Homosexuals as Friends

[j_barner2000]

We are called to be the salt and the light. We cannot be salt and light if we lock ourselves away from the rest of the world. The example Jesus set is to make it clear that there is sin in all of our lives, reveal it and provide the means of overcoming it. We all were sinners when some Christian shared Jesus with us. We need to be willing to reach into the muck and mire of sin to help lift our neighbors off the ground so they can see the light.

Don't dump your friend summarily. However, be careful that you don't hide the fact that sin is sin. Sexual iniquity is sin. Don't beat him over the head about it, but don't condone it. I have a friend who is caught in a sin also. (not the same one) When he asked me for advice, I have made it clear that I cannot condone his particular activity, but I still love him as a person. It is to the point that he is being convicted and trying to kick the sin. Of course, he may succeed by himself, but, from experience, God can take it right away if he would only surrender to Him, and by himself, it is a long hard road.

One admonition... It is easy to be dragged into sin. Remain strong. And if you have the least bit of doubt whether you can resist the snare of his sin, then stay in "safe" environments ( get away from him and stay away. Keep a prayer on your heart and let the Holy Spirit guide you.

As far as seperating yourself totally from sinners... Have a good solitary life. Jesus Himself ate and talked and walked with sinners. Thank God He came to seek the very sinners some of you are telling this young man to avoid. We are told to go and make disciples... baptising in the name of... Well, they need to be saved for baptism to be commanded. That implies we need to spend time with them so they can see the Gospel and love of Jesus through our "light". While I often consider JohnV a liberal, I have to agree with him. We often cannot reach a sinner by telling him to get lost.

 

[Brett]

Originally posted by JonathanDT:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Matthew 22:
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[2] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[3] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Self-explanatory, I hope.
</font>[/QUOTE]Apparently, Shiloh, et al., would like to change the second greatest commandment to "Love your neighbor as yourself, unless he is homosexual - or whichever sin you happen to fancy hating people for at the moment."

How do you expect to win people over to Christ if you refuse to speak with them, and openly display your hatred for them? Before I became a Christian, I was often surrounded by Christians who displayed nothing but the kind of hatred you are displaying. Then, I joined a good Christian church which, while definitely not tolerating sin, do not hate people for it either. This is what won me over to Christ, and this is what can do the same for others.

 

[Shiloh]

Dear Brett What does it mean in Romans 1:24 "God gave them up..." vs.26 "God gave them up" and vs 32 "Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, NOT ONLY DO THE SAME, BUT HAVE PLEASURE IN THEM THAT DO THEM"? Just give me a little help here please.

 

[Jul]

Wow. I would usually describe myself as a right wing evangelical fundamentalist - but not in this thread!

For Pete's sake, some of you would condemn Christ for not throwing stones at the adulterous woman! Boy, and I'll bet you would have told him to run far and fast from the woman at the well... I'm surprised he didn't just drop dead from being that close to a woman who had slept with all those different men to whom she was not married! HEY!! I just remembered WHY he went and talked to those gals - those sinful impure women...

cause he LOVED them.

and he loves me ...

and in all this hatred... he still loves you all... he hates SIN because IT seperates US from HIM. How can that vital piece from the Bible be missed? It's a pretty solid theme through out.

I love my gay sister - and if I keep praying for her, and her spirit opens up, I'll see her in Heaven. If she doesn't repent, I won't.

In His Love,
Julie

 

[TeenforChrist]

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?...

Paul urges believers not to form binding relationships with nonbelievers, because this may weaken your Christian commitment, integrity, or standards. This doesn't mean isolating oneself from nonbelievers though. Just pray for them and be a light to them.

TFC

 

[Shiloh]

Brett......hey Brett. Hello Brett, BRET, you didn't answer my question.
Hey everybody please read Ephesians 5:21-33. I never said Christ didn't love sinners. I never said you shouldn't love sinners. I never said you shouldn't have anything to do with sinners. How are you going to witness to them if you don't talk to them? However I do believe God hates the sin of homosexuality so much He destroyed cities because of it. He also tells us that He gave them up and they are worthy of death AND anyone that condones it, Rom.1!
Now, why would God place such condemnation on homosexually? Read Ephesians 5:32 "This (marriage of a MAN to a WOMAN) is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
You violate a principle of God and you WILL pay a price!

