No argument here. I suppose the best example of what I am talking about can be found at: http://stonethepreacher.com/ The man that operates that website is an associate pastor at the church I attended when I lived in the LA area. That church was large enough to have discipleship, teaching, and accountability throughout our body. That church also emphasized evangelism.
LJ, I have always respected your views. As I have walked with the Lord, I have come to realize that it is easy to tell somebody that they are going to burn for eternity unless they get right with Jesus. It is easy to invite people to church or ask them “if you died right now, where do you think you would go?”. It is much, much tougher to be somebody’s friend, gain standing in their lives, honor them (in spite of what they do), and speak truth with love into their lives.
It is easy to condemn a sinner for what they do and I spent years doing just that. The task I have set myself to over the last few years is speaking forth the renewing life that Jesus gave me and holds out to everyone.
At one point in my life, I had thoroughly steeped myself in addiction, with no intention of changing or even admitting that such behavior was wrong. Praise God that He saw me differently and gave others the vision to see me one day saved, healed, and delivered from THAT disgusting path to death! I have come to see no difference between between the things I did while I was lost and the things the vilest perverts do right now. All of us will one day answer for those things, and a piece of paper that says “married” is irrelevant. The Blood of Jesus is my answer and while I am here, steering people to the foot of cross has to be my priority.
Winning souls is my Father’s business. Understanding that a government can call something a marriage that my Father will never acknowledge as true is my business. SSM is a non-issue in my book; it is only another lie of the world to overcome, one soul at a time.
Wonderful testimony.
By the way, my point earlier was that the republican party doesn’t need the pervert vote nor should they seek it by caving to their immoral demands. I have a different perspective about trying to get one to come to church to hear the word of God. God can and does save people from their sinful ways and that includes the sin of homosexual practice as well as the addictions that you and I both had.
James 5:
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
I’m not acquainted with a homosexual, that I’m aware of but if I were, I’d certainly invite him to church.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply and I will try to respond tomorrow.