The Pre-trib Rapture 101

 Where does the concept of the rapture come from?
The word “rapture” is not in the Bible but is based upon the catching away (harpazō) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (harpazō) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” The Greek word “harpazō” is translated as “rapturo” in the Latin Bible. This is where we get the word “rapture” in English.

What is the pre-trib rapture and its origins?
The pre-trib rapture is the belief that in the latter days believers on earth will be taken up to heaven prior to the tribulation and God’s wrath is poured-out. It’s said the pre-trib rapture is new. However, in reality, all rapture doctrines are fairly modern. Elements of every rapture position can be found in early Christian writings, however, they didn’t have a codified rapture doctrine and eschatology wasn’t their primary focus. However, the concept of imminency, a crucial feature of pre-tribulationism, can be found in many apostolic writings including Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, The Didache, The Epistle of Barnabas, and The Shepherd of Hermas.

There is a simple reason for the “newness” of the rapture doctrines and it comes down to availability and literacy. Throughout much of Church history, people didn’t have access to bibles or the ability to read it themselves. There were periods where the common people weren’t allowed to read the bible or translate it into other languages. After the advent of the printing press in the 15th century, availability and illiteracy slowly began to change. Once people were able to read and study the bible for themselves is when the various rapture doctrines began to emerge.

Early elements of the pre-trib rapture can be found in the writings of Pseudo-Ephraim, written sometime between the 4th to 8th centuries. The modern pre-trib doctrine started to became fleshed out during the late 17th century by Morgan Edwards. Eighty-six years later John Darby coalesced his ideas about the pre-trib rapture from 1827 to 1828.

Contrary to popular belief, Darby did not get his ideas from a woman named Margaret MacDonald. MacDonald claimed to have had a vision of the end-times around 1830, three years after Darby codified his ideas about the rapture. MacDonald’s vision is more akin to a post-trib rapture rather than a pre-trib rapture. MacDonald said, “The trial of the Church is from Antichrist… This is the fiery trial which is to try us. - It will be for the purging and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus." Darby was said to have regarded MacDonald’s vision as demonic and not of God. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_ ... sionary%29

Why is there a rapture?
It’s no coincidence that Jesus’ first recorded miracle was turning water into wine at a Jewish wedding. To understand the rapture you must first understand the Galilean wedding ceremony. Jesus and his disciples were Galileans. He spent the majority of his time around other Galileans and would have spoken to them according to the customs and culture of their day. Galileans had many of their own unique customs and traditions even among other Jews.

A Galilean wedding would begin with a written covenant for marriage. The groom would then offer a cup of wine to his betrothed. When the bride-to-be accepted the cup of wine it began a year-long process to prepare for the wedding. The groom would publicly declare: “You are now consecrated to me by the laws of Moses, and I will not drink of this cup again until I drink it anew with you in my father’s house.” This mirrors what Jesus told His disciples during the Last Supper (Luk 22:18). Jesus was making His own new-covenant of marriage with His bride, the Church.

The groom would not be reunited with his bride-to-be again until the day of the marriage ceremony. The bride-to-be would occupy until he returned by assembling a wedding dress and gathering various other items for the wedding. The groom would spend that time building a new room on to his father’s house and purchasing or crafting household items to go in it. In much the same way, Jesus told his disciples that His Father’s house has many rooms and he was going to prepare a place for them and that He would return for them (Jhn 14:2-3). Jesus also told them He was going to the Father in a little while and they won't see him anymore, but they would see him again (Jhn 16:16).

The exact day of the wedding was determined not by the groom, but by the groom’s father. Neither the bride, groom, nor anyone else knew the exact day until it actually happened. Likewise, Jesus told His followers that no one will know the day or the hour, not even the angels, but only His Father (Mat 24:36). Since the bride didn’t know when her groom would come for her, she had to be ready at all times.

When the time finally came the father would wake up his son In the middle of the night and tell him to go get his bride, like a thief in the night. To always be prepared the bride would sleep in her wedding garments and have her lamp filled with oil. The shofar would be blown to wake the bride and guests. Only those who were prepared would be invited to the wedding. At long last, the bride and groom would become reunited.

