I do not watch beauty pageants. I believe that Christian women should not parade themselves in immodest clothing such as nightgowns and swimsuits. Today this even includes some of the regular day-to-day clothing that women fashion. The Bible makes it extremely clear that both men and women are to be modestly clothed (Gen. 3:21; 1 Timothy 2:9).

That being said, I wanted to give a few comments on what I read about concerning Miss California's recent comments after being asked about same sex "marriage." Her response was basically that she wasn't there to judge anyone else, but she was raised (and still believes) believing that marriage was between a man and a woman. It appears that her statement outraged the judge that asked her the question, and he has since written some terrible things about her. I am glad that she at least stood up for what she believes to be right.

However, a much bigger problem exists here, and this is that the belief that marriage is to be between men and women should not be presented as an opinion. It is not just her opinion or my opinion; it is the rock solid standard of the Almighty Creator. Scripture makes it clear from the very beginning. Yahweh created Adam and then made this man a helper comparable to himself - the helper was a woman, not another man. He commanded the two of them to be fruitful and multiply, something that can only be done in the man-woman marriage context. Yahweh even goes on in the Genesis account to say that there comes a time when a man must leave his father and mother. Notice again that the man is leaving his father (man) and mother (woman), and then cleaving to his wife. This shows the family unit begins with the marriage of a man and a woman.

What Christians need to do is quit worrying about how people will feel about their standards (which are God's standards) and quit worrying about being politically correct. If Yahweh's word teaches it we need not be ashamed about believing it and proclaiming it. We can always proclaim it in love, but love includes rebuke (Lev. 19:17). We are called to command sinners to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mt. 4:17). Repentance includes a turning away from sin and a turning to righteousness. If thieves, murderers, drunkards, revilers, adulterers, fornicators, and yes homosexuals want to inherit the kingdom, they must stop practicing their sin. This is the law of Yahweh.

Matthew Janzen

In Matthew 5:17 Yeshua the Messiah made this statement, "Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets." In light of this very plain statement by our Master, why is that so many people think He came to destroy the law?

I've gotten into many discussions about the law of Yahweh as found in books such as Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, etc. and the first thing that usually comes out of people's mouths is, "Well, that's Old Testament" or "We are not under the law," or "That's been done away with." They then explain that Christ died and we aren't obligated to keep the law any more. If all this is true, then wouldn't it mean that Yeshua did come to destroy the law? Wouldn't this mean that a part of His mission was to come and take away the law and not require us to keep the law?

Well of course it would and that is why the teaching that we do not have to keep God's law is so dangerous. It makes Yeshua out to be a liar. He told people to not even think this, yet preachers not only think it they proclaim it to the people week in and week out. If ever a person comes to their pastor and asks them about this or that commandment, the common reply: don't worry about that, we aren't under the law. What a way to deal with a question. No explanation, no exegesis, and you can forget dealing with the passage expositorily. Just say we are not under the law and it seems everything else does not matter.

I say that we should respect our Lord and that means respecting His words. He told us not to think it. Do you love Him enough to obey this command? Don't even let it enter into your mind that part of His mission was to destroy the law; that wasn't why He was commisioned by the Father. He rather came to deal with sin which is the breaking of the law. He came to pay the penalty for sin which is death; not to do away with God's standard of righteousness.

Do you believe in Yeshua? Do you believe His words in Matthew 5:17?

Matthew Janzen