Happy Reformation Day

Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated on October 31st or the last weekend in October in remembrance of the Reformation. 

Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Also, the theses were written in Latin, the language of the church, and not in the vernacular. 

Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. While it had profound and lasting impacts on the political, economic, social, literary, and artistic aspects of modern society, the Reformation was at its heart a religious movement. 

The Reformation was the great rediscovery of the good news of salvation by grace through faith for Christ's sake. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church had been plagued by false doctrines, superstition, ignorance, and corruption. Since most ordinary Christians were illiterate and had little knowledge of the Bible, they relied on their clergy for religious instruction and guidance. Tragically however, monks, priests, bishops, and even the popes in Rome taught unbiblical doctrines like purgatory and salvation through good works. Spiritually earnest people tried to justify themselves by charitable works, pilgrimages, and all kinds of religious performances and devotions, but they were left wondering if they had done enough to escape God's anger and punishment. 

The truth of the gospel -- the good news that God is loving and merciful, that He offers each and every one of us forgiveness and salvation not because of what we do, but because of what Christ has already done for us -- was largely forgotten by both clergy and laity. The Holy Spirit used an Augustinian monk and university professor named Martin Luther to restore the gospel to its rightful place as the cornerstone doctrine of Christianity. Martin Luther and his colleagues came to understand that if we sinners had to earn salvation by our own merits and good works, we would be lost and completely without hope. But through the working of the Holy Spirit, the reformers rediscovered the gospel -- the wonderful news that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again to redeem and justify us. 

As Luther wrote in his explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed: I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

On Reformation Day, we glorify God for what he accomplished in 16th century Germany through His servant, Dr. Martin Luther -- the recovery of the gospel of salvation by grace through faith for Christ's sake. We also earnestly pray that God would keep all of us faithful to the true gospel and help us to joyfully declare it to the world. -

Halloween and Evangelicals

An evangelical is a fundamentalist whose kids dress up for Halloween.

A conservative evangelical is a fundamentalist whose kids dress up for the church’s “Fall Festival.”

A confessional evangelical is a fundamentalist whose kids dress up as Zwingli and Bucer for “Reformation Day.”

A revivalist evangelical is a fundamentalist whose kids dress up as demons and angels for the church’s Judgment House community evangelism outreach.

An Emerging Church evangelical is a fundamentalist who has no kids, but who dresses up for Halloween anyway.

A fundamentalist is a fundamentalist whose kids hand out gospel tracts to all those mentioned above.

http://www.russellmoore.com/2012/10/30/halloween-and-evangelical-identity/

A Strong Word on Holiness

The Election Season

As Americans, it's often helpful to be reminded that the epicenter of Christ's kingdom is not located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And the purposes of God have never been thwarted at the hands of men---a streak that's not about to end on November 6. Such a recognition isn't quietism or escapism---just biblical Christianity.

President Obama and Governor Romney are, like you and me, feeble creatures of dust. They're worthy of our honor (Eccl. 10:20; 1 Pet. 2:17), but never our hope.

So pay your taxes, choose your candidate, and cast your vote (politics does matter, after all), but do so as one whose trust is anchored in another world. As citizens of "a better country" (Heb. 11:16; cf. Phil. 3:20), we the people of the risen King await "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Pet. 3:13).

Whatever comes of our quadrennial sojourn to the ballot box, we can rest in the sovereign goodness of a Father who sits enthroned in the heavens and, with majesty and mystery, does whatever he pleases.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/10/22/the-best-sermon-on-christianity-and-politics-2/

http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/2010/09/jesus-paid-taxes-mark-1213-17/

Unashamed 2012

Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending the Unashamed 2012: Come Alive tour at the Tabernacle here in ATL.

It was an awesome night of performances from Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashi, and others.  Folks who know me know that I love Christian Hip Hop.  This was a great concert given that I listen to all these guys regularly but had never seen them live.

Recap here:


Here is one of the end tracks from the show, when all the rappers were on stage together and laying it down for the gospel!