The bride would be lifted up and carried away on a litter, known to the Galileans as “flying the bride to the father’s house”. The bride, groom, and guests would enter the father’s house to feast and celebrate for seven straight days. Likewise, there will be a marriage supper of the Lamb for Jesus and His Bride, the Church (Rev 19:9). Those who were not invited to the wedding were shut-out and barred from entering. In conclusion, the rapture follows the pattern of the Galilean wedding ceremony. Therefore, we are raptured because the Church is the bride of Christ and He is taking us to be with Him.

There is a secondary function of the rapture and it’s based upon 1 Thessalonians 5:9, “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”. God never judges the wicked along with the righteous, otherwise, it wouldn’t be just. Therefore, He has to first separate the righteous from the wicked. There are several instances in the bible where this can be demonstrated:

*The Israelites living in Goshen were separated from the rest of Egypt during the ten plagues (Exd 18, 19).
*Lot and his family were removed from Sodom prior to God’s judgment, and God would have spared Sodom if just ten righteous were found in the city (Gen 18).
*Noah and his family were spared God’s judgment when He destroyed the whole world by water (Gen 6).

During the marriage supper of the Lamb there is tribulation on earth. It should be noted that there is a distinction between tribulation that comes from the world and tribulation that comes from God. God will pour out His wrath and judgment on a Christ-rejecting world in order to transition to His millennial kingdom. It’s a process that serves to further sift the wheat from the chaff as God separates those who are for Him and those who are against Him.

There’s much debate exactly when God’s wrath is poured out if that wrath is from God, Satan, or mankind. However, God can use anyone as a form of His judgment. We’ve seen this when God used the Assyrians as judgment against Israel, and the Babylonians as judgment against Judah. They were later in turn judged for their own wickedness. The destruction of Israel and Judah could be classified as man’s wrath but it was still God who was doing the judging.

Likewise, God can use demonic principalities to accomplish His will. In Revelation 9:1-12 a star is “given” a key to the bottomless pit to release locusts (demonic entities) to torment the wicked for five months. It’s not clear who this star is, however only Jesus holds the keys to the gates of hell (Rev 1:8). Therefore, it’s God who is using these demonic entities as a form of judgment against mankind. This too can be classified as Satan’s wrath, but ultimately it’s God that’s doing it.

When is the rapture?
The exact timing of the rapture is hidden from us and known only by the Father. However, we can determine which events it must precede. In 2Th 2:1-12 Paul specifically says the son of perdition (anti-Christ) cannot be revealed until the Restrainer is removed. The spirit of the anti-Christ has been at work for thousands of years, but the Restrainer is preventing it from culminating in the appearance of The anti-Christ.

There are several views on who or what the Restrainer is, but the two most likely candidates are the Church and the Holy Spirit. Rather the Restrainer is the Church or the Holy Spirit it implies that believers must be removed (raptured) before the appearance of the anti-Christ. If the Restrainer is the Holy Spirit, then Holy Spirit resides in us and God would not remove the Holy Spirit without taking us too.

The anti-Christ is revealed after the first seal is opened (Rev 6:1-2). Some have confused the rider on the white horse as Jesus the Messiah. However, the rider is a false messiah, also known as the anti-Christ. The anti-Christ will come as a man of peace but in reality is a man of war. To further confirm this, there are clear parallels between the Olivet discourse and the seals being opened. The first seal can be paralleled with Jesus saying, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4,5)”. See here for a complete comparison viewtopic.php?f=13&t=66579&p=561831&hilit=Olivet+discourse#p561831

Therefore, it can be concluded that that pre-trib rapture must occur before the first seal is opened in Revelation 6:2. The pre-trib rapture will likely occur in Rev 4:1 when a voice is heard saying “Come up here…” There may or may not be an interim period between the rapture and the revealing of the anti-Christ. The appearance of the anti-Christ will begin a period characterized as tribulation for 3-1/2 years followed by the Great Tribulation or Jacob’s Trouble for another 3-1/2 years in which the anti-Christ will reign. After this period God will establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth for one thousand years. After the Millennial Kingdom, there will be a new heaven and a new earth that will be free from the taint of sin and corruption. Contrary to popular belief the world will never end but it will be drastically changed for the better.

