Daily Devotional for Saturday February 23, 2008

Former NBA Player Comes Out and A National Debate on Homosexuality Ensues

(1 Thessalonians 4:3; Genesis 18:16-19; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

One former NBA player "comes out," another former NBA star comments, and a national debate on homosexuality ensues! A retired journeyman NBA player, John Amaechi, told the world a few months ago that he was "gay." Of course, it is no surprise this big announcement coincided with the release of a book he had written about choosing to engage in homosexual acts and playing in the NBA. Guess it didn't make sense to make such an announcement until he could profit off of his choice to engage in deviant and unnatural sex.

In the wake of Amaechi's announcement, came the comments of another former NBA player, a true superstar in the league for many years, Tim Hardaway. Hardaway, a former player for the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, was being interviewed by a local Miami sports radio host, Dan LeBatard, who is also a columnist for the Miami Herald and writer for ESPN.com. It is important to note LeBatard's affiliation with ESPN since it is ESPN who is the publisher of Amaechi's book.

In the interview, LeBatard asked Hardaway how he would feel having a teammate who was "gay." Hardaway stated, "First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that's right. And you know I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that. You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

As soon as Amaechi made his big announcement, ESPN began asking every person affiliated with the NBA they interviewed their thoughts and comments on this issue. Everyone was very careful to give the typical cliched, politically correct answers. However, it was only a matter of time before they found someone to go off script and give them something "hot" that would help their book sales and Hardaway was that someone.

I don't want to get into the whole issue of professional athletes who choose to commit homosexual acts and all of the ramifications of having an openly homosexual on a pro sports team. Let the sports columnists pontificate on that aspect. I do want to look at what Hardaway said, and more importantly, look at the incredible national debate that ensued over the whole issue of homosexuality in general.

Hardaway foolishly gave LeBatard and ESPN exactly what they wanted, his honest opinion on having a teammate who engaged in homosexual acts. No doubt they are the same sentiments of the vast majority of professional athletes. Where Hardaway got into trouble was when he went on to say, "I hate gay people." It is unclear whether he wasn't articulate enough to say he hated the act of homosexuality or whether he really meant he hates gay people. That is something only God knows since He knows Hardaway's heart.

The fact is there is no such thing as a "gay person," only people who CHOOSE to engage in homosexual acts. The sins of a person who chooses to commit the sin of homosexuality are no worse or better than my sins or yours. We can hate the sinful act they choose to engage in, but we must love the person since Jesus died for their sins just like He died for my sins and yours. If Hardaway truly hates people who choose to commit this sin, he needs to get with the Lord and work that out of his heart. Pray for him and that God will help him to not love this sin, but love the person who chooses to commit this type of sin as we must love all people.

The real issue that I want to address today is the national debate that has taken place since Hardaway's comments. If you weren't sure how effective the pro-homosexual community has been over the last 20 years, you know now. They have effectively brainwashed this nation into accepting this deviant choice of sex between a man and a man or a woman and a woman as acceptable and on the same level as sex between a man and a woman. Not only does this nation now accept this choice as normal, those who speak out against it are branded as hate-mongers, intolerant, narrow-minded, homophobic, Bible-bangers, not evolved, and a host of other labels designed to degrade and silence them.

I have shared with you in the past, if you want to see how effective the brainwashing by the pro-homosexual community of the masses has been, simply go ask the kids in youth groups at any church what they think about this issue. You will be shocked to find the majority will give you the great lie that people are "born gay" and can't help it, that it is not for us to judge, and that if they "love each other," that is all that matters! Again, these are kids who attend the youth groups in our churches! They have grown up with the message that this is something people are born with, that 10% of the people are gay, and that it is a perfectly acceptable and even desirable lifestyle. That has been reinforced since their birth by the schools they attend and by the media.

The two greatest lies the pro-homosexual community has put out are that 1) homosexuality is something that you are "born with," 2) 10% or more in our society are homosexual. First, modern science has CLEARLY rejected and been unable to prove that ANYONE is "born gay." IT IS A CHOICE!!!! People are born black and white, with green eyes and blue eyes, you have no control over that. Taking your pants off to have sex is a CHOICE! The "struggle" people who choose this sin speak of is the same "struggle" we all have, to obey God or to sin! Also, all legitimate studies done by the non-homosexual community clearly show that less than 1% of the population EVER engage in this type of sexual sin.

