Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Why the spotlight on gays? | Prov 6:16 | mark d seyler | 142296 | ||
Doc, Thanks for the link. This was some very thought-provoking material. I do, however, have some problems with what they are saying. The writer claims "Homosexuality is a judgment from God." James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: 14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. We know homosexuality is sin. God does not cause anyone to sin. The writer claims "The things that happen in our time and in our country are therefore our responsibility." Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. We are each individually responsible for our sin. Otherwise, in the day of judgment, one could point the finger and say "it was their fault, not mine." They say, "In a theological context, we understand that homosexuality is a deep longing for communion with the masculine." I, for one, haven't a clue where they get this from. According to Romans 1, they "burned in their lust one toward another." Remember, homosexual does not just refer to men, although that is how the word is often used. It just means "same-sex", regarding men or women. This isn't a longing for communion, rather rejection of Him Who "made them male and female." Eph 5:31 "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church." The man-woman marraige points to the God Who ordained it. These want nothing to do with that God. "Christian fathers are a primary cause of the curse of homosexuality. Again, from Romans 1:25 "for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions:" God gave them up as a result of their own behaviors. They say "So we openly accept homosexual marriage in the civil realm as God's means of undermining that civil realm, and we accept that He has done this in judgment for wicked fathering within the Church." Mark 10:6 "But from the beginning of the creation, Male and female made he them. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife;" The Bible says a man shall cleave to his wife. I will never support anything other than that. Some homosexuals are very "in your face", and I think this contributes greatly to their being a focal point. We as Christians need to see past sin of any kind to love those that Christ loves, while not condoning sin, but sin is against God, not us. The homosexual is breaking God's law, not mine. Why should I minister any less to a homosexual than to a liar or drunkard? Love in Christ, Mark |
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2 | Why the spotlight on gays? | Prov 6:16 | DocTrinsograce | 142320 | ||
Hi, brother Mark... I will not address the arguments of the authors of that article. I think they can stand on their own feet, and do so well in the light of scripture. Instead, let me pose a few rhetorical questions and thoughts: As I asked another, to what extent are we salt and light? What does being salt and light really mean? When we do something that actually prevents someone from committing a sin, is that not a service to our Lord? When we do something that actually encourages another to sin, are we not in some way responsible? Every sin is always the ultimately the responsibility of the one who commits the sin. Yet is there no such thing as corporate sin? What of the "solemn assemblies" that are mentioned in scripture and observed by our American Christian fore-fathers. Are those simply a misunderstanding of "we are each individually responsible for our sin?" God is a personal God, but don't we also see examples of God dealing with groups of people, not just individuals? Individualism is a modern secular philosophy taken to an extreme. It is not a Hebraic philosophy or even a Biblical philosophy. Responsibility for one's behavior does not insist on embracing individualism. As usual, the church adopts the philosophies of the world, paints them up to look presentable on Sunday morning, and calls them Christian. These questions and thoughts ought not be easily dismissed by the believer. We should wrestle with when we ought to "come out from among them" versus what it means to be salt and light. We shrug these things off at our own peril, for God will purify the Bride of His Son, regardless of whether we wash our hands in the fount of individualism or not. In closing, is it not worth the time to go to our Father and ask Him to search out our sin; regardless of the label; regardless of whether it is overt, covert, comitted, or omitted; regardless of whether it is strictly my fault or another's? Who cares about these things? All sin is infinitely odious, offensive, and insulting to a Holy God. In Him, Doc |
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3 | Why the spotlight on gays? | Prov 6:16 | EdB | 142340 | ||
There seems to be a great emphasis on "Solemn Assemblies" in this thread. Let's see with God says about them. Isaiah 1:10-17 (NASB) 10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. 11 "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? 13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 14 "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. Amos 5:21-24 (NASB) 21 "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. 24 "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Seems God wants a change of heart in the individual not more corporate self-flagellation. EdB |
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4 | Why the spotlight on gays? | Prov 6:16 | DocTrinsograce | 142370 | ||
Were those the only passages you could find on solemn assemblies, brother Ed? In Him, Doc PS Sorry for getting on your bad side again. :-( |
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5 | Why the spotlight on gays? | Prov 6:16 | EdB | 142404 | ||
As a matter of fact they are the only two that contain the keywords solemn assemblies contained in the NASB :-) The only reason you have me slightly upset is these statements of yours in your reply to my post. “Well, Paul does say that "God gave them over to a reprobate mind." Who did? God. Why? "To do those things which are not convenient." We do not have a sense of corporate guilt these days, do we?” To me they suggest that I implied or said something to the contrary, which I didn't. EdB |
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6 | Why the spotlight on gays? | Prov 6:16 | DocTrinsograce | 142468 | ||
If some might be interested: Solemn assemblies are an old Jewish tradition. They are periods of quiet reflection, examination of the heart, and confession of sins. They are associated with the "Jewish Days of Awe" (Yomim Noroim) and begin with Rosh Hashanah. So they have their roots in the Mosaic Law. (However, these assemblies can also be called at other times when congregations practice periods of repentance and prayer.) The Jewish New Year is not observed with parties and revelry but soberness and reflection. (See Leviticus 23:24.) The season begins with the New Year and climaxes in Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. The Unsaneh Tokef is generally recited during the Days of Awe, a prayer of looking forward to the sanctuary of the Day of Judgment. "The great shofar is sounded. A still, small voice is heard. This day even angels are alarmed, seized with fear and trembling as they declare: 'the Day of Judgment is here!'" During this time, observant Jews confess their sins and seek forgiveness of one another. Leviticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. When the shofar is sounded -- the horn of a ram -- it calls Jews to teshuvah – repentance. Maimonides wrote, "You who are asleep wake up. Search your deeds and repent. Look into your souls you who indulge all year in trifles, amend your ways. Let each one of you give up his evil course and purpose." I suppose that there is some historical connection between this practice and the practice of some Christian traditions, Lent. I probably haven't done justice to this description. However, I wanted people to see that solemn assemblies were originated by the Lord. Of course, the question is still a valid one as to what degree some of these things are part of the ceremonial law or the moral law. One more thing... my heart aches for the Jews when ever I hear shofar. To them, it harkens to the day when the trumpet sound will usher in the Messiah. I also believe that Messiah will appear with a trumpet blast, but it will not be, as they believe, for the first time. Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The temporal peace of the cessation of war, yes. But mostly pray for peace with God that can only come through Jesus Christ, His Son. In Him, Doc |
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