Why Trump WILL win

I am writing this on November 23rd 2020 to make a bold statement, and that is Donald J. Trump WILL win this election. Impossible you say? Oh, I'm aware of how it "looks" in this moment, and I also know the odds are stacked against him. But there is a trump card in the mix that will change the game, and that trump card is God. So here are my reasons why God will intervene and turn this election around in Trump's favor.

1. The prophetic world has said that he would get two terms, and God is not going to let His prophets be put to shame. I already know some have said "But the prophets were wrong, Trump didn't win in a landslide." But before you stone the prophets, consider this. I believe Trump did win in a landslide, but the enemy is trying to steal it. Moreover, this election is still not over. The states have yet to certify the election, and there are lawsuits in motion.

2. The prophetic world has said that Trump is God's pick. Aside from what the prophets have said the Bible says you will know them by their fruits. In the past four years Trump has upheld the sanctity of life, made Israel's enemies to be at peace with them, moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, and upheld religious freedoms, among other accomplishments. This is how you know Trump is God's pick, because he's on God's side. That makes Trump God's anointed. Anointed simply means "chosen one". Psalm 105:15 said "Touch not my anointed." Not even David would kill God's anointed, Saul, when he had the chance. When they try to steal an election and cast aside God's anointed, they are not fighting against Trump, they are fighting God Himself and He will NOT let that challenge go unanswered.

3. Trump has been a blessing to Israel by brokering peace with her enemies. God told Abraham that He would make him into a great nation and bless those that bless him, and curse those who curse him (Gen 12:3). That includes his descendants after him. As proof, Balaam was unable to curse the Israelites. God has not forgotten what Trump has done for Israel. He will bless him and the enemy cannot curse what the Lord has blessed.

4. God is using Trump to set the stage for Roe vs Wade to be overturned. As proof God has paved the way for a pro-life woman, Amy Coney Barrett, to sit on the Supreme Court. If Biden were to become president he would pack the Supreme Court and make Trump's last three picks irrelevant. God is not going to allow His plans to be thwarted by fraud and deception.

5. God's hand has been upon Trump through the Russian collusion hoax to the election interference and impeachment fiasco. He has not preserved Trump these last four years only to be cast aside and put to shame now. Isaiah 54:17 says no weapon formed against you shall prosper. No weapon the enemy has used against Trump has worked and neither will this.

6. God is using Trump in a mighty way because He has big plans not only for America, but for the entire world. The enemy knows this, which is why they have been fighting so hard. This election is the key to it all. He is not going to allow the enemy to derail His plans because that would mean the enemy's will is greater than God's will, and that's just not possible.

7. If Biden is elected it would open the floodgates to an anti-Christ agenda that would hasten the events of Revelation and deprive God of His harvest of souls. God will not be denied His harvest, and He will act.

8. The prayers of millions of saints in the United States and around the world are currently bombarding heaven over this election. God has heard these prayers and He's not going to allowed our words to return to us void. Know that He is working rather we see it or not.

9. God likes to work in impossible situations because that's when He gets the glory. Recall that when the Israelites were fleeing Egypt during the exodus they were trapped with the Red Sea to their right and the enemy to their left. They were stuck in a seemingly impossibly situation. When it seemed like all hope was lost God intervened and not only saved His people, but destroyed their enemy in the process. This is our Red Sea moment. Remember also Gideon. God winnowed Gideon's army down from 32,000 to just 300 men to take on the Midianites whose numbers were so great they were described as sand on the seashore. God likes it when the odds are against us.

Trust God that things are playing out the way they are for a greater good. Consider this, if Trump had won in a landslide on November 3rd we never would have known how bad the corrupt has gotten and in four years America would still be on the brink of destruction. Could it be that God has set a trap for the enemy and is leading them to a place to receive a fatal blow from which they will not be able to recover from? I believe this election will serve that purpose. It has put the corruption under a microscope and the exposure is going to shake the world. Hold on, because it's not over. Just remember, God is never late but He's usually last moment. Our job in the interim is to stand steadfast and intercede for the proper outcome of this election. Fight on!

