Approaching Homosexuality?

[Cris413]

I just figure it's important that we are not too quick to judge - lest we be judged...

Words to live by...don't you think?

It's unfortunate that you judged certain posts as supporting gay-bashing and suffering.

You have no idea what is in the heart of another.

I have no problem with the 2 gay men that live around the corner from me. I wave....they wave. They have a beautiful lawn and usually win the yard of the month award 4-5 times a year.

I wish I could say the same for my yard.

If I ever had the opportunity to visit with them I would. I would never force my beliefs on them...but if they asked...I would tell them the truth in love.

Basically you sin, I sin, we all sin in some form or fashion. Do you know Jesus Christ?

Same thing I would say to anyone inquiring about my faith.

As for the ugly picture you paint regarding mainstream christianity...well....lets just suffice it to say that it is just as unbalanced as the pretty picture you paint of the homosexual community.

I don't know where you live or what the circumstances are there...but if you think homosexuality is all light and flowers...just one big happy all about love and kindness...it's not.

How about the homosexual man I know that kept a 14 year old Honduran boy in sexual servitude...hanging fear of deportation over his head. Have you ever had a young boy beg you to help him get away from such things...I have

This man's pride in his conquests led to statements like...get 'em while they're young...much easier to control and turn when they're young...but you have to have money of course. A 14 year old Honduran boy...nice trophy.

Or my lesbian acquaintance who thinks it's quite chic to have a girlfriend and a boyfriend.

Or how about the lesbian that tried to seduce me when I was 15?

Have you ever been shoved up against a wall and threatened because you were straight at a gay function?...well I have. Not because I was preaching the Word...but because I politely refused the advances a lesbian made toward me. Apparently I had no right to be there with my gay friends if I was straight.

How about the need for armed guards posted at an orphanage in El Salvador to protect the young boys rescued from the men that pimped them out to gays who want their property back...

One young boy interviewed by my pastor, just this past week, was 6 years old and had been in slavery to gay prostitution since he was 4.

There is more...but I think you get my point. BTW...this is not gay-bashing...this is simple statement of fact.

I'm sure there are a lot of Christians that don't lump all gays and lesbians into a vile group based on personal experiences leading to a percieved notion of "mainstream" homosexuality.

So please take into consideration...you might not know exactly whom you're addressing or offending with such broad statements regarding bad, bad Christians.

I agree everyone should examine their hearts on a matter...just please don't presume you know whom has or has not based on your personal experience and outrage.

 

[Jaisen]

I believe you know the Lord, I really do. As a matter of fact I am 110% sure you are a Christian.

You may not be totally there yet. You may not be totally set free from bondage, but God is still working on you. You are still a great work in progress. He will complete the work he started in you sweetie, He will complete it. ..Keep praying for your mother, God will set her free in his own time as well.

God Bless!

Thanks. I was only born again in March and I'm 40, so you can see that I have a lot of ground to make up. I know that God loves everyone who opens their heart to Christ and accepts him as Lord and Saviour.

My beliefs might be different (I believe in Christ's baptism as well as His blood on the cross and His resurrection); and I don't follow an organised mainstream denomination - but I do think that all Christians have a responsibility to do help others to find Christ - and I like to leave it in God's hands to do the judgement stuff.

Inevitably, we are all responsible for our own decisions, don't you think? I believe that if we follow Christ's blue print that he has set down for us; to follow his big two commandments of the New Testament - "love one another" and "judge not"; then we will be fortunate to meet him in Heaven someday as a brother.

 

[ANM29]

Jaisen,

If I were you I would not waste anymore time trying to convince these people of anything. God knows your heart, and he knows where you are in your walk with him. He knows that you are a work in progress and that you have not arrived yet. He is patient with you, and so should the rest of us be.

If they can't see with their "Christian-eyes" that God has started a work in you, that he will complete , then that is really sad..
They may need to go back to God and get some more of that "spiritual discernment" so many claim to have.

 

[ANM29]

Thanks. I was only born again in March and I'm 40, so you can see that I have a lot of ground to make up. I know that God loves everyone who opens their heart to Christ and accepts him as Lord and Saviour.

My beliefs might be different (I believe in Christ's baptism as well as His blood on the cross and His resurrection); and I don't follow an organised mainstream denomination - but I do think that all Christians have a responsibility to do help others to find Christ - and I like to leave it in God's hands to do the judgement stuff.

