Posted on 02/24/2020 6:54:56 AM PST by Kaslin
According to a new Lifeway Research survey, while 47 percent of “mainline” pastors now support same-sex “marriage,” only 8 percent of evangelical pastors do. More specifically, “Presbyterian or Reformed (49%), Methodist (47%), Lutheran (35%) and Christian/Church of Christ pastors (20%) are more likely to see nothing wrong with same-sex marriage than Baptist (3%) or Pentecostal pastors (1%).”
None of this is surprising in the least.
First, as noted by Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, “The movement we see among pastors’ views of same-sex marriage has less to do with their denominational tradition than their view of the Bible.”
Accordingly, those who hold most faithfully to the authority of Scripture will be the least inclined to change their views on homosexuality. Put another way, those who believe the Bible to be God’s inspired, unchanging Word will be the least likely to compromise their convictions based on societal changes.
“An evangelical distinctive,” McConnell continued, “is the ultimate authority the Bible has over one’s beliefs despite changing cultural perspectives. It is not surprising then that evangelical pastors across different denominations continue to view same-sex marriage as wrong through this lens.”
That’s because the Bible is unambiguous in its condemnation of homosexual unions. Under all circumstances, regardless of how much love or commitment is involved, they are sinful in God’s sight and contrary to His established order.
At the same time, mercy and forgiveness are offered for all, including practicing homosexuals. The Word is equally clear on this (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
That’s why, when I had a mini-debate with “gay Christian” poster boy Matthew Vines, he could not offer a single Scripture verse in support of his position. (For a graphic illustration of the scriptural bankruptcy of the “gay Christian” argument, see here.)
When it comes to “mainline” pastors, which these days primarily refers to “progressive” or “liberal” pastors, they are more inclined to interpret Scripture through the lens of contemporary culture than to evaluate contemporary culture through the lens of Scripture.
As a result, they are more likely to disbelieve fundamental, biblical truths, including: the Bible as God’s infallible Word; salvation coming only through Jesus; the virgin birth and the resurrection; eternal reward and eternal punishment.
That’s why it’s no surprise that these same pastors, who have waffled on the most foundational issues, will waffle on things like gay “marriage” too. What else could we expect?
Ironically, it is the Pentecostals, who are often derided for their belief that the Spirit continues to speak today, who are the most conservative of all, with only 1 percent of their pastors affirming same-sex “marriage.”
But that, too, should come as no surprise. That’s because the reason Pentecostals believe that prophecy and tongues are for today is because they believe that the Word of God means what it says. That’s also why they reject same-sex “marriage.”
Pentecostals also emphasize the importance of the new birth and life in the Spirit. This means that the vast majority of their adherents will have a greater devotion to the Lord and His Word than those of “mainline” churches, which often downplay the concept of personal relationship with God.
All this would be in keeping with a 10-country religious survey published in 2006, titled, “Spirit and Power – A Ten Country Survey of Pentecostals.”
The survey indicated that, “In addition to their distinctive religious experiences, renewalists also stand out for the intensity of their belief in traditional Christian doctrines and practices. For instance, in eight of the 10 countries surveyed (all except the U.S. and Chile), majorities of nonrenewalist Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word; but this view is even more common among pentecostals than among non-renewalist Christians. Similarly, large majorities of all Christians, renewalists and nonrenewalists alike, believe that miracles still occur today as in ancient times. But this belief tends to be even more intense among pentecostals and, to a lesser extent, charismatics than among nonrenewalist Christians.”
It is true that, according to the recent Lifeway Research survey, the more educated the pastor, the more likely he (or she) was to accept same-sex “marriage.” Specifically, “Those with a doctorate (27%) or a master’s degree (32%) are more likely to support same-sex marriage than pastors with a bachelor’s degree (9%) or no college degree (6%).”
But, once again, it is also more likely that many of those who pursued more advanced degrees view the Bible through a more modernist lens than those who chose not to pursue such degrees. Education, in and of itself, does not guarantee orthodoxy. This is especially so when the seminaries attended are themselves liberal.
Interestingly, “Pastors of churches with fewer than 50 in attendance are more likely to see nothing wrong with two people of the same gender getting married (33%) than those at churches with 100 or more in attendance (19%).”
This would confirm what I have written about numerous times, namely, that “progressive Christianity” is doomed to fail.
That’s why, while 47 percent of “mainline” pastors now affirm same-sex relations, they represent an increasingly small minority of American pastors as a whole as their congregations are dwindling. In stark contrast, Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity is exploding around the globe.
