Church exists to uphold God’s holiness

A response to the news item, 'As Christians, we should be able to welcome everyone in our midst'

Zanietso Vero
Missionary, Kathmandu: Nepal  

The article on “As Christians, we should be able to welcome everyone in our midst,” in your issue November, 2, 2017, fails to take into account the truth of Gospel while suggesting the role of Christians towards addressing the plight of LGBTIQ. I would like to add this biblical fact that Naga Churches have the moral obligations and spiritual duty to deny personal involvement of Gay, Lesbians, Transgender, Bisexual etc in any church activities, for the reason that they cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (Corinthian 6: 9). They undermine the family unit of husband and wife that God has ordained for proclamation of His righteousness and holiness; it is serious violation of God’s sexual norm. God created man in His own image and gave him a woman as his wife, reminding us even today that sex is to be enjoyed in monogamous marriage: It is a gift from God which should be enjoyed within wedlock between a man and a woman; this is where the God’s instruction of marriage can be honored and respected. Satan took away this gift from wedlock and abused it.  

We read in Newspapers that LGBTIQ people and their supporters are skillful and well trained in accusing God and His creation. The fact is that they have chosen the path which leads them to eternal death. In this connection, Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, said in Rom (1:26-27) that, “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.” Even their women exchanged natural relation to unnatural ones. In the same way men also abandoned natural relation with women and were inflamed with lust for another. Men committed sins with other men and received in themselves God’s wrath. UN diseases Department stated that 30 million people worldwide are infected with HIV and deadly gonorrhea and that number will increase in coming years.  

LGBTIQ people rejected God’s instruction and redefined marriage. In some western countries, satanic temple is recognized as a religious movement. In, Satan’s Strategy, Homer Duncan maintained that they preached the doctrine of enjoyment of desirable and pleasurable things unrestrained. The key note of their teaching is sexual freedom without restraint. Pleasure is their password. To them, sin is a mirage, a superstition that is erased from their vocabulary.  

Satan tried different schemes of deception to put Christian faith under threat and destroy God’s justice and fairness (Job 1:8-11, 2:4). They have already waged war against God and His church through LGBTIQ movement and preach that there is nothing evil in gay sex. Dr. Ed Murphy (The Handbook of Spiritual Warfare), who participates in this spiritual war says that, “We are in a struggle between good and bad; a battle between right and wrong; a conflict between righteousness and unrighteousness.”  

There is a big question on the speculation which suggested in the Article that preaching against homosexuality in pulpit may push teens to self harms and suicide. Is there any such evidence that Pastor’s preaching against homosexual caused someone to commit suicide? This statement is unrealistic and there is not an iota of truth in it. As matter fact, preachers are appointed to keep the church clean; they are doing their spiritual duty when preach against any satanic activities.  

So far as Churches in Nagaland are concerned, despite its weakness, I believe that they are moving forward with the task and the vision God has given to them. The Churches are showing God’s love in two dimensions: Love for God and love for the sinners including LGBTIQ. The churches have demonstrated this work of love by sending missionaries to different places to care, to heal, to deliver and save.  

In Nepal, some of us are dealing with the problems of prostitutes. Bringing them or welcoming them to our midst is not our main concern; the main purpose of our mission is how to help them by solving their numerous problems based on the truth of the Bible. God has delegated His power and authority to Church to uphold His holiness. Therefore, we don’t intend to do such social service and other philanthropic jobs at the cost of God’s holiness.  

Of course, we all say in one voice that Jesus is our Liberator; He came to us because we cannot liberate ourselves from the bondage; He came to world to save mankind. He is faithful and promised to give us a new beginning cleansed from all sins, wanting no one including LGBTIQ to perish. This is the purpose of the Bible.  

Nevertheless, it may not be possible to understand His love without knowing His grace first (Ephesians 2:8) God’s grace is the foundation and heart of the Gospel; it makes us to understand God’s love, the cross and His resurrection. His grace makes us to understand His kingdom that is our portion in His holy name.