 

[Jul]

Shiloh, Brett and I seldom see eye to eye - so he can answer you all by himself...but aren't all acts of unrightousness violations against God?

Seriously, homosexuality is bad, but so is beating your child. Bible says it would be better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be thrown to the depths of the sea than to harm a little one. I am not justifying anything, but I think that the great commission is to go out and cause others to follow Him. My precious Lord didn't hang from a cross so that I could condemn others.

Seriously, I think Satan's biggest ace is to have sinners thinking they are unworthy of God. We all are!!!

 

[ArcticBound]

SHILOH, you are absolutely Correct!

God created Adam and Eve; not Adam and STEVE!

 

[Joshua4KJV]

Lev 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

 

[TeenforChrist]

Originally posted by ArcticBound:
SHILOH, you are absolutely Correct!

God created Adam and Eve; not Adam and STEVE!

How true!!!That's a good way to put it!

TFC

 

[Sularis]

God destroyed people because of pride

Does that mean we should scourge any who talk about themselves - No!

There is a right way and many many wrong ways

Hate leads you down all the wrong ways

God's fundemental character is LOVE

His justice is created BECAUSE of LOVE
His mercy is created BECAUSE of LOVE

There is no attribute of God's created by hate

truth without love - is nothing
anything without love - is nothing

Thus God is grieved and angry at the many different and equally sinful sins - but He NEVER loses what He is - which is LOVE - for if God could become not LOVE - then why not a liar - a deciever - a murderer?

Everything God does is because of LOVE
even sending people to Hell

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by ArcticBound:
THE NEW king james bible has that symbol on it... has the roman catholic Pagan symbol of the FATHER, the MOTHER, and the Spirit.

Tell me you're being sarcastic. Because if you're not, you're being a blatant liar.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by ArcticBound:
God created Adam and Eve; not Adam and STEVE!

If you want to be literal, God created a man (the Hebrew word for "the man" is "adam" (whom he did not name), and a woman, whom the Bible calls "Chavva" (which means, "giver of life"). Where the first English translators got "Eve", I haven't a clue.

 

[Dina]

Originally posted by Shiloh:
Articbound, you are right. These kids, if they are kids on here obviously have had no Spiritual training at home. God's Word is crystal clear on the sin of sodomy. What God has destroyed, Gen.19, and given up, Rom.1 we had better stay clear of. Notice they give no Scripture to condone their "friendship" with homosexuals. They have no idea of what these queer people do to each other. It seems to be the cool thing today for young men to try to be feminine. I bet I could describe the fellows on here to you to a "T". I bet they have no problem with wearing a necklace and earings. I would like to have them for a month with my boys to make men out of them.

Am I mistaken here, or are you stereotyping/judging someone??

 

[Brett]

Originally posted by Shiloh:
Dear Brett What does it mean in Romans 1:24 "God gave them up..." vs.26 "God gave them up" and vs 32 "Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, NOT ONLY DO THE SAME, BUT HAVE PLEASURE IN THEM THAT DO THEM"? Just give me a little help here please.

I'd like to make myself clear. I do not support nor condone homosexuality in any shape or form. Please quote me where I said I did.

I never said you shouldn't have anything to do with sinners. How are you going to witness to them if you don't talk to them?

This was exactly my contention.

I guess the main sticking point is whether one should be friends with homosexuals. Yes, God does cast out the homosexuals in Romans 1, but it condemns those who condone homosexuality - certainly now those who are friends with homosexuals, and can witness and pray for them! There's no evidence that Christians are required to stay away from all homosexuals as well. Again, it seems like you think that homosexuality is somehow a greater sin than anything else. While homosexuality is surely an abomination before the Lord and before humanity, it also seems to be the sin that is the "flavor of the moment", and we forget that other sins - sins we all commit - are just as reprehensible.

 

[ArcticBound]

Originally posted by Johnv:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by ArcticBound:
THE NEW king james bible has that symbol on it... has the roman catholic Pagan symbol of the FATHER, the MOTHER, and the Spirit.

