By Not Known
Most Creeds begin by confessing belief in God as creator. Christians vary in their understanding of what the Bible teaches about the how and when of creation, but agree about the who. We believe that this is God’s world.
Creation is a basic article of faith and of the faith.
Firstly, creation is an article of faith. In today’s morning sermon Dr Walter McConnel will revisit the Bible’s teaching about creation. This is timely in the light of present discussion about intelligent design. Belief in God as creator is, in the end, a matter of faith rather than proof. At a certain point, we all have to decide whether or not we trust the Bible when it tells us that : “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1; Heb 11: 1- 3)
Secondly, creation is an article of the faith. Arising from the who of creation, we have the “so what”. The “so what” is vast. Ps 24:1 put is rather well: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it“
This is God’s world precisely because it is his creation. That is vital for our understanding of who we are, how we relate to other people, how we relate to the physical environment and especially how we relate to God. We are dependent creatures, rather than independent free spirits.
Because we are God’s creation we are to live within his design, as expressed in his word. That is relevant to tonight’s sermon as we consider the question of homosexuality. As Gen 2: 18- 25 outlines there is an order of creation with respect to human sexuality. Sexual relations between a man and a women who are married to each other are good before God in every sense of the word. Other sexual relations (as spell out in the OT and NT moral codes) are not good. They are sinful and outside God’s law.
Homosexual relationships can involve committed and sacrificial love. But, it is misdirected love, for it is against the order of nature (Rom 1: 20- 27). Homosexual activity is no worse than many other sins, but it is sin and it excludes people from God’s kingdom (eg 1 Cor 6: 9- 10). The good news is that homosexual sin can be forgiven and left behind as people confess, repent and come under the gospel (1 Cor 6: 11)
May God give us faith to believe that he is our creator and grace to worship and live as his creatures.