Articles
Email  |  My Account  |  Donate
In today’s culture, we are being shaped, molded, encouraged, and even forced to accept “alternative lifestyles” as normal.

“Alternative” usually refers to anything that differs from the moral compass established by God. Sex before marriage was once considered taboo, but today it is so normal that it is expected. Living together before marriage is also the new normal. Living together and never marrying is now also normal. These things are no longer even considered “alternative lifestyles.” They are the new normal.

Has anyone else noticed that what is “normal” keeps drifting farther and farther from what Jesus taught?

Today, we are told that every sexual lust and activity should also be embraced as simply an alternative lifestyle. Apparently, the word “alternative” is code for “debased.” What these groups seek is acceptance, even if it has to be legislated and imposed on the rest of society. Legal acceptance will never fill the hole of spiritual darkness and guilt.

The true alternative lifestyle of our era is actually not debased, but based on a new life in Christ. Jesus offers the genuine alternative to guilt, corruption, and loss. A life-transforming faith that sets us free from the lifestyles offered by the world’s darkness is an alternative worth embracing.

However, those who have chosen light and life are not given the same privilege that other groups are given. Our alternative is considered a threat to their alternatives. Those of us who have chosen the Jesus alternative are ostracized, ridiculed, and demeaned by today’s “normal” culture. But Jesus warned us of this.

“I have given them Your word. And the world has hated them because they are not of the world.” (John 17:14)

If you are a born-again believer, you are not of the world. You have a true “alternative” identity, and you should have a lifestyle that matches. Don’t expect to be accepted. Be a light in the darkness. There are many waiting to see a genuine believer who lives a life of peace and joy. Many will come to the light if you will let it shine through you.

"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them too." (Romans 1:21-32)




Copyright © Barry Bennett
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Select

Author/Speaker:        

Follow Us

twitter 32x32 facebook 32x32

About Us

The online ministry of cfaith has been helping people discover faith, friends and freedom in the Word since 2000. Cfaith provides a unique and comprehensive collection of faith-building resources for the worldwide faith community.

At cfaith, you can strengthen your faith and deepen your understanding of the Word of God by digging into the vast collection of teaching articles, streaming audio and video messages, and daily devotionals. No other website offers such a unique and extensive collection of spiritual-growth resources aimed at helping you grow in your knowledge of the Word.

Read More...

 

 

Support Us

Why support cfaith?


(All contributions are 100% tax deductible)


SUPPORT CFAITH WITH ONE CLICK!

For every Internet search you make using
goodsearch, cfaith will receive one penny!

GS Logo 250x38

Contact Us

Business Hours:


Monday—Friday: 9 a.m.—5 p.m. CST
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Phone:

(763) 488-7800 or (800) 748-8107

Mailing Address: 

CFAITH.com
9201 75th Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

 

Login Form

Please ignore the “Secret Key” field; it is not needed to log in to cfaith.

Login Change Article

Spring360x442
You need to enable user registration from User Manager/Options in the backend of Joomla before this module will activate.