Are They Brethren?

“And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.” Genesis 19:7
The above verse is from a very familiar story in the Bible, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. You can read it in Genesis chapter 19 and if you haven’t done so, you’ll find it a very interesting read. Lot was Abraham’s nephew and they once traveled together but parted ways when there was contention between Abraham’s herdsman and Lot’s. The result was Abraham (or Abram than) choosing to dwell in the land of Canaan and Lot choosing to dwell in the plains of Jordan, (Genesis 13:5-12. But in Genesis 13:13 Moses writes the following: “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” We learn later of their sin when two men, who were angels, came to Lot after Abraham intercedes for the city in chapter 18. This brings us to the verse first mentioned above. Them men gather around the door and say the following: “Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” Genesis 19:5b Now the word “know” can be defined as having knowledge or knowing someone carnally, and there are more meanings so one could argue that they were only wanting to get to know them in the form of greeting or handshake. But when we continue the story and see Lot’s resistance, other things are definitely in mind and not just a handshake. Lot refuses to let the two men come out and even offers his two virgin daughters in their place. This did not satisfy the men and they tried to break the door down to get Lot and the two men. They were smitten with blindness by the two men or angels so the attack was stayed. These men saw some new flesh and lusted after them to commit fornication or homosexual acts. The disturbing thing is that Lot calls them “brethren.” Lot had gotten so deep in the city that, even though he didn’t commit such acts himself, he became sympatric and felt in league with those who did.
This is where we are going as a nation and much of the church is going down this road too. We need to tell the homosexual, whether they are gay or lesbian, that it is sin but with love so they may be delivered and their souls saved from eternal damnation. The following passage sets this pretty clear.
See Romans 1:21-32
“21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
I don’t see how this can be any clearer. While we do not hate the homosexual, we must tell them that they will surely be lost unless they are delivered. It is our duty as a church. Revelation 21:8 says the following: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” The word “whoremongers” can have several meanings but Strongs provides three which are the following: 1) a man who prostitutes his body to another’s lust for hire 2) a male prostitute 3) a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator. In the Old Testament, the following appears: Deuteronomy 23:17-18 “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” That was God’s attitude towards those who lusted for their own sex then and it is still his now as we read in Revelation 21:8, and Romans 1:24-32.
Here are more scriptures to prove the God does not approve this conduct today.
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” t1 Corinthians 6:9
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7
There are more but this is enough. God is a God of mercy and love and yet he is also a God of judgment. Excusing conduct of someone just because he/she is a loved one is also unfair to them as they will never repent if favor for their actions are shown. But there is good news. There can be deliverance. After all of this Paul says the following: “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 This includes the homosexual, he/she can be delivered from homosexuality and set free from sin and have eternal life in heaven by God’s power. May God work his power!