A Distorted Perception of What's Good and Bad

Too many people evaluate themselves and each other based on their performance of a list of dos and don'ts. For these folks, a moral code is the only way to properly assess behavior - to judge whether they are good or bad. In other words, they would be lost without some well-defined standard with which to compare themselves and others. These folks must rely on their five senses (sight, taste, touch, smell and hearing) to process the way they and others perform in public. Unfortunately, they often do not trust their own consciences, feelings, or the leadership of God's Holy Spirit in evaluating their behavior. Of course, on some level, most of us understand that such evaluations can be very superficial and subjective; but many of us are simply too dependent on these standards and our own physical senses to imagine a better system of judging between good and bad!

In the Hebrew Bible, the Children of Israel were given a well-defined system of dos and don'ts that we call Torah. Withing that body of writings, there are literally hundreds of individual commands and instructions related to moral conduct, worship rituals, civil laws, health guidelines, etc. Indeed, there are specific commandments to regulate virtually every area of the life circumstances of those ancient peoples (clothing, food, agriculture, commerce, marriage, etc.). For many of the folks we are talking about, there is no higher law than those contained in the Ten Commandments. For them, they constitute a universal moral code which can be applied to all people in all times - NOT just the ancient people of Israel! The problems with this reasoning, however, became very apparent over time; and, by the time that Christ walked this earth, the complete collapse of that system was at hand.

In those days, the members of the Jewish sect of the Pharisees were considered by most to be the ultimate proponents of the Hebrew written code known as Torah. Indeed, they were fastidious about their observance of circumcision of males, dietary laws, Sabbaths, fasting and prayer, sacrifices and other Temple rituals and traditions. In short, these folks held up the Torah as the ultimate standard of moral behavior - of what constituted "righteousness" in God's sight. Jesus of Nazareth, however, insisted that they really were NOT in a position to judge what was good and what was bad! In fact, Christ clearly condemned the way that they used the written code of Torah!

Jesus told the crowds that followed him that "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." He went on to tell them that it wasn't enough to simply refrain from murdering another human being, but that they shouldn't even allow anger and bitterness to take root in their hearts toward each other! He said that it wasn't enough to refrain from having sexual intercourse with someone who wasn't your spouse. Jesus told them that they shouldn't even allow themselves to harbor lustful thoughts in their minds about someone who wasn't their spouse! Moreover, Christ taught them that they should even love their enemies and treat them with kindness and respect!

Indeed, Christ went on to attack the very concept of judging public behavior as good or righteous! He said: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." He went on to say: "when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." In similar fashion, Jesus told them to disguise the fact that they were fasting - that the behavior should be directed at God, and NOT for public consumption! He also condemned their legalistic way of observing the Sabbath and suggested that it had been created to be enjoyed!

Jesus was so very clear about the legalism of the Pharisees that it is hard to understand how anyone could embrace their way of discerning what/who was good and what/who was bad! He said: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean." In the same vein, he went on to say: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." For Christ, scrupulously following a list of dos and don'ts simply wasn't enough. He insisted that the robotic performance of a program was NOT what God was looking for in his people!

On the contrary, Christ believed that TRUE goodness would result from judging all behaviors by the standard of LOVE: LOVE for God and each other! God wants folks who will not murder, because they recognize that that is inconsistent with love - NOT because there is a commandment written down forbidding it! Christ wants people to be faithful and honest with each other, because that reflects an attitude of love - of not wanting to hurt another's feelings or disrespect them in any way. In other words, Christ taught that real moral discernment MUST come from the heart of each and every one of us! Hence, reliance on a written code will only get you a distorted perception of what/who is good and what/who is bad! Christ and God look at what is in your heart. They don't rely on physical behaviors observed by physical senses! So, the question is: Are you relying on LOVE? OR Are you relying on a list of do's and don'ts?