Tell me you're being sarcastic. Because if you're not, you're being a blatant liar. </font>[/QUOTE]I can't call Homosexuals Queers (which they are)
I can't call a Bible with errors a Perversion (which it is), I can't call Sin SIN (which it is), But you can call a Christian Brother a "Blatant Liar." Will someone please tell me what's wrong with this picture?

 

[ArcticBound]

Originally posted by Johnv:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by ArcticBound:
God created Adam and Eve; not Adam and STEVE!

If you want to be literal, God created a man (the Hebrew word for "the man" is "adam" (whom he did not name), and a woman, whom the Bible calls "Chavva" (which means, "giver of life"). Where the first English translators got "Eve", I haven't a clue. </font>[/QUOTE]How are we really sure it was "Chavvah"? Maybe it is an error in the manuscript and should be "cave women."
COME ON GIVE ME A BREAK...my point was ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN!

 

[tinytim]

Originally posted by ArcticBound:

It seems if you are still wearing your earring and necklaces then you haven't change too much, you fit right in with the world! The hardest thing for a teen is to break out of the mold of the world! But Greater is He that is in me then he that is in the world. [/QB]

"you fit right in with the world!"
As a Youth Pastor, (I know I am too old to post in the youth section, But I felt the need to defend young people) I have to say that that statement, based only on someone wearing earrings and necklaces, Is the most judgemental, Pharisical, ungodly, words I have ever seen. How dare anyone assume they know what is going on in a young persons heart. Being gay is wrong, it is a sin, but so is hating the lost. So is condemning God's Word (no matter the version). And the thing about the NKJV symbol is a bunch of hogwash. More extreme fundamental, legalistic, lies that KJVOnlyists make up. Quit calling other versions perversions. One day you will stand before God and have to explain to him why you slandered his word. I used to call myself a fundamentalist until it seemed that the fundamentals were hi-jacked by Sinner hating, KJv thummping, loudmouths that stand on lies that false teachers keep promoting.

Young people, love people enough to show them the truth. What everyone wants is something real to hang on to. Only by showing truth through love will you be able to show people that Christ is the "real" thing.

Ps. And I was raised in a Godly home, one that was truly Fundamental, Independent, Baptist. Before the KJVO lies surfaced and hi-jacked the faith.

 

[Roy]

BobTheBeliever began this entire discussion with his one and only post a few days back. I hope that he has been able to find some sound Biblical instruction in this thread.

Hey ArcticBound: If I had my way, you would be the official spokesman for this thread. God bless you my friend.

Roy

 

[ArcticBound]

"The triquetra is a triangular Celtic knot design which symbolizes all trinities"

"Pagan/Wiccan/Goddess Symbolism:
The Triquetra represents the threefold nature of the Goddess as virgin, mother and crone.
It symbolizes life, death, and rebirth and the three forces of nature: earth, air, and water. The inner three circles represent the female element and fertility."

"The Triquetra is on the cover on the "Book of Shadows," a powerful spell book, and on the Spiritboard, the prop department's idea of what a talking board looks like. The Halliwells might be surprised to learn that the Triquetra also appears on the Christian Bible, New King James Version, in real life. It may come as no surprise too, that there are some angry Christians out there who feel that the witches have stolen their symbol. Real life Wiccans claim that they had it first. Makes for an interesting situation, to say the least."
"The pagans have a few points in their favor, however. We can speculate knowing what we do of similar signs. The early Christians freely "appropriated" many pagan symbols, rituals, and holidays and took them as their own. The Mandorla (left), the Christians' sacred almond, was originally a pagan feminine symbol signifying fertility. The Christians changed it to one representing virginity and purity. It is pictured in early Christian art as the almond-shaped halo of Christ. So it's quite probable that the early Christians adopted the Triquetra, an interlocking triple Mandorla, also. In the final analysis, maybe the origin isn't nearly as important as its meaning to the group, or the individual. So whether you're pagan, Christian, or simply a fan of the television show "Charmed," you may believe what you want to believe . So can we"

I found this on a web page....LOOK at those words I put in BOLD...This is what some unsaved man says, "YOU MAY BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE."
THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING ON THIS BOARD..."BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT TO, WE HAVE NO ABSOLUTES" IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WICCA DOES IT, YOU CAN DO IT TO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD (YOU CAN APPLY IT WHERE NEEDED, I HOPE YOU GET THE POINT).