Posted on 05/10/2018 9:43:28 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
It's the question I'm asked over and over again. It's the question that's dividing churches and separating family members. It's the question that must be answered: Can you be gay and Christian?
Well, if you claim to be a Christian, that means that Jesus is your Lord and the Bible is your authority, so the real question is: What does Jesus have to say about this? And what does the Bible – God's Word – have to say? That's what we need to find out.
Of course, we understand that every Christian struggles in some area, whether it be pride or anger or lust or jealousy or greed. But we also recognize that these desires and attitudes are sinful, and so we say No to them and Yes to the Lord.
In the same way, some Christians struggle with same-sex attractions, saying No to those attractions and Yes to the Lord. That's their area of temptation and battle.
But what about those who say, "God made me gay, and if I'm in a committed relationship, the Lord is pleased. After all God is love, and love wins. What the Bible opposes is abusive relationships, like homosexual pederasty and prostitution and promiscuity. That's what the Scriptures condemn. But the Lord blesses committed same-sex relationships."
Is this true?
There's only one way to answer this question. With humility, we must come to God and His Word and say, "Father, whatever You say, we will obey. We only want Your will."
So, what does God's Word have to say? Can you practice homosexuality and follow Jesus at the same time? And does God's Word
We've put together a 6-minute video that answers this head on, clarifying misunderstandings, dispelling myths, and offering hope.
Can you gay and Christian? You'll find your answers here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l_GY6mXgQg) .
James 1:14-15 has something to say about so-called latency.
John 20:22-23 - "And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
[[the New Covenant God presaged in Jeremiah as He told us that when He gave us this New Covenant, He would forgive our wickedness and recognize our sins no more.]]
Exactly- well said- We don;’t have to ‘go and sin no more’ in order to ‘remain a Christian’- Because God remembers our sins no mor-e past present and future- We are redeemed once and for all- We are sealed- and that seal can never be broken
It is impossible to ‘go and sin no more’ (Jesus told the man he healed not to do the sins that made him sick lest he get sick again with a worse disease- hence the admonition to ‘go and sin no more’ was given as protection to the man- not as a warning that he would lose his salvation- Same principle applied to the woman he told to sin no more- He told her to sin no more to avoid the consequences of being stoned to death by self-righteous hypocrites- He was not warnign her that if she sinned again, or didn’t immediatetly repent of every single sin right after she committed them that she would lose her salvation)
and it is equally impossible to live in a state of active repentance and not suddenly die without having had the opportunity to acknowledge your sin at the time of death and ask forgiveness- What a cruel thing it would be to live the ‘Christian life’ for 70-80 years only to suddenly die before you’ve had a chance to repent of some wrong thought or action- or to become a vegetable, or mentally disabled person while in a state of unconfessed sin-
sorry- we don’t work our way in to a salvation state- lest any man should boast
People get that mixed up. There is no conflict between Hebrews 6 and Ephesians 2:8-9 (written by the same author; read the latter verses carefully, since they specify grace, which can’t be earned) or between those verses and James 2:14-26. Someone who continues in evil works is heretical.
Yes, but you won’t STAY homosexual and Christian.
You may face temptation for the rest of your life, and may have to repent over and over, but in the end, the two are mutually exclusive.
He is the reason that I cannot stand the militant gays who are trying to cram their lifestyle down our kid's throats. It's a destructive lifestyle.
When and Where did our Lord require to do that to become a Christian?
Don't you remember reading in the Bible about going to the nearest CATHOLIC CHURCH and receiving that sacrament?
neither do I.
[[Takes a lot more than that.]]
How much more? 10% more self-effort? 20% more ‘faith’? 100% more commitment before God deems you worthy enough to accept as His child? (in other words a vow to become perfectly sinless- to turn from all sin before Christ will accept you as His own?)
