For someone who writes about love, Dan seems to have missed the point about why Jesus came to Earth in the first place.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Jesus came down because of His love for us. Jesus came down to die for our sins. Jesus died so that we could spend eternity with Him, enjoying His love, His presence for ever.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
If ANYONE sins against God, without Jesus, their punishment is death. This might offend many of you who are reading this because it doesn’t “seem” fair, but this is not my opinion, this is what the Bible says, this is God’s judgement for sinners.
To Dan, to all who are reading this: if you want to truly understand what love is, make an effort to comprehend what Jesus endured for us on the cross and why! If you honestly and earnestly (not with the “the Bible is ****” attitude), read the Bible, then you will understand that Jesus sacrificed Himself BECAUSE of His love for us! Our sins lead us to eternal separation from God, but God’s love led Christ to His death, so that we may live!
This is love! The ultimate sacrifice! The innocent suffering the ultimate punishment for the guilty!
quote: “There are things we all do or believe that other people consider “sinful.” There are things we all do or believe that other people consider “wrong.” There are things we all do or believe that other people would be disgusted or angered by.”
Dan, it’s not you or I or anyone else who decides what is right or wrong or what makes something sinful, it’s what God declares! The Bible is clear on what sin is. God is clear on what sin is. It’s just not homosexuality alone, though the world makes it out that way. Lying. Cheating. Stealing. Murder. Rape. Fraud. Hate. Unbelief. The list goes on and on. All these things are detestable to God. They are all sins in God’s eyes.
quote: “I’m not here to say homosexuality is a sin or isn’t a sin. To be honest, I don’t give a rip. I don’t care.”
Absolute truth does not change. When it comes to the Christian faith, the Bible is the absolute truth. God has declared His absolute truth in the Bible. God clearly is against the practice of homosexuality. Here are some references from the Scriptures (NASB version):
You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)
If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (Romans 1:24-27)
Or 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 effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7)
If you truly love someone, you would not only care about their life here on Earth, but you would also care about their soul and their life after death. Of course, if you don’t believe in God or heaven or hell or anything, that’s something God alone can change.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
If you don’t care about whether homosexuality (or anything else for that matter) is a sin, what you are basically saying is that you don’t care what happens to this person (whom you supposedly love), when he or she dies! What you are saying is that whatever happens to his or her soul is of no concern to you.
If I love someone, I not only want them to have an amazing life here on Earth, I would also want them to have eternal life in heaven and be there with me! I would want them to be eternally joyful in God’s presence.
This is what compels the genuine follower of Christ to stand up and proclaim the Bible. This is what compels the genuine Christian to love and to serve EVERYONE (not just fellow Christians ore those who are just like them).
The genuine, faithful, committed follower of Jesus Christ does not merely “do” all the religious duties expected of a Christian, he or she truly lives the faith. Dan is not talking about a genuine Christian as I have described here. No, Dan’s post is talking about those who merely carry the label “Christian”, but have no clue as to who Jesus is or what it means to be His follower.
Thank Sri 🙂
At last some ratnioailty in our little debate.