Introduction:

A. It is important for sound brethren to pay attention to trends in the denominational world, because weaker congregations seeking to be more like them often follow those trends.

1. Institutionalism is a denominational trend brethren have followed.
2. The “Social Gospel” practices we see were started in the denominational realm.
3. Things such as missionary societies, women leaders, and the sponsoring church ideas are also denominational ideas employed by brethren.
4. This movement of allowing homosexuals to live in sin, participate actively in worship, lead, and not 
  disciplined is sure to fit hand in hand with the Shelly, Lucado, Maxey, left wing grace covers all kind 
groups.
5. It may also find it’s way into the “accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative” groups among us today (notice how the fifteen step guide listed below would work just well among those who stand for nothing and fall for everything).

B. When we speak of the denominational world we are speaking of those whom have started their own church, not the Lord’s church.

1. I.E. Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Episcopalian Church, Presbyterian Church, Baptist Church, Methodist Church, Mormon Church, Jehovah’s Witness, etc…
2. The true church of Christ follows the doctrine of her head and founder who was for a time made like a man, but eternally much more (Matthew 16:18).

C. There is a trend in the denominational world to change what God has written so far as Homosexuality is concerned:

1. Gene Robinson up for election in the Episcopalian church to be a bishop in New Hampshire as of June 7th, 2003. 

a. With many opposed to his appointment Robinson tells CNN on Tuesday the 10th of June that this movement is no different than putting women into leadership roles.  He said there are verses in the Bible that speak against that as well.  He then adds that the church is changing things. 
b. He is basically arguing that they have broken God’s law on allowing women to serve (I Corinthians 11:1; 14:34-35, and I Timothy 2:11-12), therefore it is no harm to do it again.
c. Consider these individuals trying to be “bishops” (Bible term for elders) and how they could be considered the husband of one wife (I Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6)? 

2. October 1, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) – “This summer, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Ames, Iowa, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), unanimously voted to keep Steven Sabin as pastor, though he divorced his wife and is living in a homosexual relationship with his live-in male "lover." Sabin said he realized he was gay in 1990 and divorced his wife of ten years. In 1992 he began to date a man from San Francisco, and in 1995 they began to live together.”
3. Sunday June 24th, 2001 at the Woodland Park United Methodist Church, the Rev. Mark Williams is accepted to remain there after announcing he is a homosexual.
4. March 2002 this report appears on the web: (http://www.pastornet.net.au/fwn/2002/mar/news.html) 
“When a Denver United Church of Christ pastor Scott Landis announced he was leaving his wife and three children to pursue a homosexual lifestyle, the congregation gave him a standing ovation, according to a recent report in the “Denver Post.” In 1999, the church voted to approve same-sex union ceremonies in the church. Landis is not the first openly homosexual pastor to preach at this church. In 1999, the church hired openly homosexual pastor Rev. O. Elaine Hinnant to serve. The United Church of Christ allows openly homosexual pastors to preach.”
5. 2001 WorldNetDaily.com July 1, 2001 By Julie Foster – “At the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly this month, delegates from across the country and around the world voted to remove the ban on ordination of homosexuals, sending shock waves throughout the denomination.”
6. I found this on a web site: See handout on 15 Ways to Get Your Denomination to Ordain Homosexuals -  http://www.indwes.edu/tuesday/homo.htm  - Consider these scriptures with those points (II Timothy 2:23, Ephesians 4:14, I Corinthians 14:33, Matthew 19:9, Ephesians 4:17-24, Romans 6:1-8; 17-23, Galatians 5:19-21, and Romans 16:17-18).

D. This falls in line with the acceptance of homosexual marriages in the world:

1. June 10th, 2003 Toronto Ontario Canada started handing out marriage licenses to same sex couples (http://www.canoe.ca/NationalTicker/CANOE-wire.Ont-Gay-Marriage.html)
2. A recent bill was signed by Gov. Schweiker that protects homosexuals against “ethnic intimidation” (http://papress.state.pa.us/ctc/data/20021204.001.htm). 
3. Vermont does not allow same sex marriages, but they allow same sex “unions” just as does the province of Quebec, Canada.  Think about that terminology. 

E. Our lesson is going to ask the questions needed to be asked on this topic:

1. Can popular opinion change what God has issued as law?
2. What law has God issued concerning homosexuality?
3. If civil law allows same sex marriages, must the church also recognize same sex marriages as Biblically correct?

A. Man cannot direct himself:

1. Proverbs 14:12 
2. Jeremiah 10:23 

B. God has supplied us with what we need to walk properly:

1. Deuteronomy 29:29 
2. Psalms 119:105 
3. II Timothy 3:16-17
4. II Peter 1:3 

a. There is but one law giver with the power to save and destroy (James 4:12). 
b. The law of the Lord is the complete law of liberty (James 1:25). 

C. God's law is not to have additions or subtractions to it:

1. Deuteronomy 4:2 
2. Deuteronomy 12:32 
3. Proverbs 30:5-6 
4. Galatians 1:6-12
5. James 2:10 
6. Revelation 22:18-19 

A. God has shown that man is for woman and woman is for man:

1. Genesis 2:19-24
2. Matthew 19:3-5 
3. I Corinthians 7:2 
4. Man & man or woman & woman changes the order of all things God has provided concerning marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33).

B. God has clearly stated the sinfulness of homosexuality:

1. Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-19:27).  Abraham pleaded with God to save the city if 50 down to 10 righteous were found there.

a. Notice Genesis 19:4-17
b. II Peter 2:6 
c. Jude v. 7 

2. Leviticus 18:22 
3. Leviticus 20:13 
4. CROSSDRESSING is even covered: Deuteronomy 22:5 
5. Romans 1:26-27 

A. Christians are commanded to obey civil government, with one exception

1. Obey civil law… (Romans 13:1-5 and I Peter 2:13-16).
2. Unless civil law conflicts with divine law (Acts 4:13-21; 5:26-29).

B. Christians must stand and preach against sin (of which homosexuality is) regardless of the law:

1. II Timothy 4:2
2. Acts 20:26-27

C. The church cannot change doctrine; the church must obey the doctrine of Christ

1. Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23).
2. The church must follow the words of Christ (John 12:48).

A. The time has come and still is when they will not endure sound doctrine (II Timothy 4:3-4).
B. The world’s popular opinion does not change God’s revealed truth (I Corinthians 3:18-19).
C. If we be followers of Christ we will be sure to stand on the unpopular side of this and other issues (Luke 6:26).