When you condemn those who choose this sin, you are not judging them. God already did that when HE, not me, called homosexuality a sin from the beginning of the Bible to the end. A foolish argument from those who choose this sin is that "why would anyone choose something that brought them ridicule, condemnation, and the hatred of so many?" People make that choice every day! I deal with men and women daily who CHOOSE to commit adultery and destroy their marriage, lose the love and respect of their children, in many cases ruin their career. People who choose sin choose to deal with the consequences of their sin.

Another foolish question is, "When did you choose to be heterosexual?" You don't have to choose to be how God made you. However, you DO have to CHOOSE to engage in unnatural and unhealthy acts that God never intended you to engage in. You don't have to choose to be how God made you, you DO have to choose to live in rebellion to how God made you. Also, the "love" argument is equally as foolish., since it is an unnatural love God never intended. A pedophile could use that same argument, as could someone who is engaged in bestiality. You can't excuse sin by using a perverted form of love!

I love you and care about you so much. Theologically this is not even a debatable issue. All through the Bible, from the Old Testament through the New, homosexuality is defined by God as a sin. PERIOD. God calls it an ABOMINATION! I have heard the tortured theological arguments homosexuals have made, but there is absolutely NO WAY to change the fact this act is a sin. Just because there is now a homosexual version of the Bible where they have literally changed the passages that call this act a sin, that does NOT change God's inspired, inerrant Word.

The church better wake up and realize that while they have been building great buildings and getting fat, satan has been busy using the sin of homosexuality to destroy the lives of people who have bought into this lie. We live in a free society. If people who have chosen to engage in homosexual activity, want to have their own schools, their own churches, their own television network, they have every right to. It is about time the church wakes up and realizes that those who promote this sin are bold and are stopping at NOTHING to get their message out to the masses! They have done a great job of selling this lie since most in this nation now accept this deviant choice of sex as normal and acceptable!

THAT is why I am always talking about how the church, those who know Christ as their Savior, have got to quit preaching to the choir and start taking the hope and love of Christ to the world at large. We have got to be brave and bold enough to tell this lost world that homosexuality is a sin and will destroy them if they fall into this bondage! As those who follow Christ, we also have a responsibility to pray for those who are in this bondage, for God to open their hearts to the truth of His Word, and to turn from their sin. Only God can change hearts, and for those who are in bondage to the sin of homosexuality, we must pray for them to open their hearts and turn from their sin.

Until Jesus returns, we will always have those who choose a perverted form of sex with those of their own gender, just like we will always have those who choose to pervert sex by having it outside of the bonds of marriage. While we can never accept their choice since it is clearly against God's Word, we must pray for them, just like we must pray for everyone who is battling sin in their life.

For those reading this who are currently fighting homosexuality, let me tell you that God has never stopped loving you, and is simply waiting for you to turn from your sin and come back to Him. We serve a God of deliverance from sin, a God of forgiveness, and a God of restoration. Millions have turned from the sin of homosexuality and found complete restoration and fulfillment in living a life according to God's plan. What He did for someone else, He can do for you! I pray today that you hear these words, and choose to find freedom from your sin today. That freedom is only a prayer away!

Pray for John Amaechi. He is simply a lost soul who in some regards is being used by ESPN to exploit his sin for cash. He is the one whose life and soul are at stake if he continues to engage in this unnatural and perverted form of sex. Pray for this nation. Like the rest of the world, we have bought into the lie of homosexuality. I told you years ago it will only be a matter of time before it is illegal in this nation to preach against this sin -- simply using the Bible. That day is at hand. The nation has bought this lie hook, line, and sinker, and it will help to destroy us as it did Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Bible declares the TRUTH shall set them free. May we be brave enough and bold enough, despite the persecution to proclaim God's TRUTH about the sin of homosexuality!!!