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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 209644 | ||
Dear Brother Jeff, You asked, "I don't think they were different; do you think they were different?" (post #209514) and "...would you answer the question please?" (post #209615). Quoting Paul again: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV) They differ in ownership, forgiveness, purity, and divine judicial standing. All of those things have external manifestations. However, in the narrow context of this discussion, we are talking about their visible behavior. The saved person differs from the sexually immoral by living in sexual purity. The saved person differs from idolaters by worshiping and serving the One True God. The saved person differs from thieves by carefully and thoughtfully protecting rightful ownership. The saved person differs from adulterers by diligently maintaining the sanctity of marriage. The saved person differs from people who practice homosexuality by offering up their body unto the Lord as a living sacrifice. The saved person differs from the greedy by being content with God's provision. The saved person differs from drunkards by sober living. The saved person differs from revilers by loving and ministering grace to others. The saved person differs from the swindler by being honest and fair in his business dealings. In other words, the saved person stops committing the sins of sexual immorality, idolatry, thievery, adultery, practicing homosexuality, greed, drunkenness, reviling, swindlers. Saved people having ceased these activities is visible evidence of their redemption. Lost people continue these activities as evidence of their lack of redemption. You wrote, "Had you asked if the behavior differs NOW, for the one who ONCE practiced it (referring to the saved) then the answer would be yes. Their behavior is different. The unsaved is continuing in sin while the saved is no longer continuing in the sin." Which is exactly what I've been saying. If we tell the unsaved who is continuing in their sin that it is possible that they are now saved, then we have given them false assurance. We have judged according to Biblical standards. Your choice of words to this point could have been used by the lost to justify their continued lifestyles. I knew that isn't what you meant. We work together to be good stewards of God's truth, allowing no corrupt communication to arise from our keyboards, but such that edifies the reader. In Him, Doc |
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2 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | jlhetrick | 209860 | ||
Thanks Doc for the response.... sorry to have delayed so in my response. I'm currently working very long hours at the hospital. Quoting me you wrote: "Had you asked if the behavior differs NOW, for the one who ONCE practiced it (referring to the saved) then the answer would be yes. Their behavior is different. The unsaved is continuing in sin while the saved is no longer continuing in the sin." You responded: "Which is exactly what I've been saying. If we tell the unsaved who is continuing in their sin that it is possible that they are now saved, then we have given them false assurance. We have judged according to Biblical standards." In no place at no time have I even suggested that "we tell the unsaved who is continuing in their sin that it is possible that they are now saved". Go anywhere (everywhere) in this thread and point to where I have said anything close to that. If I have mis-typed or misrepresented my intending meaning I will desire to correct that. I have carefully read and reread my own words here and honestly can't imagine how they can be so mistaken as to suggest that my "choice of words...could have been used by the lost to justify their continued lifestyles". I honestly find that ridiculous. "Could have been" is hypothetical so I appreciate the point your making as I understand it, but, you yourself said that you "knew that isn't what you meant" referring to my posts. I appreciate our need/responsibility to challenge each other in order to prevent "corrupt communication" especially considering the limitations of posting and reading words on a screen. I have no problem with that and more than that, I appreciate and depend on it. My thoughts, perhaps from my simple, less scholarly perspective (said with sincerity), is that our being good stewards is best attained by more straight-forward, specific, and simple as need be responses; especially when we consider the varying degrees of intellect our readers and participants posses. It is, in my opinion, essential in the public forum. A perfect example of being clear (taken from this thread) is your asking how I thought the behaviors of those "who once were" DIFFERED from those who "are now". As we are agreeing to uncorrupt the corrupt communication I believe I see the problem in your original question as it relates to my response (or vice versa). Had you asked how I believe the behavior DIFFERS my answer would have been very different. How it differed(past tense applied to both)? It did not. The behaviors were exactly the same (regarding their sinfulness). How it differs (present tense applied to both)? The unsaved continues in the behavior. The saved person does not. Acknowledging semantics here, I'm almost sure we're in agreement on the whole issue. So it's not left unsaid and my position is clear here please understand this. In my years on the forum I have encountered a very few who I respect and trust regarding their doctrine as I much as I do you. With that said, some have been instrumental in teaching and guiding me in discovering the truths of Scripture, but none here more than you. I pray that the way I express myself is never interpreted as a attempt to be intentionally argumentative. I pray I never twist and turn my words or the words of others to continue to insist I'm right and another is wrong nor to avoid admitting I'm wrong. I pray others do the same. God bless, Jeff |
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3 | how can we minister to homosexuals | Bible general Archive 4 | DocTrinsograce | 209892 | ||
Dear Jeff, If I make ridiculous assertions, I may hope that 1 Corinthians 4:10a may apply. Most likely, though, it is just my own inadequacies. As semantics are so crucial to our Sovereign Lord -- the inventor of language -- it would be, at the very least, dangerous for us to treat semantics lightly. Great doctrinal issues are sometimes based on very slight semantic differences (e.g., homoousios versus homoiousios). Furthermore, the Fall was fostered by the Enemy through simple questions of semantics. Ah, well... for now, we've wrung all we'd hope to wring from our word wrangling. :-) In Him, Doc |
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