A few things I struggle with.

[mndgn.j]

1 The idea of homosexuality comes up a lot in my walk as a Christian in this fallen world.
Many of the friends I have made have problems with God because they are so worked up with the idea that he could be against homosexuality. Its mind boggling to me that a sin like this could be viewed as somehow different than any other sin. not to mention the lgbtq. sin is sin is sin. you're not special. everyone struggles with sin how is your sin special somehow? Okay, so God put on human flesh suffered and became sin for us that we could live forever and be with him. If only the rest of the world would believe this they would be saved too. its not a matter of sin. its a matter of us choosing to obey God rather than the flesh and its desires, yet its not a matter of works either. where do we draw the line between a works based salvation and a simple childlike one?
2 I used to think to myself, I would never want to have a child.
My reasoning was really simple. We live in a fallen creation, and I see so much evil going around and there's so much more under the surface that we cannot see. Why would you want to bring another living being and effectively create suffering? I seen this act of creating a child as selfish because we don't have the option of coming here. What does this say of God though? is he selfish for creating us? of course not! So my thoughts are wrong.
3 Christians struggle because of a lack of understanding.
I see a lot of big words and biblical phrases used on here mainly and its sad. like dude we get it you know a lot but if you really want to help us newer in the faith stop with the showboating and speak as you would in real life. explain as you would to a child. it really shows your level of understanding when you can explain something complex in easy abcs 123s format. thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. God bless us with understanding. amen~!

 

[St_Worm2]

1 The idea of homosexuality comes up a lot in my walk as a Christian in this fallen world. Many of the friends I have made have problems with God because they are so worked up with the idea that he could be against homosexuality. Its mind boggling to me that a sin like this could be viewed as somehow different than any other sin. not to mention the lgbtq. sin is sin is sin. you're not special. everyone struggles with sin how is your sin special somehow? Okay, so God put on human flesh suffered and became sin for us that we could live forever and be with him. If only the rest of the world would believe this they would be saved too. its not a matter of sin. its a matter of us choosing to obey God rather than the flesh and its desires, yet its not a matter of works either. where do we draw the line between a works based salvation and a simple childlike one?

Hello mndgn.j, I'll start with this one, and get to your other points in another post (Dv).

Your thoughts above are a bit of a hodgepodge, so just to be clear 1. you have friends who don't like God because the Bible teaches us that homosexuality is sinful but 2. you (personally) understand that it is sinful/that God sees it as such, yes?

As far as it being "viewed (today) as somehow different than any other sin", consider this, when have you EVER heard of a "Fornicator Pride Parade", or an "Adultery Pride Parade", or a "Coveter Pride Parade", or an "Idolatry Pride Parade"

Also, do you know of any other nationally organized groups that promote their particular sin in this way, and also INSIST that our schools, our workplaces, our churches and even our families teach (our children and everyone else) that their group's particular brand of sin/sinful behavior is actually ~"NOT sin"~, but rather, something that should be considered as perfectly normal instead (no matter what God/His word has to say about it)?

BTW, this (the mainstreaming/normalization of this particular kind of sin) is what has been known for years as the "Gay Agenda".

Those in this movement aren't "struggling" to stop sinning, nor do they seek to be forgiven by God whenever they do (like Christians do with all of our sins), rather, the sinful behavior is embraced as something that is NOT sinful and then continued as a "lifestyle choice".

The other reason that we think that the LGBTQ+ sins are getting so much more attention than other sins are, is because the LGBTQ+ movement tells us that they are (w/o bothering to provide us with any real evidence to back their claims up) The common belief is, if you say something loud enough and long enough, even if it's a total fabrication, many/most will come to believe that it must be true (even though it's not)

As a practical for instance, how many times does your church preach against homosexual sin? If your church is anything like my church is, it happens whenever the Bible brings it up (which isn't very often .. in fact, we literally go years w/o hearing anything about it), just like other kinds of sins are talked about when the Bible brings them up. By itself, churches do not see LGBTQ+ sin as something special, it only becomes "special" when we are told that we need to believe/teach that it ISN'T sinful, because that contradicts the truth that we find in the Bible from God.

