The Truth Hurts

God's lesson that He's teaching me has been coming week after week; each time going a bit deeper. It's been the lesson of Truth. Truth winning out. Truth being the standard that I live by. Truth being what I saturate my life in. Truth being what I speak to others. Truth being what I hear from others.

This weekend was one of those times...

Yesterday I was having a conversation with one of my relatives and somehow we got on the topic of homosexuality. He said whether homosexuality was wrong or not was a matter of opinion. I said that I disagreed. It is not a matter of opinion when the Bible clearly says that it's a sin. Another conversation was brought up about it later and this other person said that it's not for us to judge these people and that maybe they can't help it.

You know, I feel bad for them. They're caught in a stronghold of sin. We all sin. I'm no better. But I'm not going to condone it because others think it's okay.

This is where Truth is winning out.

This morning I left the house way late for church, but made it just in time for the message and I'm so glad I did. I have begun attending East Cooper Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant. Wonderful church! Buster Brown is the pastor. Great preacher! Anyway, his message (which you can listen to from iTunes) today was talking about Truth winning out. About being saturated in it. And about how Satan wants to silence the Word of God in our lives. Let me just write down a few of my notes from the message.

Beware of anything that downgrades the Word of God. Beware of anything that has man-made religion all over it.

There are Truths that we must be dead on about.

Am I being mastered by scripture or by something else?

Satan always uses love of self and love of what is good to lead us astray.

Soak and marinate in the things that encourage me in the Lord.

Don't go beyond what is written in the Word.

It was a lot to chew on. In fact, I'm still chewing. But it's so good! The Sunday School lesson this morning was also had to do with Truth winning out. The teacher shared about how many, but not all, Protestant denominations are beginning to or already have started to accept homosexuals as clergy for their churches. And they're beginning to accept it by performing the weddings.

I love these people. I have friends that are gay. Do I love them and care for them and pray for them? Yes. Do I agree with their lifestyle? No. Just as I don't agree with any sin, even and especially mine.

The big thing that God has been teaching me and showing over the last few months is that Truth MUST win out. I MUST live my life by it. I have to saturate myself in Truth. If I don't, what will happen? I will gradually and ever so slowly walk away from it, not seeing the damage that's been done. Not seeing that I am gradually moving more and more towards looking like the world rather than looking like Christ. And I will start believing the world. I too, could very easily be led astray into one day thinking that sins that are clearly spoken of in His Word as wrong are okay as long as you are a good person.

Back to the conversations yesterday. After telling my relative that they were wrong and it is NOT a matter of opinion because the Word says it's not and I live my life by the Word. And after talking with the second person. I kind of felt bad. You know how most disagreements are a about a difference in opinion? And you just kind of accept that and move on? This wasn't like that. This was a blatant disagreement. It was hard. I didn't like speaking up that strongly in opposition to someone older than me.

But I was encouraged today. With the message and the class both teaching on how Truth must win out, I was glad I said something. In the class we referred to Titus 1:10-16

For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach-and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, eveil brutes, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

I no longer felt bad for what I said. The Truth must win out. It must be spoken. I don't want to cause dissension or be disrespectful to people. But I will not sit by and let the Word of God be lessened and made small and made out to be something that can be changed or thought be some guide. It's the Word of the living God! And it's Truth! I say it again, Truth must win out! And I must speak it.