5/1/2024 Update: It's been nearly four years since I've written this post. Was I wrong? Well, yes and no. I continue to stand by everything I wrote, and I still believe everything is still in play. What I was wrong about was the timing. Many of us believed it would happen then, but, as it turns out, the path to the finish line isn't always a straight line. In retrospect, I believe it was necessary for Trump to step away at the time because certain things still had to play out. But here we are in another election year, and Trump is once again at the forefront. I don't believe this will be a repeat of 2020. There are attempts to keep Trump out, but I still believe he is going to return. This, too, may not be a straight path. I don't pretend to know how it's all going to play out. But once he does get back, we are going to see things we've never seen before. It's going to get bumpy between now and then, so hold on!

Creeping Paganism

Marriage is a holy covenant, designed by God, between a man and a women. The primary purpose of marriage is for the conception and rearing of children. People who marry may choose to not have children, but it still does not negate the purpose of marriage. Anything outside of God's design for marriage and sexuality is a perversion since it perverts God's design.

Christian's views in regards to sexuality are concurrent with natural law. It can be objectivity stated that a man's body is sexually designed for a female's body, and the primary purpose of sex is procreation. We were created in the image of God and given the gift to create other's in His image. This is God's design.


Today, however, marriage has become redefined and watered down to include same sex marriage. The ease and acceptance of divorce along with the decline of Judaeo-Christian ethics and acceptance of pagan philosophies and practices have helped to pave the way. It is what I like to call creeping paganism and has become all pervasive in our world today. The consequences of gay marriage and the replacing of Judaeo-Christian ethics with pagan vices will not immediately be felt or known. But I can offer a few predictions:

1. Marriage will continue to be redefined until it no longer has any real meaning or value.
2. It will open the door to more sexual perversions, including but not limited to pederasty and pedophilia (ancient Greece\Rome is a good example of this).
3. People of faith who believe in traditional marriage and values will be marginalized and discriminated against. If left unchecked discrimination will lead to persecution.
4. LGBT issues will be taught to children without the consent of parents.
5. All moral boundaries will be erased
6. Paganism will be the dominate belief system
7. Societal breakdown
8. Moral objectivism replaced with moral realtivism

To a degree many of these things are already happening, but it will get much worse. This creeping paganism has crept into our churches, entertainment, politics, schools, and culture at large. To often people have been intimated, shamed, and guilted into capitulation. And too often people have let it happen, bent the knee, and submitted, especially Christians. We have allowed our beliefs to be compromised and to accept pagan practices, but the choice to surrender is ours.

The Roman legions used to carry around what was called a Standard. It was a flag, banner, or pennant that was attached to a pole. The Standard was a rallying point and a symbol of pride. So important was the Standard that great efforts went in protecting it and recover it if it was captured, battles were even fought over them. Christians have their own standard, it's called the Bible. It is far more important and the truths it contains should also be protected and fought for. We shouldn't compromise or surrender when it comes to our convictions, no matter the cost. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, and never back down.

A response to Joyce Meyer on tattoos

In 2018 Joyce Meyer came out in support of Christians getting tattoos. You can read her statement and watch the video here. This is my response and my opinions in general on tattoos. I err on the side of Christians not getting tattoos. I believe that it's one thing for a Christian to get a tattoo before they were saved, they didn't know any better, but it's quite another for a Christian to get them after being saved.

To preface, I have nothing against Joyce Meyer. I have listened to her myself before, I just believe she is in error on this particular point. That doesn’t mean she is in error on all points or any less a Christian. She’s human and fallible just like the rest of us. No one is going to be right one-hundred percent of the time about everything. As Paul said, “we see through a glass darkly”, but I digress.

Joyce equates the Christian taboo against tattoos to legalism. Legalism being a strict literal adherence to the Mosiac laws. I personally don’t see it that way. However, while Christians have never adhered to the Laws of Mosses, they were useful for teaching right and wrong. More to the point, what was morally wrong in the Old Testament, is still morally wrong in the New Testament. And I’m specifically referring to the moral laws, which are still relevant today, and not to the civil and ceremonial laws which were specific to the Israelites under the Old Covenant.

So what does the Bible really have to say about tattoos? Admittedly not a lot, although I think some things can be inferred. Let us look at the scriptures that are given in favor or against tattoos and what they really mean.

