To: fwdude
The Church body is where the Holy Spirit works. So you are saying unregenerate, unrepentant sinner should not enter a church where they might get saved ?
Jhn 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Box Jhn 16:8
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Box Jhn 16:9
of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
Box Jhn 16:10
of righteousness, because I go to My Father
57 posted on
04/23/2018 3:57:41 PM PDT by
Popman
(Wisdom is not what you know about the world but how well you know God. 8)
To: Popman
No, I'm saying that a willful, unrepentant sinner, who declares his unambiguous sin NOT a sin, should not be a part of the life of the church (member in good standing, leader, officiant, voting member, etc.) Not until he repents and comes to some beginning saving knowledge of the truth. I'm not saying he has to be perfect, but he should be humbly walking in what is revealed as the truth and shouldn't be disruptive in having his own way in his old sinful habits. This might mean requiring those who experience exclusive same-sex attraction to STOP engaging in what their baser impulses demand. The same with normally attracted individuals. They might be attending as long as they aren't causing open dissension, but they should be participating as from the outside.
There are plenty of opportunities for those in the church to be effective witnesses to those outside, mostly by living holy lives unsullied by the outside world. I believe this stance is strongly supported in Scripture. I can find no scriptural examples to support having just anyone become a part of the intimate body of believers. In fact, there are several admonitions to EXPEL such people, or separate from them.
60 posted on
04/23/2018 4:13:07 PM PDT by
fwdude
(History has no 'sides;' you're thinking of geometry.)
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