Featured IF Your Baptist Group Approved Alternate Lifestyles, Would You Depart?

The only way that a heterosexual intimate relationship is sin if it is outside of the bonds of marriage. Between husband and wife, it is not.

 

So hubby can "take what's his" without his wife's permission or assent? Better rethink such a blanket statement, Fred.

 

Yes, I agree!

 

No Way...

We all know that homosexuality is at least one of the sins that God calls abominable. There is no question about that....and that He (God) hates THAT sin and all others. They are an offense to His purity and holiness. However....God does NOT hate sinners. He sent His Son to live and die (and be resurrected) for them. God DID NOT predestinate anybody to Hell or Heaven. If that is true then John 3:16 and other verses in the scriptures that speak of God's love for the world are a lie...and that is NOT POSSIBLE because God does not lie. God does know and always has known from before the foundation of this world in eternity past who would and who wouldn't come to Him in faith from then until the close of his dealings here on this earth. God's foreknowledge is something that our finite minds will never (this side of heaven) be able to explain or comprehend. Part of being created "in His image" is that He gave each of us some things that he gave no other living creature on this earth.....the ability to think and make choices and choose between right and wrong. The only thing that the homosexuals have in their favor is that they may still be able to repent and choose to turn from their sin. However..they like any unregenerate sinner may go too far and cross the line into apostasy from which there is no turning back. No man can know when somebody else may have done that. Only God. We should always pray for their salvation.

Bro.Greg:saint:

 

John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.


Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;


Ephesians 5:6
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.


We, as sinners, had the wrath of God upon us, because we weren't in Christ. But, when God reveals His Son in His children, we are seen through the blood of Christ. God does hate sinners, Brother Gregg. Yet in all of it, He bestows His mercy.

 

Very good post, and all I can say is, your local church is very blessed to have you as a pastor. Your love, patience, joy, and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit are very apparent in how you handle the administrative functions of the board.

 

I'm with Salty on this one... if a church's leaders were to make the case for accepting those living the gay lifestyle (or ANY behavior that Scripture deems sinful) my first response would NOT be to leave, but rather to stay and battle for the heart of my faith family. I have a covenant with those people and with the entity as a whole. I would battle for them as I would my own family. Seems as though, at least in baptist culture, people are far too quick to "take their ball and go home" rather than lovingly fight for what Jesus loves... His Bride.

That said, at the end of the day, if I lose the battle and the church as a whole moves forward with the new policy, I would depart... not in anger but in brokenness. I love my church and would be grieved for them embracing sin which is in the end, a rejection of Christ.

In a way, this is already happening. Not with homosexuality... yet, but in the normalization of other things that get ignored or swept under the rug. Divorce or "shacking up" for instance? In any case, if we're going to do the Great Commission, we must disciple, if we disciple, we do both sides of discipleship... formative and corrective. If we aren't willing to do those things, why should we even call it church?

 

Bless you sir!

Before I was apprehended by the Gospel, I was a sinner. That was my identity and God hated both my sin and me. He also loved me... passionately. The cross is not just a depiction of God's love, it is also a depiction of God's hate. That said, once captured by love and grace my identity was changed. I am now a saint... a redeemed child of God. He calls me son and I call Him Father (even Daddy). Do I still sin? Yup, but that is no longer my identity.

God's amazing grace!!!