I happen to think that all coffee drinkers are druggies (caffeine) and headed to the pit!
__________________
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
If someone receives the revelation of who Jesus is, is water baptized in the name of Jesus, and is filled with the Holy Ghost...THEY ARE APOSTOLIC. Now, they may struggle with sin, they might even be backslidden and in sin...but they are still Apostolic. You don't cease being Apostolic while struggling with sin or even after you do sin. Even if you completely backslide, you're still Apostolic...albeit a BACKSLIDDEN APOSTOLIC.
So yes, I contend that there are Gay Apostolics. If God loved them enough to forgive their sin and give them the Holy Ghost, I'm man enough to acknowledge them as part of the body. And if they fall, they are fallen brothers and/or sisters.
I don't know why we're going around in circles trying to qualify who's "worthy" of wearing the label "Apostolic" like it's some kind of honorary title earned by our own merits or something.
Now, I don't condone sin. But I will be friends with, pray with, and encourage gay Christians and even *gasp* gay people. But when the rubber meets the road I let them know, I believe it's a sin. They need to take it to God and pray for strength to overcome just like I do my sins.
I just felt like I had to speak up here.
God bless.
People of the common faith that adhere to the Apostles doctrine(Apostolic) love God, know what I mean? Homosexuals hate God, huh? Read my earlier post in this thread, just make sure your prayed up before you read it because, you may change your lacidasial attitude about that spirit.
__________________
Isaiah 35:8, Even a fool can live for Jesus
Jeff, I appreciate your honesty and believe you are sincere in your desire to know the truth regarding this subject. I think if we are honest with ourselves and with others, we will all have to admit that we struggle in some area of our lives. I know I certainly do. But, what helps us to overcome whatever it might be is honesty. We have to be honest.
To struggle with something (whatever it might be) is not a sin. Its when we give in to that thing that we have transgressed the law of God. Paul speaks of his struggle between his spirit and his flesh in Romans 7. And thats exactly what it is. Our spirit, touched by the Holy Spirit, desires to serve and please God. But our flesh, subject to our fallen nature, is at war with our spirit. Drawing nigh to God empowers us spiritually, enabling us to overcome fleshly desires.
What we have to be honest about is whether or not our sin can be categorized with the "lusts of the flesh" listed by Paul in Gal. 5:19-21. Specific to the subject of this thread: Is homosexuality a work of the flesh? If we admit that, in fact, it is, then we have to admit we need to shun that sin. We need the Lord's grace to help us overcome that sin.
Does God hate homosexuality more than he does... say... hypocrisy? I wouldn't think so. In fact, I would say hypocrisy is THE sin God hates more than any. The Bible has more to say against hypocrisy than it does about any other sin. Thats where honesty comes into play. And God rewards honesty with answers- answers he has already given you. In fact, I would step a little further out by saying this: You already know God's answer to the sin question. I suspect, you've grown tired of the struggle and are now being tempted to justify, rather than continue to fight, your struggling. Don't give up the fight, brother. Don't believe the lie that God will somehow excuse sin. Whatever it is...it is still a work of the flesh, and to underscore how God feels about the works of the flesh, I'll leave you with HIS Words: "....they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
__________________
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him...." -Psa. 37:7
Waiting for the Lord is easy... Waiting patiently? Not so much.
If truth be told we will be surprised how many people in our churches that may be struggling with homosexual thoughts feelings or are just confused and dont know who to talk to because all they hear in church is gays=hell. And sometimes rather than reaching them before its too late, our rhetoric runs them right into that lifestyle. Young people now more than ever are exposed to homosexuality and this can be very confusing for them and the church must not only preach against it, but guard its people from it.
IMO, Homosexuality is a sin just like any other and if we were to be honest with ourselves we frown up it with a heated passion but the disdain for adultery, lying, stealing etc is not as fervent. Please understand my point. The same zeal toward homosexuality should be against all sinful conduct but we all know that we react to certain sinful behavior differently. If a minister cheats on his wife he isnt looked down upon as harsh as the minister found to be in some sort of homosexual relationship. There is a double standard and we all have to admit that and the fact that we get caught up in it rather than just applying the grace and blood of Jesus to all who repent.
So can a person be saved and struggle with sin? From my understanding I think thats the core question that is being asked. Just take out the word SIN in the question above and add any sinful act.
If "Christians" who are struggling with lying, cheating, stealing, fornication, adultery and lust repent of their sins weekly and sit right next to you every Sunday, adding a believer who is struggling with homosexuality should fit right in dont ya think? lol.
If the person is "struggling" (struggling = trying to abstain from sinful behavior but falls short at times, like we all do) i think there is hope.
But If the person is openly and intently living a sinful life to which the Bible is against (whatever that sinful behavior is) i dont think salvation is possible for him/her.
JMO
__________________
Practice doesnt make you perfect. It only makes you good at what you practice.
Jesus ate Honey Nut Cheerios at the Last Supper.
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Linear Mode
