BrianD wrote:I didn't say I agreed that churches would have to perform these marriages.I think every church and pastor (or whoever is in charge of the marriage service) has the choice in who they marry.I mean I came from a very conservative background where my denomination would not marry a man and women living together or if they were pregnant.If the state jumps into the church and tells the church which marriages they have to perform, then it's a church's rights issues and not a gay marriage thing anymore.I'm sorry if I sounded that I advocated marrying gays inside the church because I do not under any circumstances believe that.
Homosexuality/Gay Marriage is certainly a controversial issue.
IMHO it would be properly addressed if churches were serious about the Great Commission and Being a House of Real Praying. We would be praying for the lost, not just homosexuals. We would be seeking the Lord for wisdom in how to speak to them of Christ. We would be seeking the empowering of the Holy Ghost so He would use us in reaching them with the gospel.
And when they repented and accpeted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we would rejoice over them and happily baptize them too.
I think every church and pastor (or whoever is in charge of the marriage service) has the choice in who they marry.
I mean I came from a very conservative background where my denomination would not marry a man and women living together or if they were pregnant.
If the state jumps into the church and tells the church which marriages they have to perform, then it's a church's rights issues and not a gay marriage thing anymore.
I'm sorry if I sounded that I advocated marrying gays inside the church because I do not under any circumstances believe that.
BrianD wrote:What I write will not be popular.
Now if a church bows to political pressure to get along and preforms gay marriage services will that make the gospel which tells all of us to repent, to have a fresh obedience to God and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to save us from our sins and that would include both the sin of homosexuality and compromise...I don't think so.
Now only that but such a church will cry out for the sever corrective discipline of God if not His outrigth judgment as they will be acting as His enemies.
When the chips are down shouldn't we take the side of obedience and faithfulness to Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences we might suffer in this world. Of course this might not be popular with those who want the approval of and peace with the world (that would be a very fallen and anti-Jehovah world).
RickySure, Sure homosexuals of Sodomn (men lying with men as with a woman is quite an abomination to God) had to be quite arrogant to live in unrepentant unremorsefull self-centered ease in their abomination which deserved God judment caring more for themselves than the poor and needy.
But when it comes to marriage, I think this is a pointless battle to deny gay people marriage.
1. They are already in sin with or without legal marriage. Their legal standing with the state has nothing to do with the sin they commit.
2. God defines marriage. If the government told you the sky was green and the grass was purple and put it on official documents, would that make it true? Not at all. We act as if somehow this government has power of this word we call marriage. The state's "marriage" is just a piece of paper that grants currently a man and women some extra benefits. This "marriage" can be broken for very trivial reasons. Christian marriage is much deeper than this and is defined by God. If we absolved legal marriage all together, I believe that Christian marriage is still there. Do you think that if the state got out of marriage, you would no longer be marriage as a Christian couple? Of course you would still be married.
3. Presenting the power of Jesus to the lost is greater than advocating amendments or changing laws. PERIOD. I think the gay marriage "battle" is very divisive in the long run. Don't blame me when there is "blowback" and gay people advocate to limit your rights as a Christian.
ricky wrote:Just for clarification The Bible defines the sin of Sodom thus: "she had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy." Ezekiel 16:49 Therefore, anyone who has abundant food and ease, but does not help the poor is a Sodomite.
Continue reading, *ricky* --
Ezekiel 16:50"And they were haughty, and COMMITTED ABOMINATIONS before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."
Had they NOT committed abominations, they might have yet remained.
So ........... continue on in your sophistry and silly, insipid syllogisms, but most folks here KNOW what a sodomite is despite your attempt at spreading the guilt around.
Time is Short wrote:[homosexual rights] I see it as a major component of the coming great apostacy in preparation for the end of the age.
I think of that verse 1 Pet 4:17, "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
Lester Roloff said back in the 70's"The day America lost it's chance for revival is the day the television was invented."
I think he was right.
It's our job to spread the gospel; and when hearts are regenerated and changed, then will a country be changed.
Mr. J wrote:...Now churches are fighting to give them rights in the pulpit. They should not be members of the church, let alone in positions of leadership...
If a homosexual repents of his/her sin and confesses Christ as Lord, then the normal processes of church membership, etc, should apply. Remember, the Corinthian church included ex-homosexuals ("...what some of you were...").
All of this applies equally of course to anyone leading a lifestyle of sin and rebellion against God.
Mr. J wrote:The very first words to man out of the mouth of Almighty God were, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it." God wanted man to multiply and fill the earth with people who would worship Him. Homosexuality is an affront to God for this reason. Homosexuality is not just called a sin in the Bible, but an abomination and a detestable thing because it violates the natural order of things which God has created for His glory. There will always be those who are born with sinful tendencies in this regard. They have the option of recognising it as sin and praying to God for deliverance from it. Or they can call "white" what God has called "black", and try to change the clear meaning of Scripture. As in all these things, when God gives a clear command, we can either say "Yes!" of "Yes, but...". If we say "Yes but" we are always wrong. Because God cannot be wrong. God created them male and female and He placed the man over the woman. End of story.
20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Dont get me wrong, I do not think God is harder on the person that exhibits hatred or wrath, its all the same...Expression of te flesh, if you are inhabited by the holy spirit you will exhibit fruit of the spirit-Its all to do with which Kingdom you are in i guess.
