Posted on 07/26/2008 9:19:38 AM PDT by marbren
Question:
I am a born-again Christian, having come to faith 10 years ago when I admitted to Christ I was a sinner, believed that Christ is God's Son and that He died for me and rose again, and choosing to live my life with Him as my Savior. I have a problem with your response to the homosexual question. You write that homosexuals do not go to heaven. If homosexuals do not go to heaven, then neither do boasters, adulterers, self-centered people, thieves, liars, or anyone for that matter.
You write that "So, you see, there is hope for anyone, homosexual, adulterer, drunkard, etc., to become one of God's family. But when a person does become a believer, the homosexuality ends." I'd like to examine the last of those two sentences...You say that when a person becomes a believer, the homosexuality ends. I would pose this question to you...When a prideful person becomes a believer, does his pride end? When a selfish person becomes a believer, does his selfishness end? When a liar becomes a believer do his lies end?
Answer:
Thanks for these thoughts. I do agree with you in one sense. However, I'm trying also to work with the biblical language. The Bible states that homosexuals do not go to heaven, in a variety of ways and passages. What that means is that a person who is a believer is really entirely different, including the way he thinks of himself. Many religious people have borrowed from the therapeutic view related to alcoholism that a person is merely a "recovering alcoholic" or in this case, a "recovering homosexual". This is not true for true Christians as far as the Bible is concerned. "Such were some of you" (1 Cor. 6:9-11), means that lifestyle is in the past and the old man has died. You are not a homosexual any more. You are a Christian. But you might be a Christian who still has some problem with remaining habits and sins. In fact, we all do. You are substantially different, as indicated by your behavior. The fact that the old you has died, however, is a necessary assertion, from Romans 6. And sin is an aberration and an infiltrator. You are not what you were, but your are new. And your behavior validates that if your salvation is real.
May God give you continued hope and help as you trust Him.
Jim
I think we are better off leaving that up for Jesus to decide.
The Bible could not be more clear on this, and Jesus has aleady decided:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9,10)
Just so no one deceives themselves - the Bible, inspired and written by the living God, has stated more than directly in more than a few places in Scripture that practicing, unrepentant homosexuals will not see heaven.
It is beyond doubt.
Not according to jihadist philosophy.
Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda ping list.
Be sure to click the FreeRepublic homosexual agenda keyword search link for a list of all related articles. We don't ping you to all related articles so be sure to click the previous link to see the latest articles.
Add keywords homosexual agenda to flag FR articles to this ping list.
“Can you give a specific citation supporting your assertion that behaviors and personality types are distinct in Gods eyes?”
Sorry, I should have attached an “IMHO” to that one, my bad.
This sounds a lot like one of the questions prepared for the classroom, to be asked while the GLAAD/GLBTmafia’s regional political officer masquerading as a student observes and records the teacher’s answer. Later the answer will be compared to the official orthodoxy and, if found wanting, which it certainly will be, a designated third “student” will file a complaint charging the teacher with a hate crime.
Then the drama moves to the arena of the GLAAD/GLBT star chamber at the school, where “justice” rapidly and secretly grinds the unrepresented teacher to dust, offering nothing in the way of redemption or forgiveness. Message and mission accomplished.
Sound far-fetched? it’s already happening. And possibly coming soon to a blog near you.
The reason this issue bothers liberals is that they don’t accept the idea that there can be a sin against God. They are humanistic, meaning they are man-centered. To them, a sin, if it exists at all, is something that hurts or violates another person. Rape can still be seen as a sin because it harms an innocent person. But liberals can’t grasp how “consenting sex between adults” can ever be a sin. Hey, if it feels good, and it’s what they want to do, why should God condemn them for it?
Liberals don’t grasp the idea that there can be a sin against God. They’re so egocentric that they only recognize sins that could possibly harm them personally. They don’t understand that God created male & female and ordained sexual relations between them under proper circumstances. He called his creation “good”. To challenge that creation by shaking one’s fist in God’s face and declaring that you’ll do whatever you feel like doing is to sin against God. The fact that another person isn’t harmed is irrelevant. So is the fact that if may feel good, or fulfill one’s lusts and desires.
So the answer is that unrepentant sinners do not inherit God’s kingdom, and that includes homosexuals. Unreprentant homosexuals do not inherit, repentant homosexuals do. And repentant means they stop engaging in homosexuality and ask God’s forgiveness.
regardless of your sinful condition,
Repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is near -
emphasis on “repent.”
God alrady told us how to get to heaven ..... through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Jesus reminded us, “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
If a person truly repents and receives Christ as their Savior, they will go to heaven.
A person who receives Christ - should be absolutely convinced they are going to heaven - there is no doubt about it. The devil likes to make us think that if we commit some stupid sinful act - we negate what Jesus blood did for us. No! The response to commiting another sin should be to immediately repent, “... and turn from your wicked ways.”
We are not perfect. When we get born again - it’s only our spirit which is renewed and made free of sin - but we’re still stuck with our flesh. The flesh will try to continue to rule, but Paul taught us, “... renew your mind by the washing of the water of the word”. That means .. as you begin to study the word of God and find out how God thinks, you will begin to think that way too - allowing the “water of the word” to wash away your old thinking and your old habits.
God is truly awesome!!
LOL! I posted as soon as I saw the thread.
I guess I just wasn't lucky enough to post it earlier. /humor (I chose to be a Calvinist. OK, I guess I hadn't quit turned off all the humor!)
Sin is in ones heart. Knowing God says this way and doing the other way, continually (no repentance). My life would then proclaim God a liar.
Justification and sanctification are not the same thing. Because of Christ (that I now belong to Him) legally my sins are paid for and I will not be punished eternally for them. However sanctification is still ongoing in my life. The Holy Spirit is bringing me truth about the condition of my heart before God and teaching me how to change by His power and grace. If I continually will not change or not even hearing His correction I do not belong to Him and have something else other than salvation through Jesus Christ.
That is why the bible is clear on what is sin and why they who remain in sin will not enter into God’s presence.
Depends.
We are all still sinners.
If the homosexual is celebrating his sin, I would suspect there might be an issue.
“Only thru the back door.”
No back doors in heaven. You’re not going to sneak by Him.
"In Christ"? Do you mean ... Naaah... Too easy.
Line forms on the right.
This is what I belive.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beingsmale and femaleare created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wivesmothers and fatherswill be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.
This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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.