Posted on 09/19/2013 9:40:10 PM PDT by Olog-hai
A Kansas man whose online lecture about the Bible and same-sex relationships gained considerable attention has gathered about 50 Christians from around the country to delve into his belief that the Scriptures do not condemn homosexuality as a sexual orientation.
Matthew Vines, of Wichita, grew up attending a conservative evangelical Presbyterian church in the city and relies heavily on intensive study of the Bible for his presentations. He said liberal and moderate Christian churches have adopted more gay-friendly stances, but conservative churches remain steadfast in their opposition to homosexuality.
The 23-year-old Vines wants to bring change with his message that the Bible doesn’t actually say same-sex orientation is a sin or condemn loving gay relationships. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Homosexuality is called “abomination” in Leviticus (from Hebrew “to’ebah”, which means something utterly disgusting). Not all sins are given that label, although all sin carries the death penalty (Romans 6:23); other sins called “to’ebah” include idolatry.
I once had a Bible teacher say that it was almost impossible to have a good English translation of the word, the best translation was “icky,” as in “you want me to eat a pile of dog turds?”
Shellfish fallacy.
Coprophagia is several degrees beyond “icky”.
Definition of adultery in the OT: “22 If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.”
You will notice the absence of mention of a woman sleeping with another woman’s husband.
Also lying, using false weights, and eating shellfish or swine.
I think you are right and not right.
Homosexuality is a sexual sin, no better or worse than other sexual sins such as fornication and adultery and using prostitutes.
But, the New Testament is very clear that for a Christian to engage in sexual immorality is a very serious sin, because the Holy Spirit cannot be present where there is sexual immorality. Sexual immorality will not only destroy an individual spiritually, it will also destroy a church body that embraces (or doesn’t enforce Biblical standards on) sexual immorality.
The other problem, which you make reference to, is that if you tolerate one type of sexual immorality, you tolerate them all. Thus, one can say the present problem with homosexuality has its roots in the church turning a blind eye to fornication and no-fault divorce (serial adultery).
And a good example today is the PCUSA. In its rush to validate homosexuality for ministers and elders, it threw out all standards that ministers and elders must be chaste in singleness and faithful in marriage. Thus, not only can someone qualify to be a minister in today’s PCUSA if they are a practicing homosexual, they can also qualify if they are having heterosexual sex outside of marriage or cheating on their heterosexual spouse.
I agree.
Seeing your follow up posts, I do agree with you entirely. All sexual sin destroys spiritually, why the Scriptures speak so strongly against it, especially in the New Testament.
Jesus was very clear that what harmed a person was not eating non-kosher food, but such things as sexual immorality that were in their hearts.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
Did you ever read Isaiah 66:17?
We’re thinking of the same verses.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! . . . Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Everyone sins. Paul laments that he does the things he shouldn’t and doesn’t do what he should. Jesus said that having lust in the heart or anger at a brother is sin.
We all fight our sinful natures as long as we live, but the key is fighting it. It’s not enough to say, “That’s just the way I am.” if being that way is an affront to God.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.