Jesus Never Said . . .

Some people try to argue that if Jesus was silent on a certain subject then there is no prohibition against it. For example, homosexuals love to say that since Christ never addressed the subject of homosexuality then there is nothing wrong with it. But this is false reasoning for two reasons. First of all, Christ endorsed what the will of God has always been from the very beginning, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh" (Matt. 19:5). God's will is for one man and one woman to be joined in marriage for life. Anything outside of this--adultery, fornication, homosexuality, gay marriage, polygamy--is sin.

And secondly, the apostles of our Lord did specifically condemn this sin. Paul spoke against homosexuality and lesbianism in Romans 1:26-27. Peter and Jude both reviled the ungodliness of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7). In fact, Jude even calls their sin "sexual immorality" and describes it as going after "strange flesh." And sadly he tells us that they are an example of "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." It is not that they only died in the fire that fell from heaven which destroyed their cities but that they also are suffering in the fires of hell right now.

Now some will argue that this was only what the apostles said and not Christ. But this is willful and deliberate denial of Christ's authority because the apostles were delegated with His authority. Jesus said to those He sent, "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me" (Luke 10:16).

What's more, Jesus didn't say everything He wanted to say to the remaining eleven disciples, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:12-14). Christ was given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). Then He sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost with His authority to speak the truth. Therefore, the writings of the apostles are the words of Christ because they were given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Their writings are literally the words of Jesus Christ Himself.

John the apostle said: "We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6). The word "spirit" here is speaking of character, substance, or essence. What characterizes truth and error is how the teaching of the apostles is esteemed. People who don't listen to the apostles are not of God. They are not saved regardless of what they may insist.