When you give a gift- do you demand the person vow something first before they receive the gift? Then it’s no longer a gift- it’s an earned reward-
Repentance is a change of mind about Who Christ is and What He came to accomplish- that’s it-
The verses in James you mention are only about losing rewards- not salvation- James isn’t talking about either losing salvation or working up their salvation by doing works in order to be seen as ‘truly saved’- He is simply talking about their faith atrophying- becoming useless-
IF James was advocating that we must work for our salvation- or maintain our salvation or else lose it, or work in order to prove we were ‘truly saved’ in the first place- then it is in direct conflict with Paul’s teachings- ant it directly contradicts the passages where Paul speaks to his BROTHERS and SISTERS who were living in carnal sin
“RESPONSE: The Bible repeatedly refers to salvation as being by grace through faith—apart from works. Paul writes, “We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom. 3:28). He writes to the Galatians, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly” (Gal. 2:21). Elsewhere he writes, “By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).”
“Second, James is writing about justification before MEN—not before GOD. James writes, “You see that faith was working with his works…” (Jas. 2:22), and later writes, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (Jas. 2:24). James is emphasizing how believers can recognize someone’s faith (“You see…”). While God knows the heart (1 Chron. 28:9; Ps. 44:21; Jer. 17:9-10; Heb. 4:13), we can’t always see if someone has faith. One of the best ways to ascertain someone’s faith is to look at their deeds, as the rest of the NT authors affirm (Titus 1:16; 3 Jn. 10). Of course, good deeds do not cause someone to be a true believer, but they can show if someone is a true believer.”
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lᴏʀᴅ; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.UIM, the phrase “sacrament of penance and reconciliation” is how the Catholic Church describes that particular part of doctrine.
— Psalm 32:5
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
— 1 John 1:9
Depends on how much evil you’re addicted to and need to turn away from. You can’t earn the grace that eliminates the penalty for those evil works (because only your death can pay that penalty, i.e. until Christ’s innocent death occurred and that can pay the penalty on behalf of all mankind), but turning to the good works and eschewing the evil shows that you even have faith to begin with. The grace can only be given through that faith as Ephesians 2:8 points out.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.No use in believing that Jesus is the Christ by itself if Satan and his hordes also do, i.e. if it does not change your life. Matthew 25:41 is clear on what the fate of those fallen angels is.
Oh wait, never mind...........
The answer is no. Also, it’s not a “big” question. If you decide to define your very being by any besetting sin, you can’t belong to Christ.
[[but turning to the good works and eschewing the evil shows that you even have faith to begin with.]]
So those Carnal Christians that Paul called BROTHERS and SISTERS in Christ were not really saved- k got it- We earn our salvation apprently
[[No use in believing that Jesus is the Christ by itself if Satan and his hordes also do,]]
That is not what i said-
Satan NEVEr had a change of mind about Christ and what Christ accomplished on the cross and accept Him as Savior-
[[The grace can only be given through that faith as Ephesians 2:8 points out.]]
Yup- Simple Faith that Christ is the Son of God and that He died for our sins, and We accept that as the ONLY condition for salvation- That is where the ‘repentance’ ie change of heart comes in- We no longer rely on our works and ‘hope God justifies us in the end’- no, Now We change our hearts and accept Christ as the only way to salvation and put our faith in that truth alone-
If a gay person is celibate, where is the problem?
just asking.
No. Absolutely not.
Then why don’t they phrase it the way it is in the Bible instead giving it a fancy name tied to the Catholic Church? Acknowledging and confessing ones sin and there would be NO problem. BUT the Catholic Church gets all sticky fingered as they are the way to salvation. God gave His Word not a denomination.
[[ I got the impression most devout Christians were sort of happy.]]
Soem are- soem aren’t- soem unsaved peopel are happy, soem aren’t
Christians are no different than anyone else- we have the same besetting problems in life that can affect happiness as everyone else- Some however have matured enough ion Christ to learn that our circumstances are God ordained, and accept whatever it is that God brings or allows in their life, and they are ok with it- not allowing circumstances to dictate their happiness levels- but not every Christian is a mature Christian, and most allow circumstances to affect their happiness- but even mature Christians will experience sorrows and setbacks just like anyone else- Christians aren’t perfect robots who never experience sadness or discontent-
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