Inevitably, we are all responsible for our own decisions, don't you think? I believe that if we follow Christ's blue print that he has set down for us; to follow his big two commandments of the New Testament - "love one another" and "judge not"; then we will be fortunate to meet him in Heaven someday as a brother.

I am so happy that God brought you in.

Yes, you are a new Christian..but God will complete what he started as I stated in another post. Don't be in any rush for anything. God is working on your himself and in his own way and his own time.

I know you know the Lord and love him, he is with you always and forever..I can't stop saying that he will complete the work..Yes, Yes, he will complete what he started..

Yes, we are called to help other find Christ. The problem is many Christians don't have the right approach..

 

[Jaisen]

Words to live by...don't you think?

It's unfortunate that you judged certain posts as supporting gay-bashing and suffering.

You have no idea what is in the heart of another.

I have no problem with the 2 gay men that live around the corner from me. I wave....they wave. They have a beautiful lawn and usually win the yard of the month award 4-5 times a year.

I wish I could say the same for my yard.

If I ever had the opportunity to visit with them I would. I would never force my beliefs on them...but if they asked...I would tell them the truth in love.

Basically you sin, I sin, we all sin in some form or fashion. Do you know Jesus Christ?

Same thing I would say to anyone inquiring about my faith.

As for the ugly picture you paint regarding mainstream christianity...well....lets just suffice it to say that it is just as unbalanced as the pretty picture you paint of the homosexual community.

I don't know where you live or what the circumstances are there...but if you think homosexuality is all light and flowers...just one big happy all about love and kindness...it's not.

How about the homosexual man I know that kept a 14 year old Honduran boy in sexual servitude...hanging fear of deportation over his head. Have you ever had a young boy beg you to help him get away from such things...I have

This man's pride in his conquests led to statements like...get 'em while they're young...much easier to control and turn when they're young...but you have to have money of course. A 14 year old Honduran boy...nice trophy.

Or my lesbian acquaintance who thinks it's quite chic to have a girlfriend and a boyfriend.

Or how about the lesbian that tried to seduce me when I was 15?

Have you ever been shoved up against a wall and threatened because you were straight at a gay function?...well I have. Not because I was preaching the Word...but because I politely refused the advances a lesbian made toward me. Apparently I had no right to be there with my gay friends if I was straight.

How about the need for armed guards posted at an orphanage in El Salvador to protect the young boys rescued from the men that pimped them out to gays who want their property back...

One young boy interviewed by my pastor, just this past week, was 6 years old and had been in slavery to gay prostitution since he was 4.

There is more...but I think you get my point. BTW...this is not gay-bashing...this is simple statement of fact.

I'm sure there are a lot of Christians that don't lump all gays and lesbians into a vile group based on personal experiences leading to a percieved notion of "mainstream" homosexuality.

So please take into consideration...you might not know exactly whom you're addressing or offending with such broad statements regarding bad, bad Christians.

I agree everyone should examine their hearts on a matter...just please don't presume you know whom has or has not based on your personal experience and outrage.

Fair quote... and I wasn't talking about the entire gay community - just the ones who do want to be accepted in a monogamous relationship with another adult.

Just as there are psychos out there that kidnap and rape children; men that kidnap women and use them as sex slaves; serial killers, et al - I'm certainly not condoning that kind of evil behaviour.

The Lord wants us to avoid evil; but he also wants us to be compassionate towards other human beings that live by the civil laws of their respective countries.

I think you know exactly what I am talking about, but choose to try and make me out to be condoning acts of degradation and filth. That is certainly not what I am about. I have four children. A fifteen year old boy, a three year old boy and twins, a boy and girl 6 months.

I am very protective of my family and would never allow any harm to come to them. I am raising them to make choices in life that will keep them safe. I certainly do not expect them to just wander out into the world and place themselves in danger.

I have a responsibility as a parent, citizen, husband and follower of Christ, to take people as they are. If I feel threatened, or my family is threatened, then there are legal ways to defend myself and them - I certainly would not condone a child molester moving into my neighbourhood - Rather, I would attempt to do everything in my power to protect my children - so that they would be safe from abuse.

My point here is this: I do not condone evil acts; flagrant and rampant open displays of public affection from anyone, no matter their sexuality and I certainly find all cases of sexual abuses and violence towards adults and children appalling.

