4 FLASHPOINTS OF OUR CULTURE
- Origins
- Abortion
- Homosexuality
- Gambling
BIBLE’S RESPONSE
- Origins Gen. 1-11; Ro. 5:12
- Abortion - See perspective
- Homosexuality Gen. 19:4-5; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Ro.
1:24-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11
- Gambling – See perspective
A BIBLICAL
PERSPECTIVE ON ABORTION
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit
me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully
complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it.” (Psalm
139:13-14 NLT)
Guiding Principle #1: God highly values human life.
- God created us in order to have fellowship with us.
(Genesis 1:26-27)
- God wants more of us. (Genesis 1:28)
- Therefore, Scripture views children as precious gifts from
God. (1 Samuel 1:27, Psalm 127:4-5)
- …and taking the life of another as sin. (Genesis 9:6,
Exodus 20:13)
Guiding Principal #2: Life begins before we are born.
- God knows us long before our parents do. (Genesis
25:21-23, Psalm 22:9-10, 139:15-16)
- The Bible tells us that God was active in the lives of Isaiah,
Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and Jesus while they were still in the womb.
(Isaiah 49:1, Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 1:39-45)
Guiding Principal #3: God expects us to care about
injustice.
- There is a special place in God’s heart for unwanted people.
(Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Psalm 146:9)
- …and He hates the shedding of innocent blood. (Psalm
106:38-40, Proverbs 6:17, Jeremiah 22:3)
- Therefore, we must speak out for those who cannot speak
for themselves. (Proverbs 24:11-12, Mark 5:13-16, James 1:27)
Guiding Principal #4: God forgives sin.
- This is what Jesus came to do. (John 3:17, 1 Timothy
1:15)
- All that we need to do is repent and God will make us
clean. (1 John 1:9)
WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD
TAKE A STAND AGAINST GAMBLING
- For you to win, your neighbor must lose. Matt 22:39, Phil
2:3-4
- It undermines the work ethic that the Bible teaches. Ex
20:9, Col 3:23, II Thess 3:10
- It promotes greed and a get-rich-quick attitude, which God
deplores. Pro 28:20, Ex 20:17, I Tim 6:8-10
- God warns against participating in activities that make a
weaker person stumble. Mark 9:42
- God warns against oppressing the poor and needy (gambling
preys on these). Deut. 24:14, Pro. 22:22
- God also pronounces judgment on those who profit from
oppressing the poor and vulnerable. Pro. 28:8-10
- God wants us to trust in Him and the way He has set to
care for us. Matt. 6:25-34
- Presents a poor witness to others. I Cor. 10:31-33
- Distorts the view of stewardship that God has set forth
for us (not handling God’s money wisely). Matt. 25:14-30
- God wants us to respect what is right in the sight of all
men. Rom. 12:17