One group adheres more faithfully to the Word and relies on the Spirit’s power. The other does not.
The results are as expected.
Oh; wait...
1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
Looks like you need the Logic 101 refresher course.
(or the anti-mindreading one.)
Pete: The Preacher said it absolved us.
Ulysses Everett McGill: For him, not for the law. I'm surprised at you, Pete, I gave you credit for more brains than Delmar.
Delmar O'Donnell: But they was witnesses that seen us redeemed.
Ulysses Everett McGill: That's not the issue Delmar. Even if that did put you square with the Lord, the State of Mississippi's a little more hard-nosed.
When we offer our suffering to God in union with Christ on the cross, that suffering is not meaningless. It is not in vain. It is accepted as just (we are sinners who have deserved punishment!) and at the same time it is transformed into a way to participate with Christ. That's why Christ spoke of "taking up YOUR cross." Why should we do that, if it is nor participating, truly and effectively, in the cross of Christ?
It's better to suffer in spirit of acceptance, on earth, than to suffer in Purgatory. That "Good Thief" had his purgatory --- his purifying fire ---- on earth. So that day he was with Jesus in Paradise.
Nothing offered to God is futile.
HERETIC!!!
Yep, according to the Catholic Church, I guess I AM a heretic. 😁 When I was a catholic, I didn’t have assurance of anything, so I gave up the Catholic Church for lent. Now, I have assurance of salvation. Heck of a deal, isn’t it? To me, committing the sin of presumption, is worth having assurance of salvation. 😁👍😀😆 I no longer had to worry about that verse, that says, it is a fearful thing, to fall into the hands of the living God. Of course, people who belong to false religions, had better worry about that, a whole bunch. 👎🔥👿 The Lake of Fire beckons them. It doesn’t have to be that way. Their blood 🩸 is on themselves. They have been warned.
Yes, I did. See post 229.
What they don't get, however, is that we want to do is please God.
It's very telling when someone addresses the do what you want and they immediately think of wanton sin.
Kinda sounds like projection, eh?
They also deliberately, and consistently ignore these verses that we keep posting that shows that that is NOT what we believe...
Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:12-18 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Yes but it is easier to tear down a straw man than address the point. Roman catholics are like telemarketers. They have been give. their script to follow and if you deviate from it they have no answers so they drag you back to their script and start over
His suffering did NOT purify him from sin.
It doesn't because it can't.
Suffering is the wrong payment for the cleansing of sin. ONLY the blood of Jesus can do that.
Hebrews 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
True, that.
I’m sure it was written by somebody inspired by The Holy Spirit of God - major /s
Ouch!
And that script ain’t even Biblical.
I agree. Do I share the gospel? At every opportunity. Evangelical today is like the pliticial word “Conservative”. A modern conservative is really probably a “classical liberal”, but most don’t know what that means, So I just say I’m a conservative. :)
what do you suppose Cat 1030 addresses, the soul or the spirit or both. It cannot be referring to the body decaying back to the elements from which it is fashioned. Wish is ‘asleep’? 1 Thess 4 indicates the spirit is with the Lord ...
We have a Catholicism teacher switching focus back and forth, creating a confusion into which satan aims to insert a falsehood which insults The Grace of God in Christ. The Roman Catholicism assertion is that punishment must be meted out as suffering in Purgatory. But when asked to be specific as to what is suffering in this mythical purgatory you see the drifting mind giving no clear answer. Such is the hallmark of cult think.
The Bible, via John, in 1 John, tells us that the spirit has GOD abiding in it, so it cannot be the spirit that is 'suffering' for purification. Thast leaves the soul / behavior mechanism. But the teacher of Catholicism cannot comprehend that such is a false dogma because spiritual things are discerned by the spirit and the carnal mind still running the teacher's reasoning is unable to grasp spiritual truths.
‘They’ cannot see ‘the point’, so they flounder and push truth aside so they can defend the lies they have ingested. Your point is so beautifully stated, and done so succinctly! Alas, teachers of Catholicism cannot discern spiritual truths and th4e ramifications thereof ...
Your eyes have been blinded to the Truth.
I'll type is slowly.
There. Is. No. Purgatory. For. The. Believer. In. Christ.
He has paid the sin debt for us....Colossians 2:13-14.
1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;
2 By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.
Amen to that!
"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
1 Corinthians 3:5 - KJV
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