Posted on 10/04/2015 12:09:53 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday reaffirmed Catholic opposition to gay marriage as he opened a three-week gathering of bishops from around the world but said the Church had to show love and understanding towards all.
Francis presided at a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to open the meeting, known as a synod, on the theme of the family in the modern world.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
What kind of Pope is he?
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I’ve heard that he is Catholic, I can’t confirm it though.
“And when the people that you witness to reject the good news of Jesus then you don’t keep on trying to convert them by being nice. Luke 9:5 indicates that if people don’t welcome you then you shake the dust off your feet when you leave the town.”
That command was given by Christ to the 12 Disciples for a specific mission. It was not given to anyone else.
We are called to be witnesses with SINNERS - despite their rejection of the Gospel.
We are never called to separate from being a witness to sinners.
In Luke 15, Christ says...
“8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
All two often, Christians (who are not lost), huddle together like the 9 coins in a purse, uncaring for the coin that is lost. The woman in the parable goes to great effort to seek and search carefully to find the one lost coin.
Christ says there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
He also teaches the parable of the lost sheep and the 99 who are not lost.
We are not called to huddle, without care for the lost. This is one huge reason many churches no longer have spiritual life and are shrinking.
We are commanded to love others and be witnesses.
We are called to separate from an unrepentant Christian, when the church has exercised discipline against him.
Best
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