New City Catechism

Tim Keller has created a contemporary catechism.  Why is that important you ask...

Catechisms are important because they summarize the teachings of the bible into a Q and A format that is easily memorized.  In this way, biblical truths are conveyed and doctrine is taught in a concise form that is otherwise unavailable.

Check out this new catechism here:
http://www.newcitycatechism.com/intro.php
http://www.newcitycatechism.com/New_City_Catechism.pdf

Precious Puritans

Blueprint...hard things

Biology, not Bigotry

Another Trip Lee Sermon

IMO, he is as gifted by the Lord to preach the Word as anyone named Edwards, Spurgeon, or Piper.

He comes in a contemporary way, but he is great at reaching this generation.

Trip Lee Sermon

Awesome sermon from a gentleman who is one of the best Reformed Rappers out there.  I love how he breaks the mold of what we expect when we see strong biblical preaching.  No suit, no grey hair, no pink pigment here...but lots of truth!

Mumford and Sons

..in the broader landscape of pop music, I believe Mumford & Sons are a sign of life. Their hopeful affirmations distinguish them from the cynicism of many indie artists, and from the often shallow, hedonistic lyrics of many mainstream pop stars. Mumford's lyrics even display a quality rarely found in most contemporary Christian music, where the lyrics tend to speak of God's love, grace, and redemption only abstractly; Mumford's lyrics are tangible—brutally honest and poetically robust. This connects with listeners. Ears and hearts are engaged.

Mumford & Sons herald a message that is rare and profound. Their songs tell stories of guilt, personal and relational anguish, loss, and discontent. But these themes are coupled with images of love, forgiveness, restoration, fulfillment, and hope. Few popular artists tell stories of the fall and redemption so poignantly. In "Holland Road," on Babel, Mumford sings, "With my heart like a stone, I put up no fight to your callous mind, and from your corner you rose to cut me down." But he adds, "When I'm on my knees I'll still believe." And in the title track: "Though the walls of my town they came crumbling down" and "Our breath is weak and our body thin" are followed by "I know my weakness, know my voice, and I'll believe in grace and choice." And in "Not with Haste," Mumford declares, "I'll leave no time for a cynic's mind."

But many of us are cynics—about politics, the economy, romance, religion. We need a voice to remind us that all will be well, that there is life beyond pain, restoration after brokenness. Mumford & Sons give voice to that message, telling us that love is persistent, grace is stronger than guilt, hope trumps despair. They even tell us we were made to meet our Maker.

We are called to recognize truth when we see it. This requires us to be charitable and discerning—to resist uncritical acceptance, but also narrow-minded dismissiveness. We should approach Mumford & Sons' songs with discernment and sensitivity—appraising their lyrics fairly, while seeking to understand their emotions and circumstances. We will find points to criticize, others to dismiss. But in the end, we will find much to honor and celebrate.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/september-web-only/mumford-and-the-son.html?start=3

Belief and the Believer

This Sunday there was an excellent "Table Talk" at our home church.

Table Talk is what we call the time just before we get up to go get communion.  One of the staff or key volunteers from church will stand up on stage and give some relevant insight from Scripture that leads us into the Lord's Supper.

This week, one of our Campus Pastors gave Table Talk.  He touched on the series that we are in, "Neighbor," and how we are called to be neighbors to all people...even our enemies.

He remarked on how it is far too easy for us to look at current events and see Muslims as our enemies.  He encouraged us to look beyond the hype and recognize that most adherents to Islam are regular people with regular lives...they are our neighbors.

He spoke about this from personal experience, leading a mission trip in a country where Christianity is outlawed.  He described the Muslims he met there and how much they are like us.  He asked us to translate this idea into practical life by reaching out to establish a relationship with someone who is very much unlike us.

He concluded by saying that Jesus comes to make the neighborhood bigger...and, in my postscript, that the celebration of the body and the blood are for ANY who would trust him and move in this neighborhood called "grace."