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - the other side of this that we must remember is this, the Bible tells us that "love .. does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" .. 1 Corinthians 13:6, and that we must always "speak the TRUTH, in love" .. Ephesians 4:15, but if we (Christians) ever begin to embrace LBGTQ+ sin ~OR any other kind of sin for that matter~ as NOT being sinful in God's eyes, then the people who need to hear/know the truth about it NEVER will, because it seems that we may be the only ones left who will tell them.

 

[returntosender]

1 The idea of homosexuality comes up a lot in my walk as a Christian in this fallen world.
Many of the friends I have made have problems with God because they are so worked up with the idea that he could be against homosexuality. Its mind boggling to me that a sin like this could be viewed as somehow different than any other sin. not to mention the lgbtq. sin is sin is sin. you're not special. everyone struggles with sin how is your sin special somehow? Okay, so God put on human flesh suffered and became sin for us that we could live forever and be with him. If only the rest of the world would believe this they would be saved too. its not a matter of sin. its a matter of us choosing to obey God rather than the flesh and its desires, yet its not a matter of works either. where do we draw the line between a works based salvation and a simple childlike one?
2 I used to think to myself, I would never want to have a child.
My reasoning was really simple. We live in a fallen creation, and I see so much evil going around and there's so much more under the surface that we cannot see. Why would you want to bring another living being and effectively create suffering? I seen this act of creating a child as selfish because we don't have the option of coming here. What does this say of God though? is he selfish for creating us? of course not! So my thoughts are wrong.
3 Christians struggle because of a lack of understanding.
I see a lot of big words and biblical phrases used on here mainly and its sad. like dude we get it you know a lot but if you really want to help us newer in the faith stop with the showboating and speak as you would in real life. explain as you would to a child. it really shows your level of understanding when you can explain something complex in easy abcs 123s format. thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. God bless us with understanding. amen~!

The queer as they call themselves now are practicing sin. That's the difference. Any of us are in Jeopardy if we practice sinning. That means we haven't repented and left it behind.
And as David said in my words they flaunt it and try to force it in our lives.

 

[com7fy8]

where do we draw the line between a works based salvation and a simple childlike one?

We depend on God to do in us what we need.

And we do not make gestures in order to earn our salvation. But submit to God and do what He has us doing with Him.

And read your Bible and be open for how God blesses you with each thing you read. Do not let trouble people take your attention away from the good things of God's word.

"But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing." (in Psalm 34:10)

There are people who want only what they can think of wanting; but through Jesus we can have all which our Heavenly Father desires to share with us. The New Testament is about all the good with God that is so better than what worldly people can want and worry about.

Jesus gives forgiveness plus "rest for your souls" > see Matthew 11:28-30. This peace does not depend on how we try to arrange things and make ourselves feel good. But God is almighty so His peace can not be stopped by any evil.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (in Romans 8:31)

 

[com7fy8]

Many of the friends I have made have problems with God because they are so worked up with the idea that he could be against homosexuality.

In the past, certain people have treated homosexuals in a cruel and hateful way. But this does not mean gay is ok. But hating them is wrong!

Jesus loves all sinners, and He died on the cross for all. But there have been self-righteous people who have put down gay people while those self-righteous ones have been anti-love.

And now ones discriminate against homosexuals, by saying they do not need how Jesus died on the cross in order for gays to be forgiven.

It is a hate crime to say gays don't need the shed blood of Jesus which He shed in order for all sinful people to be reconciled with God. Jesus shed His own blood for gays, too, and not only for everyone else!

But ones argue that homosexual drives can't be stopped. Well, without God we can not get rid of any of our sin problems. But Hebrews 12:4-14 guarantees how our Father loves His children and therefore is committed to correcting any and all of our sin problems.

So, yes if a gay person trusts in Jesus, God is committed to truly changing any homosexual out of his or her gay stuff.

