are two important reasons. The first one is that speaking in tongues was reserved for the New Testament. It was designed to be a sign of the arrival of the Holy Spirit to begin his full ministry in the earth. Now, you have to understand that even though the Holy Spirit functioned in the Old Testament with certain people—there are people who were anointed by the Holy Spirit; they had the presence of the Holy Spirit with them—his full ministry had not taken off so he functioned behind the Father in the Old Testament. And when Jesus came, Jesus received the Holy Spirit; he was full of the Holy Spirit but the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the earth - the full ministry of the Holy Spirit - had not taken off. And so, speaking in tongues at this time had not been given. It was not given to Jesus nor to the prophets of old, because it was to be a sign of the fulfillment of the prophesy of the Holy Spirit’s coming, and he hadn’t come. Jesus said, “I will pray the father;” he said, “when I go to heaven I will pray the father and He shall send you another comforter, even the spirit of truth” [John 14: 16-17], talking about the Holy Spirit. So, the Holy Spirit had not been sent even though Jesus had the Holy Spirit. He said he would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit. So, though he had the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit had not been sent to carry out his full ministry and so when he came to carry out his full ministry, the sign of his full presence in the earth had to be given to us and speaking in tongues is that sign.
Now, I will read to you from 1 Corinthians 14 from verse 21: “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. [22] Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. [1 Corinthians 14:21-22]" So you can see that tongues are for a sign to them that believe not, so that they would know. What sign is it? It is for them to know that the Holy Spirit has come to begin His ministry, and He is here. So, when you hear someone speaking in tongues, you know that what he said, “In the last day, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;” [Joel 2: 28]. Now, before that prophesy, the Spirit was only given to certain people. Now, the Holy Spirit has come to the earth and everyone can receive the Holy Spirit, who obeys God. The bible says, “He gives the Holy Spirit to them that obey him. [Acts 5:32]” So, you obey the gospel and you receive the Holy Spirit, and you will speak in other tongues.
The second reason that Jesus didn’t speak in tongues was that speaking in tongues was for the believers’ edification - the believer’s building, self-building of the Christian - and this was not what Jesus needed, because Jesus did not require to build himself. He was the Word made flesh. He didn’t require to build; no, He didn’t need that. Remember something that they said that Jesus knew all things having never learned. They never knew Jesus to go to any school, and yet, He knew all things. Where did He know from? Not from any school. The bible says [that] they knew He never learned, and yet, He had all information, because He was the embodiment of all knowledge [John 7:15]. So, he didn’t receive the Holy Spirit for the same reasons that we receive the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit, because He is the one to make us children of God. But, Jesus was born the son of God and then He needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to carry out ministry. And, we need, not only the empowerment, but first we have to be made the sons of God. So, there is a difference between us - how we had to receive Holy Spirit and how Jesus had to receive the Holy Spirit.
Now that we have received the Holy Spirit, what accompanies salvation is required of us and that’s why we have to be built continually through that power of the Holy Spirit; that, Jesus did not require. So, we need to speak in tongues. Let me read that to you. 1 Corinthians 14 says, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church” [1 Corinthians 14:4]. This is, specifically, a New Testament blessing. Not even the Prophets of Old had this and there is a reason for that. They were not people who were born of the Spirit; they didn’t require this. They were not made Sons of God in the Old Testament; they couldn’t have, because Jesus had not come. So, always remember Jesus occupied a very different class. You know, He was not an ordinary man; He occupied a very different class. So, though we are born again and we have been brought into His class as to having the same nature with Him, remember Jesus Christ is the son of God and co-equal with God. We are sons of God but not could equal with God.
Episode 6 :: Question 4 on Studying the Bible & Christians Raising the Dead
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| Pastor Chris Oyakhilome |
Question 4—Eric (Ghana): My question is how do I study or learn the bible? Will I have to open from Genesis and start reading all the verses and keeping them in mind? Also, as Christians, do we have the power to raise the dead?
Answer 4: I will answer your second question first. Yes, we have the power to raise the dead. Jesus says to us, “heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead:” [Matthew 10:8]. So, we can raise the dead. He gave us the power to do it. He gave us power over death.
But here, the first part of your question says, “How do I study or learn the bible? Will I have to open from Genesis and start reading all the verses and keeping them in mind?” There are different ways to study the bible, and the several ways are all important. My suggestion would be, first, that you get a hold of our Rhapsody of Realties and in it we have designed for you a very simple way — simple method of studying the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation through the year. So, in one year, you can actually cover the bible. And, we have an option: a two-year program, so you can read it from Genesis to Revelation following the portions that we recommend every day and in two years you can cover the whole bible.
