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I wanted to clarify something I just realized might have been misunderstood from my last article.  I was not slamming Pastor Warren, but was slamming the Episcopal Church for allowing a minister who is open about habitual sin lead a congregation the way they are.

Thing is: I’m not the only one that feels that way either, thankfully.

Supporting articles:

MSNBC: Calif. diocese, Episcopal Church split
NYT: Episcopal Split as Conservatives Form New Group
CSMonitor: A church split on gay inclusion
Wash. Post: Seven Va. Episcopal Parishes Vote to Sever Ties

Original article here

Rick Warren is applauding Barack Obama’s decision to invite homosexual Episcopal bishop V. Gene Robinson to pray at an inauguration event next week in Washington, DC.

Christianity Today quotes a statement from Warren, who says “President-elect Obama has again demonstrated his genuine commitment to bringing all Americans of goodwill together in search of common ground. I applaud his desire to be the president of every citizen.” Warren’s comment came in the wake of a controversy over Obama’s decision to invite Warren to give the invocation prayer at the swearing-in ceremony at next Tuesday’s Presidential Inauguration.

Robinson, who became the Episcopal Church’s first openly homosexual bishop back in 2003, joined other homosexual activists and their supporters in condemning Obama for inviting Warren, saying “it was like a slap in the face.”

Warren has received heavy criticism for openly supporting California’s Proposition 8 last November, a voter intiative that amended the Golden State’s constitution to define marriage as only between one man and one woman.

Obama eventually gave into the pressure over Warren and has invited Robinson to give a prayer at another inaugural event next week.

Robinson has said he will not use the Bible when praying, and states “I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer.”

This, my friends, is what happens when you turn to the altar of being “seeker-friendly” rather than uphold the Gospel.  One of the things people who jump to the “homosexuality isn’t a sin” side of the conversation tend to forget is that there are several places in God’s Word where homosexuality is condemned as a sin.  The arguments they make are varied and I won’t get into any of them here.  What I will say though is that even though homosexuality is a sin, God is big enough to be able to forgive it!

There are those in the body of Christ (Christians, for the un-churched crowd reading this) that jump on the fact that it’s a sin so much that they completely forget that God’s grace extends even to practicing homosexuals.  Yes there is a verse that says there is one unforgivable sin, but many Biblical scholars and theologians (and pretty much any lay-person who takes a moment to think it through) believe this refers to refusing salvation through Christ. Click here for a site that provides a simple illustration called “The Bridge” that more or less illustrates what I’m about to say.

It’s simple really:

 
1. Sin, by it’s very nature, is choosing to go it our own way and do our own thing without God in our life.
 
2. Originally, sacrifices had to be offered to God in order to atone (i.e. get forgiven) for a person’s sins.
 
3. Jesus came, lived a perfect life free of all sin, and died a sinner’s death so that he was the ultimate sacrifice for us as the Hebrew law and prophets made clear.
 
4. Jesus was raised three days later from the grave, having been completely and thoroughly killed on the cross, which serves to prove that God was pleased with his sacrifice.  This is because no sinner has ever been not raised from the dead by God himself but also ascended bodily into Heaven.  It also shows us that Jesus has power over Death itself.
 
5. Since God’s Word states that everyone who
      
   1. Confesses their sins to God,
      
   2. Believes in their hearts and puts their trust in Jesus to be their ruler and rescuer (simpler terms to understand than Lord and Savior, in my opinion) is given eternal life (salvation),
      
   3. Turns from sin (repentance) and toward God and follows him, then

 

6. Anyone who refuses to accept God’s free gift of salvation and thus refuses to follow him, won’t be saved.

So, even homosexuals can be saved.  In that light, is it possible for a practicing homosexual to be a Christian?  Well can someone who lies be a Christian?  Or how about someone who gets drunk?  Both are sins according to the Bible, and yet we’re more apt to say that someone can still be a Christian or at least become one who commits either of these last two.  However, the Bible also says that you will know a follower of Christ by the “fruit” they bear (the actions they habitually commit, whether good or bad).  So I would question whether someone is a true believer and follower of Christ who habitually falls to any sort of sin, not just those who we demonize based on sexual sins.

Do Christians sin? Yes.  Because quite simply sin is choosing to strike out on our own path instead of living in relationship with God and trusting Him to take care of, provide for, and guide us.  The issue of this whole article, though, is: It is utterly, completely, remarkably wrong for any church to excuse sin as if it doesn’t exist or that something that the Bible clearly states is sin is somehow not a sin.  And before you say that I’m passing judgment, understand that passing judgment is synonymous with passing sentence on someone which is the reason for the prohibition “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”  It’s perfectly fine for us to call out sin for what it is, but God’s reserves the sole right to punish someone for the committing of that sin, ultimately.

Read this article by FBC’s Minister to Singles Jay McGuirk for a good explanation about the issue of sin.

Last word: If you have questions about any of this, please comment on this article.  Also, please don’t take what I say here without searching it out in God’s Word and confirming it for yourself.  I am only human and because of that I can only see part of God’s bigger picture and I may (and probably will) get something wrong.

In the spirit of Christmas, I feel like sharing with everyone the real story behind Christmas as told by a doctor named Luke.  Beware liberals, atheists, and nay-sayers: this story may be offensive to some of you.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth (the Roman Empire).  This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.  Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger (a feeding trough), because there was no room for them in the inn.  In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring to you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord.

“This will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus (meaning Deliverer), the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.  And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord,

“Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”

, and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord,

“A pair of turtledoves or two young pidgeons.”

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your Word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were said about Him.  And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”  And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.  She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.  At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.  The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

This message comes from the NASB bible, Luke chapter 2 verses 1-40.  Merry Christmas to everyone and as the angels said on that first night: And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.

Simple test entry.