But there are all the other sin things which will need correction, too!

arguing and complaining > Philippians 2:14-16

worry > Philippians 4:6-7

anger and unforgiveness and bitterness > Ephesians 4:31-32

So, it is a lie to claim that there is no hope for God to change gay people out of their deep trouble.

"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (in Luke 18:27)

Therefore things humans have tried have not worked, because what they have been doing does not work.

God has us have hope, then, for gays > love "hopes all things" (in 1 Corinthians 13:7). And have hope in prayer for anti-love people who do not have hope for God to change gay people out of their sin trouble.

 

[St_Worm2]

2 I used to think to myself, I would never want to have a child. My reasoning was really simple. We live in a fallen creation, and I see so much evil going around and there's so much more under the surface that we cannot see. Why would you want to bring another living being and effectively create suffering? I seen this act of creating a child as selfish because we don't have the option of coming here. What does this say of God though? is he selfish for creating us? of course not! So my thoughts are wrong.

Hello again mndgn.j, I don't have much to add (since you've already pointed out that your thoughts are wrong on this one), other than to say that we have ALWAYS lived in a world that is fallen, but also in a world that has NEVER been without hope of something FAR better, yes

Granted, there have been better times than we are living in now, but there have also been times that are just as bad and worse historically. I believe that it has a lot to do with where society is, in general, particularly where both God and absolute truth are concerned (IOW, how both are being embraced, or not, at a given moment in time).

Nuff said, because as you pointed out, you need to rethink this. You continue:

3 Christians struggle because of a lack of understanding. I see a lot of big words and biblical phrases used on here mainly and its sad. like dude we get it you know a lot but if you really want to help us newer in the faith stop with the showboating and speak as you would in real life. explain as you would to a child. it really shows your level of understanding when you can explain something complex in easy abcs 123s format. thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. God bless us with understanding. amen~!

You are correct, "Christian-speak" can be problematic at times, and we oldsters in the faith (who have become accustomed to certain terminology) should be more sensitive to those who are younger in the faith and don't know it yet.

Then again, I remember discovering what certain words/phrases meant to be a real joy, because I often found that there was so much said/some much that is summarized for us in such an economy of words. So, I began to ask for help whenever I didn't understand/wasn't completely sure what someone was really trying to say (and as you can see early on in my first post to you in this thread, I'm still doing the same thing today ). Nobody is expected to know everything (I ~KNOW~ that I don't), so don't hesitate to ask for clarification around here whenever you feel that you need to Quite frankly, you will probably be doing a real service for a number of other people who are also wondering about the meaning of the same thing that you are

God bless you!!

--David

 

[eleos1954]

1 The idea of homosexuality comes up a lot in my walk as a Christian in this fallen world.
Many of the friends I have made have problems with God because they are so worked up with the idea that he could be against homosexuality. Its mind boggling to me that a sin like this could be viewed as somehow different than any other sin. not to mention the lgbtq. sin is sin is sin. you're not special. everyone struggles with sin how is your sin special somehow? Okay, so God put on human flesh suffered and became sin for us that we could live forever and be with him. If only the rest of the world would believe this they would be saved too. its not a matter of sin. its a matter of us choosing to obey God rather than the flesh and its desires, yet its not a matter of works either. where do we draw the line between a works based salvation and a simple childlike one?
2 I used to think to myself, I would never want to have a child.
My reasoning was really simple. We live in a fallen creation, and I see so much evil going around and there's so much more under the surface that we cannot see. Why would you want to bring another living being and effectively create suffering? I seen this act of creating a child as selfish because we don't have the option of coming here. What does this say of God though? is he selfish for creating us? of course not! So my thoughts are wrong.
3 Christians struggle because of a lack of understanding.
I see a lot of big words and biblical phrases used on here mainly and its sad. like dude we get it you know a lot but if you really want to help us newer in the faith stop with the showboating and speak as you would in real life. explain as you would to a child. it really shows your level of understanding when you can explain something complex in easy abcs 123s format. thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. God bless us with understanding. amen~!

God is against sin and homosexuality is one of many.

We all sin, we are all guilty, we all need a Savior - Jesus saves and there is no other way.