Leviticus 19:28 ‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.

Those who are for tattoos will say the prohibition against tattoos was specifically in regards to worshiping the dead. However, it is presumed here that the tattooing is in connection with the preceding clause. The argument I have against this is if the Israelites believed that the prohibition against tattooing was only in regards for the dead, then why wasn’t it a common practice among them? On the contrary, they would have seen them as a disfigurement upon God’s handiwork.

Isaiah 44:5 (AMPC) One will say, I am the Lord's; and another one will write [even brand or tattoo] upon his hand, I am the Lords...?

This is one of the verses used to support tattoos, but if it supports tattoos then wouldn’t it also support branding? I notice that Joyce uses the AMPC version here which infers a brand or tattoo. However, most other Bible versions I’ve seen simply say “subscribe” or “write”. The Hebrew word used here is “kathab”. Looking at its use in the Old Testament it is defined as:

I. to write, record, enrol

        A. (Qal)

            I. to write, inscribe, engrave, write in, write on

            II. to write down, describe in writing

            III. to register, enrol, record

            IV. to decree

        B. (Niphal)

            i. to be written

            ii. to be written down, be recorded, be enrolled

        (Piel) to continue writing

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?page=3&strongs=H3789&t=KJV#lexResults

The usage then would suggest literal writing as opposed to actual tattooing or branding. Barnes' Notes on the Bible supports this view:

…The mark, or writing, was not on the hand, but with it - literally, 'and this shall write his hand to Yahweh; 'and the figure is evidently taken from the mode of making a contract or bargain, where the name is subscribed to the instrument. It was a solemn compact or covenant, by which they enrolled themselves among the worshippers of God, and pledged themselves to his service. The manner of a contract among the Hebrews is described in Jeremiah 32:10, Jeremiah 32:12, Jeremiah 32:44. A public, solemn, and recorded covenant, to which the names of princes, Levites, and priests, were subscribed, and which was sealed, by which they bound themselves to the service of God, is mentioned in Nehemiah 9:38. Here it denotes the solemn manner in which they would profess to be worshippers of the true God; and it is expressive of the true nature of a profession of religion. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/isaiah/44-5.htm

Isaiah 49:16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.

This is another verse that is in use of supporting tattoos, however just because the word “inscribed” is used does not make it an endorsement of tattoos. The assumption here is that “inscribed”, or in some versions “engraving”, in this verse is equivalent to marking the skin with ink. If we look at the Hebrew word used here, “chaqaq”, compared with the Hebrew word "qa`aqa`" in Leviticus 19:28, they are two separate words and don't mean the same thing.

There’s another assumption here that the verse is literal, and not employing the use of poetic language to make a point. The point here is that the pagan's would get tattoos as a sign of devotion to their gods. This would be God's way of saying then that He was devoted to Israel, even if they had turned away from Him. Thus employing the use of poetic language.

Revelation 19:16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

 Joyce Meyer did not use this verse, but I have seen it used before in defense of tattoos. Here again an assumption is made that it is a tattoo marked directly on Jesus’ bare thigh. Commentaries, however, say this was not likely on his skin as a tattoo, but written upon his garment:

"Inscriptions on the outer garments were sometimes used by distinguished personages. -Ellicot's commentary for English readers

“And on his garment and (i.e., even) upon his thigh”; on that part of the robe covering his thigh, he has a title of honour written." -Expositor's Greek Testament

"on his vesture and on his thigh] i.e, probably, beginning on the lower part of the cloak, and continued where the thigh projected from it as He rode—whether this continuation was on the bare flesh, or (as seems likelier) on the skirt of the tunic." -Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/revelation/19-16.htm

Conclusion:

As mentioned previously, the Bible doesn’t have much to say about tattoos. None of the scriptures above give an endorsement of tattoos, nor do they explicitly condemn them either (depending how one interprets Leviticus 19:28). I would, however, offer two primary reasons against tattoos:

The first is that tattoos come out of the pagan world. Pagans are notorious for disfiguring their bodies through tattoos, cutting, branding, piercing, etc. Marking the skin was not a common practice among the Israelites or Christians. Oh I’m sure you could find examples of some who did it, just as you can find examples of apostate Jews and Christians who practiced a deviation of their faith, but it wasn’t a common cultural practice.