As for your gay friends taking you to a party and putting you in jeapardy, it was their responsibility to inform the hosts that you were coming and of no threat to anyone. In that case, those people acted maliciously towards you and that is wrong. I certainly don't feel that they had any right to do that to you... But... Did you see what the other side of the fence was like? What did that experience teach you, if anything?

Your gay neighbours sound great! They obviously love gardening and probably wouldn't even mind if you stopped by to have a chat about their garden. You wave to one another and that is a great start; it means they are open to having a chat and you can talk about anything that you all have in common and see where it goes... You may discover that they're interested in learning more about Christ, but you won't know if you don't start a dialogue with them!

I hope you see that I am not the bad guy here, but just someone who genuinely believes that Christ needs us all to come together in Faith and assist as many as possible to open their hearts to him.

 

[NewChildofGod]

I disagree entirely. This goes to the chronic MISUSE of "homophobic". Anytime Christians stand up against something, it must mean they have a private issue w/ it or they're phobic about it. (i.e. unbalanced/fearful).

The truth is, this particular sin threatens to harm our nation more than most other sins as it tears away at the very fabric of the family unit to redefine it. (pervert it).

Outside of that, Christians SHOULD have anger & outrage against the immoralities being forced upon us today - imho, the worse attitude is APATHY!. We're all but completely apathetic to abortion now that it's been legal for so many years... we're apathetic to TOO MANY things we shouldn't be becuz we're letting the world conform us rather than conforming to God.
We don't so much care about all the harmful things permeating society. Jesus was very zealous & controversial in His day - and we shouldn't be any different than His example.

Apathy is the worse cancer growing in the church - far worse than angry zealots; at least they have a PULSE!
I admire zealous believers who stand in truth and refuse to compromise in this issue and I'll continue to be one of them.

That is wonderful, but there is a difference between what you are talking about and what I was talking about. I do not believe anyone (Christians) should conform to this world. I also do not believe that we should be outright nasty and mean to people because of their sins.
The sin of homosexuality is the same as alcoholism. We should hate the sin, love the sinner!

 

[ANM29]

Fair quote... and I wasn't talking about the entire gay community - just the ones who do want to be accepted in a monogamous relationship with another adult.

Just as there are psychos out there that kidnap and rape children; men that kidnap women and use them as sex slaves; serial killers, et al - I'm certainly not condoning that kind of evil behaviour.

The Lord wants us to avoid evil; but he also wants us to be compassionate towards other human beings that live by the civil laws of their respective countries.

I think you know exactly what I am talking about, but choose to try and make me out to be condoning acts of degradation and filth. That is certainly not what I am about. I have four children. A fifteen year old boy, a three year old boy and twins, a boy and girl 6 months.

I am very protective of my family and would never allow any harm to come to them. I am raising them to make choices in life that will keep them safe. I certainly do not expect them to just wander out into the world and place themselves in danger.

I have a responsibility as a parent, citizen, husband and follower of Christ, to take people as they are. If I feel threatened, or my family is threatened, then there are legal ways to defend myself and them - I certainly would not condone a child molester moving into my neighbourhood - Rather, I would attempt to do everything in my power to protect my children - so that they would be safe from abuse.

My point here is this: I do not condone evil acts; flagrant and rampant open displays of public affection from anyone, no matter their sexuality and I certainly find all cases of sexual abuses and violence towards adults and children appalling.

As for your gay friends taking you to a party and putting you in jeapardy, it was their responsibility to inform the hosts that you were coming and of no threat to anyone. In that case, those people acted maliciously towards you and that is wrong. I certainly don't feel that they had any right to do that to you... But... Did you see what the other side of the fence was like? What did that experience teach you, if anything?

Your gay neighbours sound great! They obviously love gardening and probably wouldn't even mind if you stopped by to have a chat about their garden. You wave to one another and that is a great start; it means they are open to having a chat and you can talk about anything that you all have in common and see where it goes... You may discover that they're interested in learning more about Christ, but you won't know if you don't start a dialogue with them!

I hope you see that I am not the bad guy here, but just someone who genuinely believes that Christ needs us all to come together in Faith and assist as many as possible to open their hearts to him.

Exactly! But, most Christians will never even make an attempt to talk to them about God, but will send them to hell without showing them God..Amazing to me how that works!..Amazing!

