{Presbyterian, ELCA, etc.) Clergy Proclamation: Being Gay Not A Sin

KETV ^ | 12 Jun 2011 | KETV

[Cronos]

Rev. Eric Elnes, pastor of Countryside Community Church, said the proclamation was created because, “we were just fed up with the popular notion that the Christian point of view is anti-gay.”

Elnes, who leads an Omaha church of 1,500 members at 87th Street and Pacific Street, said more than 100 ordained Christian ministers have signed the proclamation, including leaders from Lutheran, Episcopalian, United Church of Christ, Methodist and Presbyterian churches.

The ministers will join together on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to publicly unveil the proclamation and show full acceptance of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people.

“We believe homosexuality is not a sin. It’s not a birth defect or a choice. God created people this way. And if God created them this way, they need to be honored for who they are, and fully included in church life and wider society,” said Elnes, whose words are reflected in the document.

[Cronos]

Incredible!

No wonder the ex-Ruling Elder of the OrthodoxPresbyterian (OPC), Paul Elliot wrote on the Trinity website

the Report continues the conspiracy of silence that has prevailed in the OPC for three decades. It leaves the erroneous impression that the serious doctrinal problems are outside the denomination, not within it. The Report gives false comfort to those who think the OPC is still a bastion of Biblical orthodoxy. On the contrary, the Report, and the 2006 General Assembly’s commendation of it, both maintain the OPC as a safe haven for those who teach error

.....

Men within the OPC, including at least one member of the Committee itself, teach heresy regarding the Gospel and many other fundamentals of the faith.

you can read the details at the link on page 109 why the Former Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) ruling elder Paul M. Elliott says that

• Satan has won his war of attrition against the one true Gospel in the OPC (113).
• and The OPC long ago ceased to proclaim the one true Gospel to the exclusion of all false gospels (115).
• and The Orthodox Presbyterian Church has abandoned the marks of a true church of Jesus Christ (118).

Why does a former ruling elder of the OPC say that? Well, he gives his reasons in his book about the heresy that he believes the OPC is following and he is urging every OPCer to leave. You can read it too if you want -- and if you disagree with him, he's given his posting and email address in the book. accordingly.

The author’s thesis is that the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is today exactly where the PCUSA was back then

[Freelance Warrior]

Being gay isn’t a sin, for sure, while practicing gay sex is.

[SoConPubbie]

Being gay isn’t a sin, for sure, while practicing gay sex is.

Sorry, but that is a plain misreading of scriptures.

It is not just the action of sin that God is displeased with, but the desire for sin.

Otherwise, Jesus would not have said the following:

Matthew 5:28
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And:

Matthew 15:17
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

8. Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

It is not your actions that Jesus came to save, but your heart.

He came to change your heart, to have you be Born Again, not be trapped in your sin, but delivered from your sin.

If someone is still committing the sin in their hearts/mind, it is still sin in God's eyes.

[BigFinn]

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

According to this article and a few others I have been reading about, I guess the man of sin will be revealed any day now.

[ApplegateRanch]

Have to agree with Freelance Warrior that being gay etc is not sinful in itself; it is no different than being hetero, unless one acts upon it.

As to your argument, it is flawed in that it is describing the sin of lust, which is, in a sense, an internal act, gay or straight, and has nothing to do with the person's sexual orientation.

By the same token, looking at food is not a sin, any more that looking at another person without sexual desire is; but gluttony OR gluttonously lusting after the bakery display is sinful, the same as fornication or lusting is.

In both cases, it would come under the general heading of coveting: in the one case, coveting your “neighbor's” body; in the other, your “neighbor's” food.

[Liberty Valance]

If you flunk Basic Plumbing 101 you do not get to pass GO!

[Cronos]

that is gristly but funny...

[Liberty Valance]

Oh, i’m perfectly serious. ;o)

[Bluebird Singing]

“the person’s sexual orientation”

one of the modern day politically correct phrases.

Once stated in regards to a person, it is considered tabu to question how it came to be that a person came to that “orientation”. Many have come to that “orientation” through sexual abuse as children, which is a crime.

[Venturer]

If acting on ones gay passion is not a sin, then adultary is not a sin either.

Where do I sign up?

[Pollster1]

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

That is rather surprisingly one of the harder verses for me to understand, since the subtleties matter to my life in this case. Is it referring to that "wow!" reaction when you see an exceptionally beautiful woman, to a daydream that follows and extends that reaction, or to an effort to make something happen with that attractive woman? I am guilty of often reacting with a quick "WOW!", reminding myself that I'm married, and moving on. I see that as different from making a conscious effort to extend those thoughts or turn them into actions, but I'm not certain of my reading of "looking on a woman to lust after her". Similarly, I see being bisexual in attraction but either celibate or faithfully married as different from engaging in homosexual conduct.

God gave us all weaknesses and challenges to deal with, and I lean toward the belief that it's how we deal with those flaws that matters, far more than which flaws we were given.

[From The Deer Stand]

Whether one believes in divine creation or evolution it was done the same way: male, female.

[GladesGuru]

“According to this article and a few others I have been reading about, I guess the man of sin will be revealed any day now.”

Uhhh - ever looked at the present resident of the White House?

[StonyBurk]

And I have never known anybody who chose that “orientation” who has not -at some point -practiced —or lived out the fantasy of the “gay” lifestyle.The condition remains as
described in Scripture -The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord(see Genesis 6:11;39:9) Nelson Study bible.After all being “gay” remains an orientation- and a man or a woman may choose to practice -or to remain passive at will.But the Christian is/or ought be-
a new creation/sic.born again (John 3:) c.f.2 Corinthians 5:17

[StonyBurk]

when you see these things.. Look Up for your salvation draws nigh.

[I got the rope]

Uhhhh...then what are disagreeing with...its a sin.

[ShadowAce]

I agree. Having homosexual temptations is not a sin. Giving in to those temptations—just like any other—is a sin.

[Rodm]

They must have forgotten about Romans chapter 1 and the Hebrews 11 passage about Lot.

[LearsFool]

more than 100 ordained Christian ministers have signed the proclamation

And that would mean something if Christ's kingdom were a democracy instead of a KINGDOM.

Go on, cast your ballots, count your votes, sign your petitions. Every such act serves to demonstrate your rebellion against your King.

Even if your petty little proclamations agree with the Bible, the only proclamation that matters is the one written by the King. Issuing a proclamation of your own is an act of usurpation and rebellion, not submission.

[Cronos]

unfortunately the OrthodoxPresbyterian system is a form of government by votes.