The Squeeze!

5. The Squeeze! • Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within,Romans 12:2JB Philips Translation

6. “Born this Way” • There's nothing wrong with loving who you are"She said, "'Cause He made you perfect, babe""So hold your head up girl and you'll go far,Listen to me when I say“[Chorus:]I'm beautiful in my way 'Cause God makes no mistakesI'm on the right track, baby I was born this wayDon't hide yourself in regret Just love yourself and you're setI'm on the right track, baby I was born this wayLady Gaga

7. OT Verses • Genesis 19 – Sodom and Gomorrah - “Where are the men...bring them out so we can have sex with them...” • Ezekiel 16:49 Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. • Jude 7 Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

8. OT Verses • Leviticus 18:22 Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. • Leviticus 20:13 If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be *put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.(*as were adulterers- see vv10-12) • See also Judges 19 NIV

9. NT Verses • 1 Timothy 1:8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels,.......10 for the sexually immoral, for those practising homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers – and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine... NIV • Gk. arsenakoitais – “a male who engages in sexual activity with another male”The sexually dominant partner

10. NT Verses • 1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passivehomosexual partners, practicing homosexuals....will not inherit the kingdom of God” NET • Gk. malakoi = passivehomosexual partners; perhaps male prostitutes (Gk. paideraste= pederasty not used here) • Gk. arsenokoitai= practicing (added) active homosexuals

11. NT Verses • Romans 118The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, ..... [downward spiral of idolatry if you read the passage]Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

12. Nature and Nurture • Understanding Causality should produce compassion in Christians • Genetics and the Fall • Family of origin + life experiences • Defensive Disassociation from parents • The Media - 10% ?! • Sexual abuse & The demonic • Idolatry - Romans 1

13. Gay Marriage • Marriage is not exclusively Judeo-Christian from a historical perspective • From a Biblical perspective it originated with God’s plan – Genesis 1-3 • It is one male and one female,before God, exclusively for life See Mk 10:6-7 • To redefine marriage opens the door for extremism • Do I/we get political about this? Pro/cons

14. The Final Word: • Mark 106 ‘But at the beginning of creation God “made them male and female”. 7 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Jesus Christ

15. Questions? ?

16. Reaching Homosexuals • Grace and Truth • Understanding • Temptation is not Sin! (Exodus) • Model Healthy Sexuality • Watching speech and attitude • Redemptive • Biblical