 

[Jaisen]

That is wonderful, but there is a difference between what you are talking about and what I was talking about. I do not believe anyone (Christians) should conform to this world. I also do not believe that we should be outright nasty and mean to people because of their sins.
The sin of homosexuality is the same as alcoholism. We should hate the sin, love the sinner!

Amen to that!

I do not believe in abortion; or anything like that - but again, we must look at the situation and take all things on a case by case basis, perhaps?

I know a couple who are gay; and they have a family, a son and a daughter who are the natural children of one of the couple. This little family unit is very strong - the children have found ways of dealing with taunts from other children in their neighbourhood and school.

They are also Christians. I know what some of you may think, but this family is very committed to Christ and they do talk about Christ to people in their gay community. They get bagged out about it there too; and have lost some of their friends over it. However, they said to me that it doesn't matter if they have lost friends because they are Christians. They are happy knowing that they have Christ in their hearts and are bringing up their children to love Christ also. Their daughter has a boyfriend; and their son has a girlfriend. They're fairly normal people.

The problem with America is apathy in general. I think there has been a massive moral decline in the US for the better part of half a century. The drug and crime issue is a major player - being able to tote guns around is an issue (and apparently a very touchy one also, so I will not go there); but you see what I mean?

Abortion is a terrible thing. It should not be able to be done unless there are severly mitigating circumstances - such as the child having all it's organs on the outside, or major physical defects that cannot be fixed. Or what if the pregnant individual is a 10 yr old girl? Should she be forced to have a baby at that age?

I think case by case works in every case. The battered wife that kills her abusive husband; the pregnant woman who is raped by her father or brother; the person who remarries whilst their partner is in a coma and wakes up after 20 years...

We can't presume to know the circumstances, and I guess my point on this particular thread is to open people's eyes to the possibility that God tests us with different scenarios to see just how "Christianly" we behave.

Allowing homosexual marriage will not add to the moral decay - the moral decay has well and truly set in. Abortion is apparently legal in some places - and I don't agree with a woman going and getting knocked up on a one-night stand and then saying her career or body image is far more important and aborting an innocent life... I can't judge her though... I can pray for her. I can pray for the soul she rejects... I can't judge her.

Just like I can't judge anyone who disagrees with my views. I do apologise if I have offended anyone, it was never my intent. I am very passionate about my commitment to Christ and will pray that everyone who reads this thread gains some new insights or knowledge into the broader scheme of God's plans for all of us.

Peace to you all.

 

[ANM29]

Amen to that!

I do not believe in abortion; or anything like that - but again, we must look at the situation and take all things on a case by case basis, perhaps?

I know a couple who are gay; and they have a family, a son and a daughter who are the natural children of one of the couple. This little family unit is very strong - the children have found ways of dealing with taunts from other children in their neighbourhood and school.

They are also Christians. I know what some of you may think, but this family is very committed to Christ and they do talk about Christ to people in their gay community. They get bagged out about it there too; and have lost some of their friends over it. However, they said to me that it doesn't matter if they have lost friends because they are Christians. They are happy knowing that they have Christ in their hearts and are bringing up their children to love Christ also. Their daughter has a boyfriend; and their son has a girlfriend. They're fairly normal people.

The problem with America is apathy in general. I think there has been a massive moral decline in the US for the better part of half a century. The drug and crime issue is a major player - being able to tote guns around is an issue (and apparently a very touchy one also, so I will not go there); but you see what I mean?

Abortion is a terrible thing. It should not be able to be done unless there are severly mitigating circumstances - such as the child having all it's organs on the outside, or major physical defects that cannot be fixed. Or what if the pregnant individual is a 10 yr old girl? Should she be forced to have a baby at that age?

I think case by case works in every case. The battered wife that kills her abusive husband; the pregnant woman who is raped by her father or brother; the person who remarries whilst their partner is in a coma and wakes up after 20 years...

We can't presume to know the circumstances, and I guess my point on this particular thread is to open people's eyes to the possibility that God tests us with different scenarios to see just how "Christianly" we behave.

Allowing homosexual marriage will not add to the moral decay - the moral decay has well and truly set in. Abortion is apparently legal in some places - and I don't agree with a woman going and getting knocked up on a one-night stand and then saying her career or body image is far more important and aborting an innocent life... I can't judge her though... I can pray for her. I can pray for the soul she rejects... I can't judge her.

