Yep.
Churches absolutely love "Hell fire and brimstone" sermons because that is where other people end up.
Preachers that preach to the congregation rather than the choir often find themselves looking for new congregations.
But that is what we need.
We need pastors who will pastor us rather than try to pastor a dying world.
Preach on my sins.
Convict me that I may repent and grow closer to Christ in my daily life.
"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts". (Lewis, Screwtape Letters).
I believe the above quote is true.
The greatest danger to a congregation, in terms of sin, are those gradual, gentle sins often ignored.
Forgive my directness here. I don't know you or your family but speaking in general terms, if a woman is unwilling to marry and submit herself to a godly husband, she is unfit to be a wife or a mother, regardless of the reasons why.
I understand that there are consequences to the actions of others that people deal with well into their adult years and perhaps it is wise to hold off on marriage until certain things are dealt with and wounds are healed. Of course, that ship has sailed in your circumstance and so the question of how to deal with it is, as you say, more complex.
Thanks… my son is a nice guy and a few years ago asked this woman to marry him, ring and all. When they decided to move from Jersey to Florida for work it was viewed as a career advancement for him. In time, there was no wedding but there were 2 babies in quick succession. I later found out that she is a manic depressive so my son is taking it slow so as to not
put her in a depression state. I really think she convinced my son to move to escape pressures she is feeling back home … both her mom and my wife each have stage 4 breast cancer that ways heavily on both. Of course, I’m not cracked up about their escaping to Florida considering both situations but they are adults… I’m just his father and he knows I hold a bit of a grudge… we aren’t young and we could have used the help. Hopefully God will hear our prayer so both a marriage and family unity can happen.
Well, let me just say that you are dealing with issues that would crush me.
Also, there is the fact that God is not concerned with American jurisprudence and so we ought not get too hung up on a legal proceeding. Not that legal marriage is a totally trivial matter but merely that we need to make sure we don't pick the wrong hill to die on.
Yea I understand. However he is now making overtures to starting his own business and so
I told him that he would need all hands on deck to pull it off, that he could not must not neglect the two babies for they shouldn’t be raised with an absentee father. I pointed out to him that my father died young from a heart attack due to allot of stress and that could happen again. He agreed so I told him that my wife and I would consider moving down to Florida to help with the kids if he & his partner would go for it… so we will see what happens. Told ya that this is complicated!
:Biggrin
Being overweight, I preach gluttony is a minor sin, but feeling superior because you were genetic predisposed to a slim figure is right next to a mortal sin!
:)
11 Jesus answered him, Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin.
Jn 19