Is There a difference between practicing Homosexuality and celibete?

There is within the SBC. If celebate, he or she would find that they would be helped to repent of the sin involved and to avoid it in the future just as the Focus On The Family Ministry does.

 

I think you have bought the false claim of the movement that a person can be a homosexual and not practice the sin. Homosexuality is not a condition that one has because of birth. Homosexuality is the literal practice of same sex relations. No one ever claims to be a non practicing prostitute or liar, or thief. The same with this sin. Such a claim is false. Either a person is doing it or they are not. If they are trapped in the desire they should not hold any office in any church just like someone who is battling any raging sin. That is why scripture says they must be above reproach. Not sinless, but there is nothing that can be pointed to that would bring shame on the office or the Lord.

 

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Just as there are recovering alcholics who have not had a drink in years.












just as thee are

 

I personally hate the term "recovering alcoholic". I was once an alcoholic. I drank every day with the purpose of getting drunk and most nights don't remember going home or to sleep. Once I was saved, I stopped being an alcoholic and I am no longer.

 

Not in the slightest. God removed all desire from within me to drink alcohol.

 

Yes you are correct as long as you are not suggesting they are returning to the practice. So if they are having that battle then they are not qualified to hold any position in the church according to scripture which was the OP question.

 

What if their unrepentant sin is gluttony? (Sacred Cow alert!) How is it that being tempted to sin disqualifies a man from service, but continual, unrepentant, deliberate, willful gluttony is perfectly acceptable in most any church? If the temptation disqualifies them because we believe it effects their spiritual growth & maturity, then surely our pulpits are of full of spiritually immature, self-willed men.

I am not condoning placing a homosexual into a position of leadership; just calling for consistency in our standard of qualification & judgement. God does not remove the temptation to sin from any person. The apostle Paul is an excellent example of a godly man who continued to have a sin problem in his life. (Romans 7) We are trapped in sinful flesh & will wage war against the "law of sin" until we are delivered from the source of temptation by death.

 

Yes gluttony would disqualify a man. I know of no church has a glutton for a Pastor or deacon. You might want to research the word from a biblical standpoint to see what it really means. It does not mean someone who is what some call overweight.
A glutton in the bible was someone who sat down to eat, ate all they could and then went and vomited it all up so they could return and eat more. That man would be disqualified

 

Where does Scripture define gluttony in that fashion; as more than being given to gluttonous appetites which result in obesity?

 

You were a Drunk!

 

You will have to do the research but it does talk about those who vomit up their food and eat more. Also the bible never equates what we call fat people with a glutton. It would have to give us some guidelines as to what constitutes being fat is but it does not.

None the less if you want to claim being fat is a sin then you need to follow scripture and never make a fat man you pastor he has to be above reproach according to scripture.
The same would apply to anyone battling on going deisres of any sin.

 

I am now supposed to ask what the difference between a drunk and an alcoholic is?

 

If you were truly an alcoholic you probably know already

 

I Checked, and My Roof Had Not Fallen in On Me!

This is one of those rare moments where FAl and RD2 agree! If we can agree, than no one can say that the age of miracles is past us! :applause:

 

I see, so you claim that I was not truly an alcoholic. I didn't realize you were all-knowing! Thanks for letting me know about your special powers.

 

I think there is a difference. I don't believe sexual orientation is a choice. I view homosexual orientation as resulting from a combination of heritable, hormonal, and social environmental factors.

The Holy Scriptures clearly teach that homosexual activity is a sin. How then, do we integrate these two truths?

We should start by recognizing that having a gay orientation is not a sin, but acting on those gay desires is. The solution is to help these defective people change their sexual identity and pursue a straight life. One way to do that is through Sexual Identity Therapy. That results in someone whose sexual orientation is gay, but whose sexual identity is straight. In some cases, however, celibacy may be the best option.