The Book of Genesis Pointed to Yeshua, the Christ

Genesis 1:26-27 "Then God said, 'Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.' So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them." Amplified Bible here and throughout this post

    Supporting Scriptures: John 1:14, Philippians 2:5-7, Hebrews 2:14-18

Genesis 2:1-3 "So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts (inhabitants). And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it [as His own, that is, set it apart as holy from other days], because in it He rested from all His work which He had created and done."

    Supporting Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-30, 12:8, Hebrews 4:8-11

Genesis 3:15 God pronouncing judgment on the Serpent in the Garden said: "And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, and between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, and you shall [only] bruise His heel."

    Supporting Scriptures: John 8:44, Colossians 2:15, I John 3:8, 10, Hebrews 2:14, Revelation 12:11

Genesis 12:2 "And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others]"

Genesis 22:18 "Through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed..."

    Supporting Scriptures: Luke 2:10-11, John 3:16-17

Genesis 22:6-14 "Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on [the shoulders of] Isaac his son, and he took the fire (firepot) in his own hand and the [sacrificial] knife; and the two of them walked on together. And Isaac said to Abraham, 'My father!' And he said, 'Here I am, my son.' Isaac said, 'Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham said, 'My son, God will provide for Himself a lamb for the burnt offering.' So the two walked on together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood, and bound Isaac his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!' He answered, 'Here I am.' The Lord said, 'Do not reach out [with the knife in] your hand against the boy, and do nothing to [harm] him; for now I know that you fear God [with reverence and profound respect], since you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son [of promise].' Then Abraham looked up and glanced around, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering (ascending sacrifice) instead of his son. So Abraham named that place 'The Lord Will Provide.' And it is said to this day, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be seen and provided.'"

    Supporting Scriptures: John 1:29, I Corinthians 5:7, I Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 9:11-14, 10:4-14

Thus, we can see that Christ's life and work were promised at the very beginning of God's plans.

Moral Behavior in Christians Who Happen to Be Homosexuals

As with other Christians, homosexuals must understand that their righteousness is found in Jesus Christ, NOT in their own works. Nevertheless, as with ALL Christians, those who have accepted Christ's sacrifice, repented, and have been baptized will walk consistently within the new life which they have been given. What does that mean? It means that his/her life will reflect a desire to love God with his/her whole heart and soul and to love others as his/herself. This applies to all areas of his/her life, including those related to sexual or romantic practices. ALL Christians MUST seek to treat others in the same way that they would like themselves to be treated! 

In other words, a Christian homosexual will NOT just seek to satisfy his/her own needs but will diligently seek to minister to/address the needs of others. This, of course, will preclude selfish or self-satisfying behaviors. It will also require humility, respect, empathy, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, and love. In other words, a homosexual Chistian will NOT be impatient, boastful, arrogant, irritable, rude, hateful, bitter, or resentful. Likewise, a homosexual Christian will NOT take what does not belong to him/her. He/She will be faithful to, and honest with, their friends and partners. Moreover, as with their heterosexual counterparts, this will exclude their participation in behaviors like domestic abuse/violence, incestuous relationships, pedophilia, prostitution, promiscuity, adultery, drug/alcohol abuse, bestiality, or non-consensual intercourse of any kind. Indeed, his/her participation in ANY of these prohibited behaviors should be regarded as being inconsistent with his/her profession of faith in Christ and SIN!

What is the bottom line? A homosexual Christian's life MUST reflect the same moral behavior expected of their heterosexual brothers and sisters in Christ! If a homosexual Christian makes a commitment to another individual to act as a spouse, he/she should NOT be lusting after folks who are not his/her spouse. In other words, there AREN'T ANY special standards or exemptions for Christians who happen to be homosexuals! All true Christians will NOT want to engage in any behavior(s) which might hurt/harm others. Finally, homosexual Christians should NOT want to offend their heterosexual brothers and sisters in Christ or engage in public behaviors which might bring dishonor to the Church or Christian Community as a whole. This is NOT Rocket Science or Advanced Theology, just ONE STANDARD for everybody! May God bless all of our individual efforts to remain within "His" will. Amen!