So much of the time, people follow traditions and accept as fact contrary ideals that have began in many ways, two of which I want to look at today. Both traditions and contrary ideals are often handed down generation after generation, with each successive generation adding to the false aspects of whatever the issue is. The second of the two ways I'll look at today is all about convenience.
We all know, or should know, that JESUS came to make available to all men HIS blood as atonement for sin, and that all men sin.
'For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only Begotten SON, that whoever believes in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life.' (John 3:16 NKJV)
And,
'As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;" (Romans 3:10 NKJV)
And,
'But GOD demonstrates HIS own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST died for us.' (Romans 5:8 NKJV)
Okay, now let's, so to speak, take this to the next level. What do you suppose is the main issue that separates Christians from everyone else? Now let's be sure that we understand each other about what a 'Christian' is. I'm not talking about someone who was baptized into a church as an infant, or who successfully recited the sacraments as a young child. Neither am I talking about someone who is the fourth or fifth or whatever generation of a family lineage going to the same church, or someone who everyone agrees is a 'good person.' None of these things, and there are many more ideas that people use to identify themselves as 'Christians' are of any value whatsoever when each of us stand before GOD. And this is something we all need to be crystal clear on, that each and every one of us will stand in front of GOD one day, this will be one of those things that attendance is mandatory for.
'Then I saw a great white throne and HIM who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before GOD, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.' (Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV)
Does being saved mean that we no longer sin, or have desires or thoughts that are contrary to HIS Will for us? What is sin, so far as the Christian is concerned? Let's go backwards on answering these questions, and start with what sin is. Just so we don't get too convoluted here, we need to divide the large picture of 'sin' into two smaller pictures, that of conscious sin and unconscious sin. When we make a decision to do something that we know we shouldn't be doing, or saying, or thinking, and we follow through with whatever it is, even when we hear that small persistent voice somewhere inside of us urging us to stop, we've committed conscious sin. Another way to think of conscious sin is to define sin as, 'a willful transgression against GOD.' When we identify unconscious sin, it's a whole different animal, one that the apostle Paul did a good job of explaining.
'For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.' (Romans 7:15-20 NKJV)
Everything we've been going over up to now has been for a specific purpose, to lead us up to a certain question. Where we're going next is a place more and more Christians are finding themselves, and it's not only Believers as individual Children of GOD who are finding themselves face to face with this situation. Churches and denominational conferences are being pitted one against the other with separation and splintering happening more and more often at an alarming rate.
Here is the question, "How do I, or any Christian, respond when asked what I think about a person identifying themselves as a homosexual and then seeking recognition, through ordination or otherwise, by individual churches and/or denominational conferences?"
If you read national news, you'll have read about some churches and other religious organizations separating themselves from partner or conference entities because of differences in what is considered the appropriate response to this question. We have avowed homosexuals being ordained as ministers, and this isn't only happening in churches we would consider 'cults' either.
(Follow the following links: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293007,00.html , http://articles.cnn.com/2001-06-16/us/church.gays_1_ministers-web-site-church-leaders?_s=PM:US , http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/marchweb-only/3-22-11.0.html?start=3 , )
We have established denominations taking the position that Christians should accept without question that there is nothing wrong [Scripturally] with having a pastor or minister who is an avowed homosexual. Do we take the stand that it's okay for someone living openly in a sinful manner and relationship to be a leader in our worship of a GOD who didn't waste any words in describing how HE felt about this particular sin because we don't want to hurt someones feelings? Or to deprive someone of their right to live their lives as they please? Maybe we don't want the poor things to feel like we, as New Testament Believers, find their lifestyle as repugnant as GOD obviously does? I know, it's not 'politically correct' to offend anyone these days. Do you want to know something, I've not read anywhere in my Bible that I have to be politically correct! How about something else, I have read throughout my Bible that I'd better be Scripturally and Spiritually correct!
Here's the bottom line; It isn't convenient to say "NO!" It isn't easy to say "ENOUGH!" It isn't the fashionable thing in these times to say "STOP!"
What's next? Are we going to start having Sunday morning services in the early afternoon so that pedophiles can stay out later on Saturday night raping and molesting kids before getting ready to preach on Sundays? Are churches going to petition prisons to please let a certain serial killer have a weekend pass so that they can kill a few more people and still make it to the church in time to preach the morning service? Go on and say it, that you think I'm exaggerating just a bit, and I know that some people who read this post will feel that way. I'm good with that, because of something I know. Not only those who pervert HIS Gospel by standing in front of a congregation with their 'same sex' partner but also any of those in the pews who actually encouraged the perversion by not saying "NO!" "ENOUGH!" "STOP!" will all have to stand in front of the Great White Throne one day. Men can say what they choose, men can profess to believe what they need to in order to justify their actions and lifestyles, but remember, "GOD will not be mocked!" Sin will always rear it's ugly head, and JESUS knew this to be true, and GOD addressed this issue through the apostle Paul, among others.
'Therefor do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in it's lusts.' (Romans 6:12 NKJV)
When asked about why people make the conscious decision to continue living a certain lifestyle, someone will always respond that GOD made them that way. Here's the thing, whether isn't homosexuality or pedophilia or stealing or murdering or raping, sin is sin is sin... I'm not the one saying this, GOD did, and still is! Have I ever gotten so angry it would've been easy for me to cripple or kill someone? Yes, and it's true that the LORD let me get that mad. It's also true that HE strengthened me to overcome that anger, so that I didn't sin. I'm sure that there are literally thousands of men who might have forced themselves on a woman, but didn't. I equally positive that many more people than we can imagine have been in desperate enough situations that they've considered robbing someone, maybe they've been ready to kill to get what they needed, but they didn't. And there is a very good reason why more people make a good choice, and then are strengthened to follow through, and that's because when JESUS had a choice to make, HE chose us!
Fellow Believers, stand up and be heard! Quit enabling this perversion of our LORD's Gospel in the name of equal rights, or to not offend someone. JESUS died so that we have the right to be called 'sons' by the FATHER. HIS very death was an offense to many, don't let your life be an offense to HIM!
I pray the LORD's Blessings on you all, and HIS Will to be seen in all that you do!
Terry a.k.a. k2montana
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