The second is that it disfigures the body, which was made in the image of God. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" If the body is a temple, then tattoos would be like putting graffiti on the side of a church or synagogue.

Tattoos are symbols of the world and carnality. If we accept tattoos when what will we accept next? Will body modifications and brandings also be acceptable because they are not expressly condemned in the Bible? Something is wrong when Christians start acting and looking just like the world. An inward conversion should be expressed by an outward change in our appearance and actions.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.”

A Christian response to the LGBT debate

What is the Christian perspective?

Why do Christians oppose homosexuality and believe it a sin? The answer to these questions requires an understanding of the Christian perspective on the matter. It should first be established what sin is. Sin can be defined as anything that is contrary to the will of God. With that in mind, Christians believe that the word of God, as expressed in the Bible, is the authoritative will of God.

In the beginning of the Book of Genesis God created Adam in His image, and later Eve. He then gives the very first command to mankind: “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). Sex then was created for procreation. We were given the unique ability to create other beings in the image of God. So special and unique is this gift that not even the angels in heaven possess it.

Herein lies the will of God. The model and design of God is for one man and one woman to come together in holy matrimony, creating a new family of their own. This is repeated by Jesus in the New Testament: “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. (Mar 10:7-9)”. As Ben Franklin eloquently put it “It is the Man and Woman united that make the complete human being.” This is God’s idea of sex, marriage, and family.

The traditional family (dubbed the nuclear family) was then created by God, and marriage was established as the best social construct for raising children. This is the reason why homosexuality, and by extension same-sex marriage, is considered a sin, because it deviates from the design which God has established. In this regard, however, homosexuality is not alone. Any sexual activity that deviates from this design is also a sin. This would include heterosexual sins of adultery and promiscuity.

Are people born gay?

Some have suggested that people who are homosexual are “born that way”. For that to be possible it would require that it be hard coded into their DNA. However, no such gene has been found to exist. It would stand to reason that any physiological trait, genetic or otherwise, which causes humans not to reproduce would be bred out of existence a long time ago. Put another way, homosexuals would not be able to pass on the gene if it was genetic. Conversely, if it were a genetic trait it would be more prevalent. However, homosexuals have always been in the minority.

Moreover, how could genetics explain two identical twins where one is gay and the other is straight? If genes were responsible for our sexual identities then identical twins, who share the same DNA, should be either both gay or both straight. However, this is not normally the case. Jones & Yarhouse (2000), calculated that if one twin has same-sex attraction, there is only an 11% the other twin will have same-sex attraction. Other researches concur. After examining six studies from 2000-2011 they concluded that if one twin is gay the chances that the other twin is gay is only 11% for men, and 14% for women.

And then there are ex-gays who have left the gay lifestyle. Likewise, there have been straight people who have joined the gay lifestyle. If sexuality was hard-coded into our genes, it would have been impossible for them to change. The truth is we are much more than the sum of our genes. Recent studies have indicated that we are not slaves to our genes, and have much more control over them than previously thought:

"Every cell in your body has been neatly packaged with all the genes for you, but not all those genes are initiated (expressed) at the same time. So a cell initiates the liver gene when in your liver and not when in your skin. When a gene is expressed it makes a new protein that alters the structure and function of that particular cell. The information about how to make these proteins is "transcribed" or read from the individual gene. The myth we have learned is that our genes shape us, but research shows that our thinking also affects which genes are initiated. Therefore, we can shape our genes." -Dr. Caroline Leaf (Who Switched Off My Brain?)

“I actively supported the perspective that the human body was a "biochemical machine ‘programmed’ by its genes… Though the power of genes is still emphasized in current biology courses and textbooks, a radically new understanding has emerged at the leading edge of cell science. It is now recognized that the environment, and more specifically, our perception (interpretation) of the environment, directly controls the activity of our genes. Environment controls gene activity through a process known as epigenetic control.” - Bruce Lipton (Biology of Belief)

“While clearly a huge scientific and medical milestone, sequencing the human genome was followed by the growing realization that humans were much more than the product of their human genes.” –Justin Sonnenburg and Erica Sonnenburg, PhDs (The Good Gut)

In conclusion, if homosexuality was innate at birth we would expect to see about even heterosexual and homosexual populations, but we do not. Historically, the homosexual population as always been low, and the heterosexual population as always been high (as evidenced by a world population of seven billion people). Heterosexuality is and has always been the default norm for humanity.

