“Professing to be wise, they became fools” Ephesians 4:17-21

2 Heard Recently… Self-proclaimed Bible expert: “Jesus is not God” (Bible Go-to Guy) Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena CA: “Being gay is a gift from God.” (Rev. Ed Bacon on Oprah Show)

3 “Jesus is not God” (Foolishness) He is Eternal God, John 1:1 In the beginning, Gen. 1:1, 26 “I AM”, Jno. 8:52-59 (Exo. 3:14)

4 “Jesus is not God” (Foolishness) He is Creator, John 1:3, 10 All things made through Him Denial: “Jesus did not create the world. The world was created through Him. That’s a difference.” (Bible Go-to Guy)

5 “Jesus is not God” (Foolishness) He is Creator, John 1:3, 10 All things made through Him Through (dia): “A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional).” Thayer

6 “Jesus is not God” (Foolishness) He is Creator, John 1:3, 10 Source and means of creation Source (Jno. 1:10; Rev. 3:14) Means (Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16) en – “prep. denoting (fixed) position” Creative God applied to Jesus, Psa. 102:24-25…Heb. 1:10

7 “Jesus is not God” (Foolishness) He is Immanuel, Matt. 1:22-23 (Isa. 7:14) Child / Son, Isaiah 9:6 Mighty God, cf. Hebrews 1:8-10 To deny the deity of Jesus is to deny He is the Christ and to dishonor the Father, John 20:28-31; 5:18, 23

8 “Being gay is a gift from God” (Foolishness) Bible says God’s gifts include… Life and its proper purpose, Eccl. 12:13 Sexuality and its moral place, Gen. 1:27; 1 Cor. 7:2

9 “Being gay is a gift from God…but our culture doesn’t understand that. And consequently, the culture sends messages that you ought to isolate. And isolation is the antithesis of what all of us need.” Rev. Ed Bacon All Saints Episcopal Church (Pasadena CA) “Being gay is a gift from God” (Foolishness)

10 “Being gay is a gift from God” ( Foolishness) Bible says… Abomination and divine wrath, Lev. 20:13 Vile passions…against nature, Rom. 1:24-27 Shall not inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6:9, 11 Under divine wrath, Jude 7 Repent! Acts 17:30

11 “Being gay is a gift from God” (Foolishness) Spirituality Bacon defines spirituality as a meaningful connection with world: “It is about our being connected with one another and connected with the cosmos,” he says. “It is the process of being healed, forgiven, empowered to go into the world, to be fully alive.” “It is about our being connected with one another and connected with the cosmos,” he says. “It is the process of being healed, forgiven, empowered to go into the world, to be fully alive.”

12 “Being gay is a gift from God” (Foolishness) Bible says… Spirituality is being submissive to the law of God, Romans 8:5-11 Rejects the lusts of the flesh and is led by the Spirit of God, Galatians 5:16-26 (3:2)

13 “Being gay is a gift from God” (Foolishness) Spirituality Bacon says full, unconditional love is the essence of spirituality: “It’s that experience of love that connects you with everyone, connects you with your past, connects you with your future, gives you hope and excitement about going into the next day, going into the next moment.” “It’s that experience of love that connects you with everyone, connects you with your past, connects you with your future, gives you hope and excitement about going into the next day, going into the next moment.”

14 “Being gay is a gift from God” (Foolishness) Bible says… Love is a decision of the will that conforms to the will of God, John 14:15 Love always seeks the good of others first, 1 John 4:10-11

“Professing to be wise, they became fools” Many deceivers, 2 John 7 Do not be deceived or shaken in your faith, Matt. 24:4