I absolutely agree with the debate about sin=sin=sin.
Churches must do a better job of
raising the awareness of all sin, not just the "hot" topics.
I did mention my feelings on this earlier,
that if someone's going to talk about gays and lesbians
living together then they should be including heteros, also.
To digress for a moment:
The church I attend does this, by the way,
and I have a friend who was convicted and told her
live-in boyfriend that she was moving into the back
room of their home until they were married.
They are both BAC's, and they were then also,
but thought since they were adults in love they
could do worse in the eyes of the Lord than to live together.
Well, she kept her promise, was quite serious,
they talked to the pastor and were married a few months later.
Back on the topic that seems to be ongoing:
I hold nothing, repeat
nothing
against any gay person, and I don't think anyone is
"going to burn"
because they're gay.
This doesn't mean I don't find the Bible quite
clear on the fact that engaging in the gay lifestyle
is definitely among the no-no's mentioned specifically.
When it comes to someone being in a physical relationship
with someone of the same sex,
I would be curious to know how they, personally,
understand the Bible's teaching on the gay lifestyle,
and how they reconcile it to their beliefs.
I ask this as a logical question based on my understanding
of the Bible's many passages on
all types of sin.
And I include the word lifestyle, because it isn't
someone simply feeling or thinking that they are attracted
to the same sex that is talked about in the Bible,
it's the actual physical relationship that is warned about.
Some here have confessed a few sins,
and I could certainly add my own to the list, including gluttony and laziness,
which is the most obvious cause of my being overweight
(as for most people unless they have a medical condition, which I do not).
I also smoked for a few years after accepting Jesus Christ,
bearing up under the glare and steady condemnation of
"good-hearted" Christians who just could not understand
how I could continue to commit such a sin.
I struggled, and knew people were praying for me
out of love and concern which was a comfort to me.
I finally understood what the Lord wanted me to see,
and He took all desire for cigarettes away from me on Feb. 27, 1995.
I had a nearly 2 pack a day habit since 1978,
and I give Him all the glory for overcoming it!
I have attended many Bible Studies as well as listening to
many, many sermons, and I have spoken up
when one sin is held up over another.
I have sat with others in Bible Study when we've discussed
being overweight, addictions, marital issues, sexual temptations, etc.,
and I am always refreshed when we can all talk about
our struggles and weaknesses - it is a very freeing feeling!
It's also a wonderful thing to have a brother or sister
in Christ who will hold me accountable,
someone who loves me and will pray for me,
and understands that my heart desires repentance.
I am going on about this because the difference I see with someone
who is in a physical gay relationship and says they
have a relationship with Jesus, is this:
Those who have spoken about what they understand
sin to be, have included confessions and talked about
their struggle and how they seek the Lord's forgiveness
when they slip, including my own struggle with wanting
to lose weight, among other unwanted sins I continue to commit.
This is obviously based on each individual's learning
experience from church and other BAC's, and reading the Bible,
but even more so Jesus sent His Helper, the Holy Spirit,
to help us to avoid sin, to recognize temptation,
and He convicts us to repent when we have given in.
To me, if someone's in the gay lifestyle, and they have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ, they should be struggling.
And I know the argument about living a lie,
and I don't want anyone to live in torment,
but there are many different sins that humans struggle with
and physical attraction is just one of them.
I really think the churches that teach acceptance of homosexuality
are the ones that should be very concerned about God's thoughts.
Not necessarily (or at least not only) the individuals who find solace there,
but the pastors who teach acceptance, who condone civil unions,
and in fact they themselves are more and more being put
into the pulpit with the congregations "celebrating" that their
pastor is living in a physical gay or lesbian relationship.
bytheblood:That is the beauty of Grace, we can all turn back to Grace, and Jesus will always take us back, but I do not believe a person can "get saved" and then live in sin...there is no true salvation and the spirit is not in them. I do believe we backslide, but I also feel there is a fine line between a carnal Christianity and a spirit-filled Christianity life.
Very well put.
I just wondered where the different wording came from. It means the same thing either way.