Just like I can't judge anyone who disagrees with my views. I do apologise if I have offended anyone, it was never my intent. I am very passionate about my commitment to Christ and will pray that everyone who reads this thread gains some new insights or knowledge into the broader scheme of God's plans for all of us.

Peace to you all.

I love that last line.

Amen to that!

God ways are not our ways. For all we know one day God will take the blinders off their eyes completely, and it looks like he has already started working on them. \

Who are we to say God is NOT working with someone. His ways are not ours. He does not always come the way we think he is. He changes hearts and situations in his own way...Christians forget that.

I am so glad I went through everything I have, it has made me much more merciful..It was good that I was afflicted, It was very good!!, Thank You Lord!........

 

[flyingsum0]

I love that last line.

I am so glad I went through everything I have, it has made me much more merciful..It was good that I was afflicted, It was very good!!, Thank You Lord!........

 

[flyingsum0]

I hope you see that I am not the bad guy here, but just someone who genuinely believes that Christ needs us all to come together in Faith and assist as many as possible to open their hearts to him.

Nah Bro I dont think anyone sees you as the bad guy at all. But some people mistake willingness to help sinners as acceptance of the sinners sin.

We all have different callings from the Lord. Some are called to action while others called to teach and remind us of God's Word through the scritpures. The list goes on...

No one's calling is higher than anyone else's. But we must truly listen to what He says to us. If our actions reflect what The Lord has put in our hearts, we are doing work which glorifies Him! But if we only listen to the thought circulating in our own minds, we run the risk of only glorifying ourselves...

Bless you Brother!

 

[ANM29]

Nah Bro I dont think anyone sees you as the bad guy at all. But some people mistake willingness to help sinners as acceptance of the sinners sin.

We all have different callings from the Lord. Some are called to action while others called to teach and remind us of God's Word through the scritpures. The list goes on...

No one's calling is higher than anyone else's. But we must truly listen to what He says to us. If our actions reflect what He has put in our hearts, we are doing work which glorifies Him! If not we run the risk of only glorifying ourselves...

AMEN!!! We all have different calls from God. It is best we find out what God has called us to do and get with it.

 

[Nadiine]

Exactly! But, most Christians will never even make an attempt to talk to them about God, but will send them to hell without showing them God..Amazing to me how that works!..Amazing!

I'll speak to the rest of the posts I'm reading here too on this post -
Who are "MOST" Christians?? Again we have judging going on against us. DO YOU KNOW US? I'm getting this impression that just becuz we don't live with gays, or know gays or go hunt them down in their homes to share God's salvation, that we're somehow all EVIL Christians.
Be careful about your judging of God's people. You are NOT my judge or anyone elses here. And it is more amazing the attacks CHRISTIANS are receiving from such "loving" people who are promoting "LOVE" of all things.

Yes, we are called to help other find Christ. The problem is many Christians don't have the right approach..

Many Christians DO have the right approach, but you don't know them or know the situations or know what they're doing to make such a judgment on the majority of Christians.

You're only told of this 1 situation (that we have no way of checking on to know all the details - hearing something w/out others testimony) & forming these judgments...
You don't know the many/most Christians personally to even make such an ignorant sweeping accusation. Be very careful about broad judgments against God's body of believers.

It amazes me how people will support the unsaved to "love" them, yet kick Christians to the curbs at every turn. Read 1 John 1-3 - it's enlightening.

 

[Nadiine]

I know a couple who are gay; and they have a family, a son and a daughter who are the natural children of one of the couple. This little family unit is very strong - the children have found ways of dealing with taunts from other children in their neighbourhood and school.

They are also Christians. I know what some of you may think, but this family is very committed to Christ and they do talk about Christ to people in their gay community.

Are they really? You KNOW this as a fact? So let me get this straight, we can be Christians when we live in a sin that God says:

1 Cor 6:9-10
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?... [effeminate/homosexuals]... nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards,... will inherit the kingdom of God."​

So despite that you're told the people who live in these lifestyles as a chronic, daily, regular practice - not repenting of it (nor convicted it's sinful), ARE CHRISTIANS? Can we also say this of the murderers? Adulterers? Pedophiles? Drug dealers? Thieves? Rapists? Fornicators? Prostitutes? Drunkards? Drug addicts?

