R Rick I applaud your post on your position on homosexuality but I want to ask, and I will take whatever way you answer it on face value, without further inquiry, but how comfortable would you be, as a religious leader, giving a sermon on accepting homosexuality in today's society on any given Sunday? Could you articulate your thoughts in this thread in a sermon?
Yes, I believe I could. As long as folks realize that having faith in a religion does not mean we as Christians can pick and choose what we like about a certain religion and what we don't like. It is a package deal. I choose to follow Christianity and take the bitter with the sweet.
There are some things that Christians likes better than others within the religion, but we choose to follow completely the word of God as much as is possible.
A good example would be, to love your neighbor as you love yourself. You may live next to a person who is just awful, but Christ commands us to love him just the same. A Christian cannot decide that they don't like that particular rule and ignore it by just practicing the more palatable commandments.
Here is the deal, we all fall short of the grace of God. There is not one perfect person among us. Does that mean we are all going to hell? Let me ask you this? Do you have to be a member of the church to see Christ? Does joining a church insure your salvation?
As surely as I am standing before you, a long time member of the church is not going to see heaven while a convicted rapist and murderer can call upon the Lord as he walks down death row to be killed will be saved. It is possible, not only that probable.
We don't get brownie points for going to church and we don't burn in hell for drinking a beer and mowing the lawn on Sunday! One is better than the other but that is not how salvation works.
The most devout Christian among us that has given of themselves to others unselfishly all their lives has done great deeds. Before Christ, they are nothing but filthy rags before him.
Deeds do not get us into heaven, brothers and sisters in Christ. We will be judged by our deeds but one thing and one thing only will get you through those pearly gates and that is if your name is written in the Lamb's book of life.
We will be judged by our deeds indeed! All men are sinners! Not one of us has led a pure life! We have all sinned! It does not matter what you have done. You may have lusted in your heart without ever acting on it. Does not matter, you sinned! No perfect people and no free pass to heaven for anyone!
You must get your name in the Lamb's book of life! How do you do this? First off you acknowledge that you are a sinner. Quit trying to find a passage in the Bible that says you are not a sinner and MOST OF ALL, quit trying to find a passage of judgment against your neighbor!
That is the stupidest thing a Christian can do. What happens when we judge one another? The same judgment we make of others, befalls us as well. It is not our job to judge others, my friends! JUDGEMENT IS MINE SAID THE LORD!
If you see a homosexual and judge them, guess what? You just passed the same judgment upon yourself. Are you happy now?
If you overeat or do not exercise are you treating your body as a temple?
If you have been true to your wife all your life, but lusted in your heart, you might as well just have taken them all to bed because there is no difference in the Lord's eyes.
A MURDERER CAN GO TO HEAVEN! WHAT COULD BE WORSE THAN THAT?
I will tell you what is worse, judge them and take revenge on them.
Do you believe you are equal to God almighty? Revenge is mine said the Lord!
What does the Lord want us to do with those that offend us? We kill them with kindness. For surly those who trespass against us will receive the wrath of the Lord and the better we treat them the worst it will be when the Lord decides to punish them.
So how does that fair for the Homophobes? You live next to a homosexual, what does the Lord command of you?
TO LOVE THEM WITH ALL YOUR HEART!
TO NOT JUDGE THEM!
WELCOME THEM INTO YOUR HOME AND YOUR CHURCH.
PRAY FOR THEM AND ENJOY FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM AND LET THE HOLY GHOST DO HIS JOB!
Don't sweat the small things in life brothers and sisters. Don't waste your time hating folks and passing judgment on people because they are different than yourself.
Invite them into your church and BE A CHRISTIAN FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, NOT WITH WORDS BUT WITH ACTIONS!