It has been widely alluded to in Christian circles that God will judge America and the world because of homosexuality being accepted across the board as normal, or in some sense a good. Does this mean it is more deserving of God's wrath than other sins?

The first question we must ask is does the Bible address the issue of homosexuality? If it does, then the historic Christian position is that we must pay heed to it because we believe it to be the inspired word of God (see 2 Timothy 3:16).

Question: Where is the first mention of homosexuality?

Answer: Genesis 18:16-19:29 (turn to it and read it).

Question: Did the Mosaic Law mention homosexual practice?

Answer: Yes! Homosexuality is mentioned in Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13.

Question: Does the New Testament mention homosexuality?

Answer: Yes! (Romans 1:17-2:3). This passage tells us something about the fallen condition of all mankind and the dire consequences of that fall. One of these consequences is the burning or lusting after those of the same sex. All of these sins hearken back to the written law of God given to Moses, and the moral law established in the consciences of all men, that reveals God's nature and opinions of man's behaviour. All sins here are seen to be guilty enough to deserve death. There were 18 capital offenses in the written law of Moses and Homosexuality is one of them.

Question: Are we to seek the implementation of The Mosaic Law as the law of the Gentile lands we live in?

Answer: No! This misunderstands the idea of covenant. The Gentile world is under the Noahic Covenant that had only one capital offense which was murder. The Jews have the Mosaic Covenant that has 613 laws connected to it. The individual Christian has enterred into the Messianic Covenant through Jesus.

Each covenant has its own requirements before God. (see covenants) Our laws may reflect, or be informed by, the Law of Moses, but we are under no Divine imperative to implement all of it. As Christians the moral law of our consciences written in the hearts of all men, should be coupled with the New Testament teachings of mercy. We should reflect the mercy God is now extending to the whole world. His mercy is meant for all individuals to come to a knowledge of Him (Acts 17:27) through His new covenant in His Son Jesus or Yeshua.

Question: Does Jesus require the death penalty for those who have broken God's law in the Mosaic covenant?

Answer: Matthew 13:24-30, shows the parable of the good seed and the bad seed. This parable teaches that with the coming of Jesus execution of judgment will be at the "harvest" or end of time as we know it. (see below). We are to let the tares grow along-side of the wheat. None of the death penalty Scriptures should be demanded on a Theological basis except for that which comes from the Noahic Covenant which is for murderous violence.

Question: Does God require all sinners to be put to death?

Answer: Yes, in Christ! Galatians 2:19-21.

Question: If we temporally executed all who are guilty of the many Mosaic capital offenses would we stop the possibility of adding them to the Body of Believers?

Answer: Yes, the Apostle Paul mentions many of them (including homosexuals) in his list of things deserving of death that current church members used to be. Had they been killed at the time of their offense they may never have come to Christ.

Question: Is Capital punishment the secular state's or the church's prerogative under God's current dispensation?

Answer: According to Romans chapter 13 the state is given the authority to use the sword against evildoers. The state can be informed as to what is God's will as far as ethics goes, but it alone has the right to use the sword to maintain justice. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the multitudinous interferences by the Papacy into the affairs of the European nations and the Salem witch trials are examples of the church wielding the sword in an arena she is not permitted by God.

The dispensation of Theocracy under King Jesus, during His millenial reign, will change all of this and will be the perfect fulfillment of Romans 13.

All Christians are considered or reckoned to have been executed, or put to death, for their capital crimes (sins) against their Creator. Once you trust Jesus (Yeshua) to have died for you you are considered punished in Him by God. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I which I now live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 Matthew 13: 25-20 tells the parable of the wheat and the tares and Jesus forbids pulling up the tares (executing the unbelievers or those false prophets that would be executed under Mosaic law) because they will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment seat and there collected by the angels to be executed then. False prophets are executed now in the same way all repentant siners are at the cross of Christ!

We are living in the age when grace is being offered to the individuals of the world and mercy is being (1 Corinthians 6:9-17) extended by God to make that offer possible. This staves off justice bringing execution immediately. This doesn't mean that God will always strive with a nation nor never bring His judgment on that nation. Nazi Germany is a prime example of this in our time. God brought His four judgments on them (Ezekiel 14:21).

It has been said by Billy Graham's wife that if God doesn't judge America (and we add the World) he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology. Jesus said in Luke 10:10-12, ""But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you...it will, be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that city." The world's judgment is coming (Revelation 6:16) but we as Christians are to offer peace through His Son while there is still time to do so.

Sins do add up for a nation and for the world until they have reached their full measure. This was true in Abraham's day concerning the Amorites in the land of Canaan. Even though the promised land was given to Abraham and his descendents forever (olam) he couldn't take possession of it right away, but had to wait over 400 years, because the sins of the Amorites had not yet reached their fullness (Genesis 15:16).

In God's reckoning, we are all in Adam. In a sense we are all one man until we as individuals are removed and put into Christ at our conversion. (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). Genesis 6:3 says that His "Spirit will not always strive with man." This tells us that there will be a time when the fullness of mankind's iniquity has reached the point where God will no longer strive with the world. There will be the last convert to Jesus Christ and then the end of the "times of the Gentiles will come" (Luke 21:24) with God's judgment.

Jonah was sent to a Gentile empire's capital, Ninevah, with a message that warned of God's impending judgment.Iniquity was about to reach its fullness with them. Jonah didn't ask them to become Jews, and accept all 613 laws of Moses, but he did warn them to repent. I'm sure the moral law of God written in their consciences (Romans 2:14), and some allusion to the covenant of Noah (Genesis 9:5) they were still under, was the call to repentance that Jonah brought to the violent Assyrians of his day. They repented and were spared. Will America do likewise? God's temporal judgment may yet fall on America. Again, "To whom much is given much shall be required." -Jesus (Luke 12:48)

Question: What should the Christian response be to homosexuals?

Answer: Jesus said we must love even our enemies: Luke 6:26-28. We must act in love, hating the sin while loving the sinner. (Jude 1:21-23). This means doing unto them as we would want them to do unto us.

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