The Word of God and the Born-again Believer

The Word of God and the Born-again Believer

One of the foundational basics in Covenant relationship with Christ is our attitude toward God’s word. It must be a vital part in that relationship. In a vibrant healthy relationship with God we must consider His view of things in our life as most important. We need to develop our opinion of topics and subjects by finding out what the Bible says about them. It is the same with sin, we study to find out what God’s word says about it and we believe it. If our opinion is different from what the Bible says, we need make a quality decision to reject any natural opinion and accept God’s word as the final authority about that issue in life. We are to do that because Jesus is our life, our Master, and we are in Covenant relationship with Him. Whatever He says is right. This process may sound to some like brainwashing, and in one sense they are correct; it is brainwashing. As Christians we need to have our brains cleansed from the way the natural man thinks. Scripturally, it is a process called “renewing” the mind, in Romans 12:2.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

The bottom line is God doesn’t think like us and we, as natural human beings, don’t think like Him. Isaiah 55:8, 9 reveals that quite clearly.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

In order for us to find out what God thinks about something, we need to look in His Word, and then change our thoughts to match His.

The Scriptural reasons for this are abundant. Psalm 119:128 says, “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right;…” Most people don’t see what that verse is saying. Most will look at that verse and say, “What ever God’s word says about anything is right.” Although that is true, that is not what this verse is saying. What the writer is saying is, “I ESTEEM all thy precepts concerning all things to be right.” The writer is telling us his GODLY, SUBMISSIVE, and COVENANTAL ATTITUDE toward God’s word. Folks, as Christians, in Covenant relationship with God, we need to accept God’s word as, “Forever…settled in heaven”, Psalm 119:89. It’s true whether we believe it or not. One of the foundational elements in faith is that it will produce a confidence in the reliability of God’s word. In light of that, a true Bible believer will believe God’s precepts concerning homosexuality are right, because that believer is being covenentally submissive.

Another verse that applies in this line of thought is Isaiah 8:20. “To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word it is because they have no light in them.” Comparing the wisdom in Isaiah to the present argument, if someone says something different about homosexuality than what God’s word says it is because they have no light in them. God’s word has to be first place in our thinking and living. A New Testament witness of this principle is Romans 3:3, 4, “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Translation: when someone judges that what God’s word says is not true I am to let that man be a liar.

There are denominations within the Body of Christ that have that view of Scripture, i.e., God’s word is the final authority. For example, when the Southern Baptist Convention or the Assemblies of God get together to have their meetings they don’t even have debates about homosexuality. Why? Because in their denominations’ view of Scripture, they know God has already spoken on the matter in His word so there is no need to debate. God said it, that settles it and they believe it!

There are other denominations within the Body of Christ that do not have that view of Scripture, and because of that they are plagued with problems from which they seemingly have no solution to. Therefore, they have long and very contentious debates about homosexuality when they get together in their conventions. Why? Because the official view of Scripture within that particular denomination is not the same. In their view, occasionally the authority of Scripture is trumped by such things as personal experience, science, or culture. Sometimes, though, it’s just a “more knowledgeable than thou” attitude towards the inspired writers of Scripture, and because of that view they have endless debates about whether homosexuality is sin or not.

Culture War

When the battle between good and evil is characterized as a culture war, it’s too late for mere man to dig the Church or America out of the hole they’ve gotten themselves into. When the differences between right and wrong are described as just political and social issues, nothing short of Divine Intervention by God Almighty will save particular denominations within the Body of Christ or America as a nation.

Applying the terms “culture war” and “social issue” to the topic of homosexuality reveal how far we’ve fallen. It shows that the former boundary lines (the ancient landmarks: Proverbs 22:28) of good and evil, right and wrong have been so far redrawn or removed that many who grew up inside these boundaries seriously question or just abandon them, or wonder if there are any boundaries. This shows there is a “culture” and a “society” that believe good is evil and evil is good. This condition brings us to Isaiah 5:20, 24:

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!…Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”