Hot Topics
#1
Posted 14 January 2012 - 11:07 AM
Again several weeks ago a lady approached me in my C&MA after service to express her concerns that our local church was homophobic and to anti gay. It was her belief that "we're all God's children" and that He makes us all different but loves us all the same. She believe people are born homosexual and it wasn't a sin. All I could say that it's not our intent at the church to make anyone feel unwelcome and if we did we're sorry and would like to talk with the person but as a church we hold that actively embracing homosexuality is sin in the same way that any sex outside of a marriage of one man and one woman is sin. What's probably the most surprising is that this woman has been going to our church for 6 years and has held this belief the whole time with being challenged on it.
I'm finding there are so many beliefs that are contrary to the truth that the church was founded on that is the Word of God and they're swirling through our churches. Some of us might see these issues as black and white but many others do not. To me it's discouraging and scary because as we continue to see in the media whole denominations are falling under these appealing beliefs.
Feel free not only to respond to my two hot topics but to add any others that you've experienced.
#2
Posted 14 January 2012 - 09:24 PM
Just yesterday in a bible class at my C&MA church the topic of Universal reconciliation came up and we spent the rest of the time discussing it. For those of you not familiar with this ideology it's the idea that "one day" sometime after the second coming of Christ that God will redeem all people to Himself and save them from Hell. This idea claims that Jesus Christ is the only way but who won't confess Jesus is Lord? Even the worst of unbelievers won't have a choice but to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Universal Reconciliation doesn't deny the existence of hell or that people won't be punished there for their sin's and unbelief in Jesus but it puts a end to it that there will come a time when it ends and those in hell will be forgiven and saved by Jesus' sacrifice which is for all people and is enough to cover everyone. I'm not an expert on this topic and if there's anything I got wrong please correct me.
Again several weeks ago a lady approached me in my C&MA after service to express her concerns that our local church was homophobic and to anti gay. It was her belief that "we're all God's children" and that He makes us all different but loves us all the same. She believe people are born homosexual and it wasn't a sin. All I could say that it's not our intent at the church to make anyone feel unwelcome and if we did we're sorry and would like to talk with the person but as a church we hold that actively embracing homosexuality is sin in the same way that any sex outside of a marriage of one man and one woman is sin. What's probably the most surprising is that this woman has been going to our church for 6 years and has held this belief the whole time with being challenged on it.
I'm finding there are so many beliefs that are contrary to the truth that the church was founded on that is the Word of God and they're swirling through our churches. Some of us might see these issues as black and white but many others do not. To me it's discouraging and scary because as we continue to see in the media whole denominations are falling under these appealing beliefs.
Feel free not only to respond to my two hot topics but to add any others that you've experienced.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post. I believe that God loves everyone infinitely -- and hence equally, but that as a holy, just God, He hates sin. Each of us is a sinner and equally deserving of hell, but only those who have repented and put their trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God and perfect sacrifice for our sins, will go to Heaven instead. His substitutionary death on the cross paid the price for all our sins, so when God looks at a believer, He sees not our sins, but the perfect righteousness of His Son.
I believe that we should try to follow God's example and love the sinner, but hate the sin. It is not our place to judge or condemn, but it is our place that we will speak the truth in love, defend God's Word, and stand up for what is right. There are many false teachers and false doctrines in many of today's churches.
It is true that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, but the Bible clearly teaches that for those who have not put their trust in Him during their lifetime, it is too late, and they are condemned to eternal punishment in hell.
Laurie Collett, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygraceb...y.blogspot.com/
#3
Posted 15 January 2012 - 11:15 AM
Again several weeks ago a lady approached me in my C&MA after service to express her concerns that our local church was homophobic and to anti gay. It was her belief that "we're all God's children" and that He makes us all different but loves us all the same. She believe people are born homosexual and it wasn't a sin. All I could say that it's not our intent at the church to make anyone feel unwelcome and if we did we're sorry and would like to talk with the person but as a church we hold that actively embracing homosexuality is sin in the same way that any sex outside of a marriage of one man and one woman is sin. What's probably the most surprising is that this woman has been going to our church for 6 years and has held this belief the whole time with being challenged on it.