Why are some people gay?

The deciding factor if a person becomes a homosexual or not is likely due to environmental and behavioral factors. Meaning that it is psychological rather than biological. There are many environmental factors that could contribute to same sex attraction. For instance, someone who is sexually abused as a child is much more prone to develop same sex attraction later in life. That is not to say that everyone who is abused as a child develops same sex attraction, or that everyone who has same sex attraction had something horrific happen in their childhood. Everyone has a different psychological make-up and responds to stimuli differently. However, it is during these imprint years that shape our personalities and preferences. Who we are and who we become can all be traced back to our childhood.

A person with same sex attraction may not choose how they feel. However, having same sex attraction in and of itself does not make a person gay. Our actions are what define us, and it is only when those feelings are acted upon that makes a person a homosexual. Once acted upon, the behavior becomes cemented, making it more difficult to change (but not impossible).

Is being gay normal?

It can be concluded through reason, logic, and natural law that homosexuality is not normal. First, let’s address the emotional aspects of same sex attraction. A person with same sex attraction may feel a certain way, but feelings alone to not determine if something is right, wrong, or natural. If it were, then nothing could be wrong or unnatural.  To go a step further, pedophiles could also claim they were born that way.

The objection to this is of course is the issue of “consent”. Our moral standards have been brought so low that for many consent is the only standard left. However, what is consensual is also not a good indicator of what is morally right. There are plenty of instances of consensual sex that is not good. Adultery, for example, which ruins families.

Second, biology. Our bodies are designed for heterosexual relationships. Biologically, male genitalia is made to go with female genitalia, and the whole purpose of sex is for reproduction. If homosexuality were natural, then why do all humans and animals require a male and female to reproduce? As Dr. Charles King puts it, “Normalcy is that which functions according to its design.” 

Lastly, it can be concluded that homosexuality is not natural because gay men, in particular, are more prone to STDs. In fact, according to the CDC, in 2014, gay and bisexual men made up an estimated 2% of the U.S. population, but accounted for 70% of new HIV infections  I would add here that is everyone practiced celibacy until marriage, like the Bible suggestions, STDs would be virtually eradicated.

What’s wrong with gay marriage?

The traditional (nuclear) family unit is the basic building block of any society. The intent of marriage ultimately is to rear families. When the family unit breaks down, society will fall apart simultaneously. For instance, the single biggest indicator if a child will succeed in life is if both parents (father and mother) remain together. That is one of a myriad of reasons why traditional marriage is important. It is therefore logical to conclude that preserving traditional marriage is beneficial even necessary for a healthy society.

Nowhere is this more self-evident than in the fall of ancient Rome and the preceding breakdown of the family. Roman honor and respect for marriage had virtually become extinct. Roman marriages had greatly deteriorated and had become a loose and voluntary compact in which religious and civil rites were no longer essential. Adultery and promiscuity were rampant. A married man could sleep with unmarried women and prostitutes and it was not considered adultery. Women of high-ranking families would ask for their names to be entered among the public prostitutes so they would not be punished for adultery. In the end Rome disintegrated from the inside out, and the breakdown of the family was a major contributor.

Gay marriage has essentially devalued marriage the same way as the Romans did, but in a way that has never been done in the history of the world, by redefining marriage. This fact alone should have given us pause to consider the ramifications of gay marriage instead rushing headlong with reckless abandonment. One has to consider that if marriage has to be redefined, then it is no longer really a marriage anymore, but an imitation of a marriage. It is the opinion of the author that getting married has always been a religious ceremony, and that the government should stay out of the business of marriage altogether.

The problem with redefining marriage is that it opens Pandora’s Box to be redefined indefinitely. This leaves the door open for pluralistic marriages (one women with multiple men, one man with multiple women, and multiple women and men all married together, etc), even marriages with an inanimate objects (yes, this has really happened). Basically, anything that can be conceived, no matter how ridiculous, can become a “marriage”. When marriage can be redefined to mean anything, it becomes meaningless. It is no longer marriage, but a mockery of marriage. 

