In light of the massacre in Orlando and comments that I have been seeing on social media, I thought I would write a short article.  In light of the life style of the victims, this is not an easy article to write.

First and foremost, what is to blame for the massacre in Orlando?  The only component to blame is the man who committed the crime (and accomplices if any).  He is a murderer and solely responsible for his actions.  He was a radical, jihadist Muslim who believed in that murderous, tyrannical ideology.  Islam teaches its followers to conquer the world by the sword and force it to submit to their false god, Allah.  They oppress women, and they kill anyone that does not submit to their ideology.  We see homosexuals murdered in Islamic countries continually.

Were guns to blame?  No.  Guns are simple tools that evil people use to fulfill their  evil motivations.  Good people use guns to defend themselves, their family, their friends, and their nation from the evil of murderers and tyrants.  Any tool can be used for evil or good.  Simply look at the terrorists attacks in Israel over the last couple of years, and we see that the main weapon being used were knives.  Is a knife to blame?  No.  Knives are simple tools.  The problem is the human heart that is terribly wicked.

Homosexuality is a sin.  Adultery is a sin.  Fornication is a sin.  Pornography is sin.  Pedophilia is a sin.  Bestiality is a sin.  When it comes to sex, anything outside of Yahuwah’s design for sexuality is sin.

What is the Creator’s design and framework for sex?  Sex is beautiful and good when it takes place between a man and woman within the life long bond of marriage.  It is for intimacy, pleasure, and for procreation.  Yahuwah hates divorce, and as I’ve written before the only Biblical reasons to divorce is adultery or when a Christian’s unbelieving spouse leaves them over their faith in Christ.

The sin of homosexuality was worthy of death in ancient Israel under the divine law that was put in place by Yahuwah to govern His people.  That included civil, criminal, moral, and ceremonial laws to govern the state and religion.

“If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13 NKJV).

I would point out that we no longer live in ancient Israel, which was a state instituted and governed by Yahuwah.

Paul writes in Romans 1, that a result of humanity turning away from Yahuwah, He stopped restraining their wickedness.  As a result, homosexuality surfaced in their lives among other sins.  Paul uses words like “vile passion,” “shameful,” and writes in regard to all the sins he discusses, “…who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32 NKJV).

All sin will come under Yahuwah’s wrath including homosexuality, and those who practice it will not enter into Yahuwah’s kingdom.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NKJV).

“But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Revelation 22:15 NKJV).

So were the homosexuals killed in Orlando worthy of death?  Yes.  But, so are all the rest of us sinners who commit sin, sexual or otherwise.  We all have the potential to commit any sin.  Sin is sin, and the wrath of Yahuwah will be poured out on all sinners.  The fullness of His anger against the iniquity of humanity is filling up His cup of wrath.  And from what I see, we are approaching the time when His cup is about to be poured out in full.

All sin will be judged and accounted for in the end.  The question is who will pay for it?  The sinner will be held responsible if they stand on their own in their stubborn, wicked rebellion against the Creator.  But, there is an escape.  All those who truly repent of their sin, turn away from their rebellion, and believe in Yahushua (Jesus) will be forgiven and saved from Yahuwah’s wrath.  In their case, the wrath of Yah was poured out on Yahushua (Jesus).  For all those who trust in Him, He took their place and was punished for their sins.  Yahushua came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

We are all criminals deserving of Yahuwah’s wrath, and no criminal has the right to condemn or execute other criminals.  We all walk around with massive planks of sin in our eyes, and we have no justification to condemn anyone else because of their planks of sin.  The killer in Orlando had no right to execute anyone from a Biblical perspective, and he will be held accountable for his murders before Yahuwah.

As Christians, our role in this world is to have compassion for our fellow sinners, show love, and speak truth (preach the message of Christ… “Repent of all sin!  Believe in Yahushua!  Escape the wrath to come.”)  We have been transformed by Yahuwah’s grace and mercy, and we should be in the business of leading other sinners who thirst to that fountain of grace and living water.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

So to all my brothers and sisters in Christ, I say show compassion, show love to our neighbors, and speak truth.  What happened in Orlando is just one example of what is happening to all kinds of people (women, Jews, Christians, Europeans, Africans, Middle Easterners, homosexuals etc) all over the world at the hands of these radical, Islamic terrorists.