GOD decides what true LOVE IS, warping/perverting God's design of a family unit isn't LOVING in His eyes...
Since sin HARMS others, how is it LOVE when harm is done? Either to one another or to the soul of the other???
According to Romans 1, those who lust after the same sex have been "turned over" to their own depravity:

Rom 1:26-27
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
​

They get bagged out about it there too; and have lost some of their friends over it.

How does one preach Christ, while refusing to accept what He calls SIN? & rebelling against God's created design & order for Godly marriage?

Mt. 19:3-5
And [Jesus] answered and said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,
and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'?​

Where are 2 men or 2 women in Jesus' equasion for the marital unit?? Not only does Jesus teach that only 2 people are His design, He also teaches that BECUZ THEY ARE CREATED MALE & FEMALE (by God's designed order/ the prototype of the Proper marital unit) that it is why they become ONE UNIT of their own; a family unit - ONE FLESH.

The very creation of the male and female are God's original design and the only lawful unit He recognizes - perverting that design & order for the family unit is SIN according to scripture (OT and NT).

Now you have people usurping God's created order for marriage to raise a family in homosexuality & calling that a perfect picture of "LOVE" & righteous Christian conduct?

What does Jesus say to those who disregard His commands to live in the perpetual lifestyles/habit of unrepented sin?
Matthew 7:21-23




"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
​

People in the willful and chronic lifestyle of living in sin are living in continual rebellion against God; it shows us that they are not entering the kingdom of God, contrary to today's popular PC theories that God is so loving & merciful, that anyone can make it in no matter how they're living.

However, they said to me that it doesn't matter if they have lost friends because they are Christians. They are happy knowing that they have Christ in their hearts and are bringing up their children to love Christ also. Their daughter has a boyfriend; and their son has a girlfriend. They're fairly normal people.

NORMALCY IS YOUR LITMUS TEST FOR WHAT'S GOOD OR RIGHT??? GOD is the moral lawgiver, not you, not me. When HE says something is abomination, sin, evil, who are WE to come along & say "this is good becuz they show "love". I know hetero couples who refuse to get married but are living w/ each other - they show LOVE too, and they're normal & even bring up families... but the bible is clear on fornicating - just as it's clear that homosexuality is sinful.
Are you telling us that you can decide good & evil in your own human wisdom & that God is wrong?

I'm going to believe what my BIBLE says over & above your moral judgments over humanity. God decides right and wrong, I will abide by His perfect judgments about morality.
To support and condone such lifestyles is to go against God's very words.

 

[Nadiine]

On the heels of my previous post, I'd also like to bring up some biblical principles of Christians who want to support and promote what God calls SIN (or the people who live in it & promote it:

Romans 1:32
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.​

I'd be VERY careful what sinful lifestyles I'd be in approval & support of.​

Also, the principle of SHARING in another's sin by way of openly welcoming them in their sinful practices... in this case it's people who come with a false teaching (but I believe that it can equally be applied to all of us who are openly condoning any sin as "GOOD" when it's contrary to what God teaches us - becuz to live in willful rebellion of God's truth is to NOT ABIDE IN THE TEACHING OF CHRIST & His gospel truth - which includes the list of sins He forbids us to practice).​

2 John 1:9-11
Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.​

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

Then we have this:

Rev 2:19 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.
20 'But I have {this} against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit {acts of} immorality ...​

and this (regarding false teachers infiltrating the church):
Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
licentiousness in Greek:
1) unbridled lust, excess, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence

And this:

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
​

 

[BustedFlat]

I'll speak to the rest of the posts I'm reading here too on this post -
Who are "MOST" Christians?? Again we have judging going on against us. DO YOU KNOW US? I'm getting this impression that just becuz we don't live with gays, or know gays or go hunt them down in their homes to share God's salvation, that we're somehow all EVIL Christians.
Be careful about your judging of God's people. You are NOT my judge or anyone elses here. And it is more amazing the attacks CHRISTIANS are receiving from such "loving" people who are promoting "LOVE" of all things.


Many Christians DO have the right approach, but you don't know them or know the situations or know what they're doing to make such a judgment on the majority of Christians.

You're only told of this 1 situation (that we have no way of checking on to know all the details - hearing something w/out others testimony) & forming these judgments...
You don't know the many/most Christians personally to even make such an ignorant sweeping accusation. Be very careful about broad judgments against God's body of believers.