Another consequence of gay marriage is it has infringed on religious freedoms. Businesses are especially vulnerable, such as bakers and photographers who have refused to participate in gay weddings because of their religious convictions. Note that they did not object to serving gays, just not participating in gay marriages. Such people have become at risk of losing their means of making a living simply for refusing to be indentured servants. It has also opened the door to religious persecution. In various parts of the western world there is an increasing push to criminalize the dissent of homosexuality.

Finally, gay marriage has created a plethora of issues that did not exist before. Homosexuality is being taught to very young children without the consent of parents. Drag queens have been invited to speak at schools. Bathrooms are being made to accommodate a very small segment of society, allowing biological men to use restrooms with young girls. All of which can be easily exploited with someone of nefarious intent. The next step will ultimately be communal bathrooms.

Gender and social norms are being destroyed wonton without any consideration of the consequences. Where does it end exactly? The truth is it will never end. Just as the focus has shifted from gay marriage when it was normalized to transgenderism and gender dysphoria, it will focus on something else when they are normalized. In the end what you have left is social anarchy with no moral absolutes.

What about transgenderism?

Transgenderism is a relatively new term, coined in 1965, to replace the term transsexual (which is also a relatively new term). But it is a contradiction in terms. It is physically impossible to change gender\sex. Hormone injections, surgery, makeup, etc. are purely superficial cosmetic changes. Males will still have a prostrate, large hands, Y chromosome, Adam’s apple, a propensity for male pattern baldness, a larger male skeletal frame with broad shoulders, etc. And females will still have X chromosome, small hands, a smaller skeletal frame with wide hips, a uterus, etc.

Transgenders make a very small percentage of the population. For 99% of people, their biological sex is their gender. When gender dysmorphia does occur, it usually corrects itself by adulthood, unless encouraged by outside forces. Once it was labeled as a mental illness, but has changed due to the powerful LGBT lobby. A mental illness does not suddenly not become a mental illness because it is socially acceptable or because someone says so. This is evident by the suicide rates among tansgenders, which is notoriously high (upwards of 40% percent). Mental illness and suicides often go hand-in-hand. And contrary to some opinions, it is not due to discrimination. Many groups have suffered discrimination, but do not have corresponding levels of suicide. And in an age where discrimination of transgenders is at and all time low, suicides are still prevalent (even after having surgery).

In recent years there has been a false distinction between gender and sex, but this is a modern concept. Any pre-politically correct dictionary will tell you that sex and gender are synonymous. The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, for instance, says gender means “A sex, male or female. Hence,”. In its simplest terms it means “beget, or to be born”. A person can conceive of an infinite number of genders, which have no scientific basis, but biologically there are only two. A person may feel a certain way, but feelings cannot be a factor in measuring appropriate behavior or what is normal, otherwise incest and pedophilia couldn’t be inappropriate behaviors. Feelings do not define us, our actions are what define who we are.

The LGBT’s intent has been to destroy gender roles. They believe that gender roles are purely a social construct. However, an examination of history will reveal that’s not true. There’s a reason why men have primarily been the fighters and hunters of society, while women have historically been the homemakers and caretakers of society. This was universally true across every culture, independent of each other. That is because these gender roles suited the sexes physically and psychologically. Men by nature are stronger and more aggressive, making them more suitable for certain roles, and women are more emotional and nurturing by nature, making them more ideal for certain roles. Thus gender roles are organic and important to the functioning of society. It’s one thing for gender roles to develop organically, it’s another to try and change gender roles artificially as the LGBT is doing. Destroying gender roles only create confusion, new problems that did not exist before, and ultimately moral, social, and sexual anarchy. For more on that read The Dark Agenda of the LGBT.

The biblical world view is that God created male and female, making each distinct and having their own strengths, but coming together to make a whole. Our identity is not in our gender, race, ethnicity or anything else. In Christ there is neither male nor female, but we are all one in Christ. This is our identity, and once you know your identity there is no gender confusion.