Now, while that is going on, you can study the bible in several different ways that will help you learn many things quickly, because you don’t really have to study it from Genesis to Revelation to get to know some of the things you need to know. Now, how are you going to do this? Every time you listen to God’s word preached or taught like you are listening now, there are references that are given from the scriptures. Go back to those references and study them. When you study them, they will become a part of you, because you can immediately identify them and link them with certain topics that were discussed. Every time a character in the bible is mentioned, go to the bible, study that character; find out more of what the bible says about that character - that personality that is described for you in scripture. It will help you also learn about that one; and so, you can make several personal studies like this through listening to God’s word being preached or taught. And then also, when you study books, you would get references like this. Then you go back and make your own diligent search — diligent study - and that’s the way you get to learn so much from the bible before you finish reading from Genesis to Revelation. Even when you finish reading from Genesis to Revelation one time, it’s not enough; you have to keep studying like this.
Episode 6 :: Question 3 on Christians 'Hanging Around' Unbelievers
Question 3—Catherine (South Africa): Dear Pastor, is it wrong for a born again Christian to hang around with old friends who are not born again?
Answer 3: Well, 'hang-around' is what I would like to look at more clearly. When you give your heart to Christ, you become a member of the kingdom of God. And, you become his representative, and you are expected to reach your old friends who haven’t known Jesus. So you’ve got to reach them. You have to go back to them and share the word of God with them. You’ve got to minister the word to them; you are the Lord’s representative to your old friends. The difference is, you cannot fellowship with them. See, you may move among them for the purpose of witnessing to them, but you really can’t fellowship with them anymore, because you have a new set of values. Your life has changed. Especially when you are just beginning, you have to distance yourself to a large extent, because you want to separate yourself from those influences that they have had and you also had before. Now you have a new life; you are the light. While shining the light on them and to them, you have to walk a different route. So, that’s what it’s all about. Fellowship, you cannot have with them but contacts with them, yes, you will maintain, because you seek to reach them. So, your new friendship has to be redefined or your friendship with them has to be redefined.Watch the full episode 6 [June 30, 2010] video here!
Episode 6 :: Question 2 on the Kingdom of God Versus the Kingdom of Heaven
Question 2—George (Ghana): Dear Pastor, I thank God for your life. I want to know the difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven?
Answer 2: Alright, the kingdom of God is all of the Kingdom of God, in heaven and in earth. It has to do with the realm of God, where God’s presence extends - His rule, His reign, all of His realm - and it covers everywhere in the world and in the heavens. But then, the kingdom of heaven, even though it’s called the kingdom of heaven actually operates in the earth. It is God’s extension by Jesus Christ to the world. It is the kingdom that Jesus Christ came to set up in the earth; it is headed by Jesus. The kingdom of God is headed by the Father, but the kingdom of heaven is headed by Jesus. It is that kingdom that he came to the earth to set up, of which we are a part. It’s like a missionary organization - a missionary kingdom - in the earth to lead people into the kingdom of God. And so, He has come to establish His kingdom here in the earth. So, that is said about Jesus. And, when you study the scriptures, especially in St. Mathews Gospel [or] the synoptic gospels - Matthew, Mark and Luke - you would notice these terms are used interchangeably though, but there are specific differences that’ll help you to understand what I have just told you.
Episode 6 :: Question 1 on the Importance of Child Dedication
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| Pastor Chris Oyakhilome |
Introduction: Hello, I want to welcome to today’s program. I believe God will answer your questions and bless you in a very special way today.
Question 1—Saint (Namibia): Pastor, can you please explain to me what dedication is all about and how important it really is. As a born again Christian, why is it important to get your children dedicated?
Answer 1: St. Luke’s gospel Chapter 2 from verse 22. Now the scriptures don’t directly instruct us on that but give us clear guidance on what to do. From verse 22, “And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; [Luke 2:22]” Now it’s talking about Jesus Christ when he was a baby and just a few days old. The bible says, when Mary’s days of purification were ended, she brought her baby to Jerusalem according to the Law of Moses. They brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Verse 23: “(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) [Luke 2:23]" Now, what this means is that in the law of Moses, God had said that when a child was born as the first child [really the male], he said he should be brought to the house of God, should be brought to the Lord as an offering to the Lord. Now, the woman also had her offerings to give, according to the law, at the end of the days of purification; that was why Mary had to do this. So, you notice that there were two things here. First was Mary’s own condition and then, the child had to be brought to the Lord. Now, that was in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, we all belong to God. Now, notice that this child was to be brought to the Lord as an offering to the Lord, because the Lord said, every man-child that opened the womb belonged to Him. Now, the other children belonged to the parents; so, God made a choice. But we all are now in Christ. Now, if that child that was chosen by the Lord, being the first child, had to be brought to the Lord to be presented to the Lord formally, it just explains why we do it. We all now belong to the Lord. Every child, whether the first or the second or the last, every child that is born of a Christian should be brought to the house of the Lord to be presented to the Lord, because now it’s not just the first child or the man-child that opens the womb but everyone of us that is chosen of God. We all belong to him now and that’s why we do it.
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