Travis, I think your response to this woman was right on, well said. Wise counsel from an older Christian friend & former pastor years ago has helped me to, as the saying goes, love the sinner but hate the sin. I spoke with him about a couple close to me whose lifestyle I didn't agree with. He knew them, and realized they didn't know the Lord. Dick commented, "It's nice when non-Christians act like believers, but can we really expect them to?" I've never forgotten that, and shared it with numerous fellow believers over the years who have found they're, for example, mad at our secular culture for being less God-honoring than it once was. Seeing that anger, many non-Christians label us unloving, anti-this or that and dismiss us as angry people who don't like them much, or even hate them. Your answer to this person showed sensitivity, yet you spoke the truth.
- Julie Daube likes this
#4
Posted 27 January 2012 - 11:12 AM
#5
Posted 28 January 2012 - 03:40 PM
I agree with all that was said but I do think at times we forget to point people to scripture and let God's word speak for itself in love of course. It will be up to them whether or not they accept it as truth.
That's true, Chris. As believers, the Bible says we're amabassadors, representing Another. Yet sometimes we come across as insisting on our own way, speaking for ourselves.
#6
Posted 05 April 2013 - 07:36 AM
- Tkulp likes this
#7
Posted 05 April 2013 - 08:21 AM
approaching the heresy of universal reconciliation I will point out that their contention is that words like olam and aidos and ionios all have limited application and were not intended to be understood as never ending . . . If it is true that these terms translated eternal, forever, everlasting; are indeed limited within time and application then we must apply this definition equally to all things. Which would make eternal life limited
Exactly Pastor Young, therefore when addressing the teaching of universalists, I take them to Matt 25:46 which says; "And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life."
In both instances the Greek word aionios is translated into our English word eternal which is defined by Strongs as, "without beginning and end - without end, never to cease"
Now if we limit the duration of the eternal punishment, then we would in turn also have to limit the duration of eternal life. And that's not possible
#8
Posted 04 February 2014 - 12:46 PM
is this like--The fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man?
#9
Posted 04 February 2014 - 03:45 PM
Just yesterday in a bible class at my C&MA church the topic of Universal reconciliation came up and we spent the rest of the time discussing it. For those of you not familiar with this ideology it's the idea that "one day" sometime after the second coming of Christ that God will redeem all people to Himself and save them from Hell. This idea claims that Jesus Christ is the only way but who won't confess Jesus is Lord? Even the worst of unbelievers won't have a choice but to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Universal Reconciliation doesn't deny the existence of hell or that people won't be punished there for their sin's and unbelief in Jesus but it puts a end to it that there will come a time when it ends and those in hell will be forgiven and saved by Jesus' sacrifice which is for all people and is enough to cover everyone. I'm not an expert on this topic and if there's anything I got wrong please correct me.
Again several weeks ago a lady approached me in my C&MA after service to express her concerns that our local church was homophobic and to anti gay. It was her belief that "we're all God's children" and that He makes us all different but loves us all the same. She believe people are born homosexual and it wasn't a sin. All I could say that it's not our intent at the church to make anyone feel unwelcome and if we did we're sorry and would like to talk with the person but as a church we hold that actively embracing homosexuality is sin in the same way that any sex outside of a marriage of one man and one woman is sin. What's probably the most surprising is that this woman has been going to our church for 6 years and has held this belief the whole time with being challenged on it.
I'm finding there are so many beliefs that are contrary to the truth that the church was founded on that is the Word of God and they're swirling through our churches. Some of us might see these issues as black and white but many others do not. To me it's discouraging and scary because as we continue to see in the media whole denominations are falling under these appealing beliefs.
Feel free not only to respond to my two hot topics but to add any others that you've experienced.
Hello Travis
Please allow me to cast in my two cents and use Scripture to support my answers
Your first question is concerning the topic of universalism and is easily disputed with the following Scripture
Matthew 25:41-46 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: 25:42 for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; 25:43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 25:44 Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me. 25:46 And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.
Take a look at verse 46
In that verse we have the same Greek word aionios used for "eternal" when describing the duration of the punishment as well as the duration of the life which is said to be eternal
The definition of aionios is - without end, never to cease, everlasting
This basically indicates that the duration of the eternal punishment is the same as the duration of eternal life. They both are aionios - or without end
Your second topic concerns the topic of homosexuality. You said that there was a woman in Church who stated that homosexuality isn't a sin.
If she is correct, which I don't believe she is then why does Scripture say;
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 Cor. 6:9-10 NASB
#10
Posted 12 May 2014 - 03:57 AM
I agree with all. I think at time, we forget to point people to scripture and let God's word speak. It will be up to them whether or not they accept it as truth.