being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,unmerciful;
All of these are presented as some of the worst sins you can commit, and equally evil in the eys of God. Notice anything you've done on that list? I do. Think you've never commited a sin as bad as murder? Look right in the middle of that list. Murder, listed along with other sins such as pride, boasting, coveting, and spreading rumors about people. All, in the eyes of God, just as bad as murder.
Anytime I'm tempted rain holy hell down on somebody for something they've done, this section of Romans comes to mind. Particulary the last sins listed as being in the same league as murder: "unloving, unforgiving,unmerciful".
> I know we’ll have to disagree on this one, but my attitude on these types of matters is strongly influenced by Romans.
Certainly we can agree on your point on Romans. Speaking personally I don’t believe God runs a sliding scale on Sin: all sin is sin and it is all repugnant to Him.
On the matter of Abortion I think TaxChick’s point is well-made: like all sins Abortion can be repented of and forgiven. But in order to do that it needs to be acknowledged for what it is: a Sin. And people who sin are not Victims, they are Sinners in need of forgiveness.
And there is a process whereby God forgives Sin. But first we have to ask for forgiveness.
I felt (and still feel) that the article unhelpfully paints a false picture: someone who aborts a baby has done “nothing wrong” and is a “helpless victim” who needs no forgiveness because they are sinless.
The only way that could happen is if a pregnant woman were to be kidnapped, taken to an abortion clinic, and her baby aborted against her will. Were such an outrage to happen all who were involved, except that mother, would be guilty of Sin as well as guilty of several State and Federal crimes including conspiracy, kidnapping, and aggravated assault.
I’m unaware of that happening often. If it does, it seldom makes the newspapers.
Anyrate, we may well disagree on the finer points of this subject. But we certainly do agree on that passage in Romans.
Kind regards
*DieHard*
Thank you for that verse. There is no scorn one can heap upon a woman who has had an abortion and realized too late what she has done, that is worse than the guilt she heaps upon herself.
The beauty of the Church’s response to these women is not just the forgiveness they assure, but the care they exhibit toward them. Because of this, millions of post abortive women are coming to the church for the forgiveness and the healing. And, they are on the front lines in this fight. They know the subject in a way others do not.