It amazes me how people will support the unsaved to "love" them, yet kick Christians to the curbs at every turn. Read 1 John 1-3 - it's enlightening.

Don't be surprised sister, Even Caiaphas and his band cast out demons and did other miracles in the name of God. Every thing they did was out of their love for God.


Do a study of Church history and you see that the greatest persecutions are from religious groups acting out of love for God.

 

[Cris413]

Amazing.

I am simply baffled by the lack of understanding going on here.

If I am to understand all of this correctly...it is completely off the mark for Christians to discuss the impact homosexuality has on society.

Completely off the mark for a Christian to consider why God has a problem with sexual immorality. Christians who honor the sanctity of marriage between a man and woman and the importance of how this is symbolized by Jesus Christ as the bridegroom and His church the bride. An example of the greatest love.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

But it's perfectly OK to bash the Bride of Christ...

It is simply an atrocity for a Believer to stand for the Word of God because this is somehow perceived is gay-bashing

Some seem to be so focused on protecting the gay agenda that we don't even recognize the harm being done to the Body of Christ.


It's very nice how one can back peddle regarding a hate-filled post about the Christian community and to find support to rally in defense of a fine heart toward gays....


There was a big stick taken to "brothers and sisters" struggling with adultery and lewd behavior. Where is the love for them... fallen brothers and sisters. Are we reaching out a hand to them or simply pointing fingers at what bad examples they set as Christians.


I seriously doubt there is an entire community of Christians terrorizing a gay couple in the next town. But lets paint a broad picture of the hypocrisy and hate of the church because of the ungodly act of a few.


Here's a news flash. God's church is under attack! The enemy would like to see nothing more than the Body of Christ dismantled.


So maybe, while all the 'nice' Christians are rallying around the gay flag...you can take a moment to rally at the Cross as well for all the bad, hypocritical Christians that do not have the eyes to see clearly or that are equally struggling with some sort of the sin nature.


Make up your mind jaisen...am I to befriend the gay gentlemen down the street in an attempt to "heal" them as you put it (which makes you sick to your stomach) or am I to respect their life choices and let them live in peace?


If God calls me to witness to them...I will. How hypocritical would it be of me to befriend them specifically to point out their indulgence in the sin nature in the guise of being interested in their garden?


Will someone please explain to me...why it's OK to bash brothers and sisters...to call them hypocrites and gay-bashers...to use phrases like "makes me sick to my stomach" in reference to those that dedicate themselves to out-reach ministries to "heal" people of homosexual sin. (BTW a lot of these ministries are founded by gays who came out of the lifestyle but unfortunately most are labeled as traitors to their kind)


Again...all I can say is...amazing


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[ANM29]

Don't be surprised sister, Even Caiaphas and his band cast out demons and did other miracles in the name of God. Every thing they did was out of their love for God.


Do a study of Church history and you see that the greatest persecutions are from religious groups acting out of love for God.

Do a study of the bible and see that Jesus debates were with other religious men, not sinners! Religious men who could not see that God had sent the WORD RIGHT AMONG THEM. They were too busy promoting SELF!.

 

[ANM29]

BTW, Cris413 Please tell me how homosexuals are doing harm to the body of Christ? If we claim to have the POWER OF GOD THEN NO HARM CAN COME TO US! You are taking this way too far honey, Way to far. You are so far off in left field it is not even funny!

Then make sure to tell me how each sinner is doing harm to the Body of Christ as well. Name the sin...ex, LIARS, FORNICATORS, etc...there is a BIG list of siners..

Thank You!

Actually, all SIN does harm to us. BUT, in this case I think you were taking this to another level..totally out of context!

 

[ANM29]

Nah Bro I dont think anyone sees you as the bad guy at all. But some people mistake willingness to help sinners as acceptance of the sinners sin.

We all have different callings from the Lord. Some are called to action while others called to teach and remind us of God's Word through the scritpures. The list goes on...

No one's calling is higher than anyone else's. But we must truly listen to what He says to us. If our actions reflect what The Lord has put in our hearts, we are doing work which glorifies Him! But if we only listen to the thought circulating in our own minds, we run the risk of only glorifying ourselves...

Bless you Brother!

I love that comment! That is exactly what is going on here. All this spiritual discernment, but nobody can see. Now, that is Amazing!