Rightly dividing the Word of Truth

(An Article I wrote for My Church's Newsletter)

(John Macarthur's Sermon "What God Thinks Of Homosexuals" was used in preparation for this article)

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

To the surprise of many, there are homosexual “churches” across this nation. To our surprise, these “churches” are in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and the Tri-cities. One is also in Cookeville, TN. These “churches” are called Metropolitan Community “Church”. Here is their mission statement:

“We call people to new life through the loving example of Jesus Christ, to create a community of healing and reconciliation and to confront injustice through Christian social action and liberation. Although we are a Christian church founded by lesbians and gay men, we are open to all. We believe that God's grace transcends all boundaries of dogma, doctrine, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, ability, and all forms of prejudice and bigotry.

Following Jesus' example, we see the mission of the Metropolitan Community Church of Knoxville in three parts--to love God, ourselves, and each other. In that light, then, we set out our vision as a diverse community of believers who assemble for worship, music, prayer, confession, communion, absolution, and ser- vice. We provide a safe and affirming place for teaching, learning, and fostering community involvement, political action, and evangelism. In addition, we provide a special ministry to the underserved gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered communities.”
-Found at www.mccknoxville.org

A former associate pastor for a Metropolitan Community Church in California said that their greatest evidence for God’s blessing on homosexuality is the fact that God blessed the homosexual relationship of David and Jonathon.

Friend, this may be one of the dumbest statements ever to come out of a pagan’s mouth. This man and every homosexual “Christian” have done nothing less than butcher God’s Holy Word, so as to make it say something that it does not, nor ever intended to say. The picture is that of a rape. They have forced themselves on Scripture, had their way with it, and left it bleeding in the gutter. Also, those who respect them, witness this, and follow suite.
Let us now examine the relationship of Jonathon and David…

1 Samuel 18:1 says, “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” said that this was the beginning of a homosexual relationship between David and Jonathon. (Scroll down on this Knoxville homosexual "church's" website for a brief summary of this belief, as well as other examples. http://www.mccknoxville.org/BeingChristian.htm )

2. The truth is that this verse should be the norm for every Christian. What is the second greatest commandment? Mark 12:31 says, “The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." We are to love our neighbors “as our own soul”. Can you see where this Scripture has been wrongly handled?

1 Samuel 18:4 says, “And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.”

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” says that this is the first homosexual act.

2. During the time that this happened, it was a great sign of friendship to give one, one’s clothing and armor. Can you see where the Scripture was wrongly handled in this verse?

1 Samuel 19:1 says, “And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.”

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” said that delighted, in this verse, implies sex relations.

2. The truth is that there is not one place in Scripture where delighted refers to anything sexual. What it does refer to is the joy of the heart in a relationship of love. Can you see where the Scripture was wrongly handled in this verse?

1 Samuel 20:3 says, “But David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” said that favor (or grace) here, refers to Saul knowing that Jonathon and David were homosexuals. He says that Saul was an evil man, and the fact that he was against his son’s homosexuality, validates his evilness even more.

2. The truth is that grace never refers to homosexuality. To say that this verse implies homosexuality is to pull it out of the air, for it is nowhere in this verse. Can you see where the Scripture was wrongly handled here?

1 Samuel 20:30 says, “Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?”

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” said that Saul is angry with Jonathon in this verse because Jonathon has chosen David and become a homosexual.

2. The truth is that Saul is angry because his son Jonathon had befriended the future king. Jonathon had become a traitor to the royal family. Can you see where the Scripture was wrongly handled here?

1 Samuel 20:41 says, “And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most.”

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” said that this was a sexual act between Jonathon and David. The rest is pornographic writing.

2. The truth is that there was a great sorrow here. The kissing was cheek to cheek, and during this time, everybody and their brother did this. If we had to leave everything behind because the most powerful man in the nation was seeking our lives, would we not be weeping? Would we not show affection to the ones we were leaving behind, especially to the one who had went against his father, become our best friend, and helped to keep us alive? Can you see where the Scripture has been wrongly handled here? There is a New Testament example of this in Acts 20, when the elders come and weep with Paul.

2 Samuel 1:26 says, “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.”

1. This homosexual associate “pastor” abuses this verse to say that David and Jonathon were homosexuals.

2. The truth is that there is something unique about a true friendship between two men or two women. I’ve got some true friends, and I believe that regardless how close my wife and I get, it cannot replace the true friendship that I have with my friends. Regardless how close my wife and I become, she is still a woman and I’m still a man. Can you see where this verse has been mishandled?

Throughout this lesson, we have learned how heresy can be brought forth whenever Scripture is wrongly handled. The homosexual “Christians” are no more Christians than the fornicator who loves his fornication, or the liar who loves telling untruth, or the adulterer who loves his adultery, or the drunk who loves his drunkenness, etc. If homosexuals are going to start churches for homosexuals, then let the liars start churches for liars, the murderers for the murderers, the drunkards for the drunkards, etc. Having never turned from homosexuality, how can they ever turn to God? Without repentance, there can be no saving faith.
So church, let us identify the wrong handling of Scripture.

But, let us love the homosexuals as Christ has loved us. For without Christ, our part would be with them in the lake of fire. So, let us seek the souls of the homosexuals, the drunkards, the murderers, and all the other lost, for if we handle Scripture properly, then we know that this is commanded of us (Matthew 28:19+20). I love you church.