I thought this was a great Table Talk for a few reasons:

1)  It addressed current events.  Too often the church fails to provide guidance on important contemporary issues.  The flock gets a lot of information each day from the news and they need a gospel lens to help filter that.  The local church tends to shy away from any such involvement.  There are organizations like "The Gospel Coalition" that do a great job with things like this...but not enough out there.

2)  It called us to die to our own misconceptions, prejudices, and fears.  By challenging us to see Muslims as very much like ourselves AND by asking us to reach out to someone who we perceive as different, we are forced to rely on God and on the power of the cross for strength and wisdom.

3)  It dispelled the idea that all Muslims are crazy people.  This is the myth of the "belief and believer."  Often, when we see a crazy Islamic fundamentalist we paint all Muslims as fanatics or Islam as a violent religion.  The same is true with Mormoms.  Don't deny that you make a polygamist joke everytime you hear the word.  It has also been the case with Christians.  On a far too frequent basis, a crazy "believer" will do something that isn't representative of Jesus at all...but all of Christianity will be labeled based upon the acts of a few.

While it is a dangerous thing to label and make assumptions, there are also some truths in this that are worth look at...particularly when it comes to Islam and Christianity.

When a Christian bombs an abortion clinic, that act is not in keeping with the life or teachings of Jesus.  It is also not in keeping with the history of the early church.

When a Muslim blows himself up to kill infidels, that is in keeping with the life and teachings of Mohammed.  It is also in keeping with the early history of Islam.

While Jesus taught and lived a life of non-violence in the face of persecution for faith and that we should love our enemies...Mohammed taught and exemplified a bellicose form of religious superiority over non-Muslims.

While the early church was so far pacifist that it may have been unhealthy...Islam spread across all of Northern Africa and the Middle East within 100 years by the force of the sword.

While there is no denying that some Chrsitians act out of chord with their faith, the majority of believers stay within the Christian ethos.

On the other hand, while there are some Muslims who act in accordance with the teachings of their prophet, most Muslims practice a watered-down version of their faith that rejects the core tenet of violence that Islam is rooted in.

...and I am very thankful that most Muslims are not our enemies.  They are our neighbors.  That makes it easy to pray for them and love them.  It is praying for and loving the extremists who are sold out for Islam that is so challenging.

And yet, that is what Jesus says do.  So, I ask this...did you pray on Sept 11th?  Did you pray for the families who lost someone in the Towers?  Did you pray for the numerous military personnel who have suffered in recent wars?  Did you pray for God to exact justice on those responsible?...Did you pray for the eternal salvation of extreme, militant, remorseless Muslims who would just as soon kill you as say hello to you?

That is the bar that Jesus sets for us.  Trust him to help you start making baby steps towards that bar today.

Listen carefully...

Christianity is not first and foremost about our behavior, our obedience, our response, and our daily victory over sin—as important as all these are. It is not first and foremost about us at all–it is first and foremost about Jesus! It is about His person; His substitutionary work; His incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return. We are justified—and sanctified—by grace alone through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone. Even now, the banner under which Christians live reads, “It is finished.” Everything we need, and everything we look for in things smaller than Jesus, is already ours in Christ.

From the Gospel Coalition today.

William Graham Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced cha-vi-jin) is the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A Florida native, Tullian is also the grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham, a visiting professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, and a contributing editor to Leadership Journal.

(Excerpted from Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free pg. 80-83)

The Most Important Prayer for Our Kids

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/09/19/the-most-important-prayer-for-our-kids/

"Mom, why don't you ever pray and ask God for nothing bad to happen to me?"

My youngest and I were snuggled in his bed. We had just finished our bedtimes prayers, and I was about to leave when he asked me this question. I paused, because how do I explain to my 4-year-old that I used to pray that very thing? How do I explain the transformation in my prayer life when I'm not sure I understand it myself? What words could I use that would help him understand there is something more important than his safety?

My first prayers for my children began the day I learned I was expecting. As they grew inside their snug cocoon, I prayed for their growth, health, and safety. I prayed for each of their tiny fingers and toes. Through each stage of pregnancy, I prayed for all their parts to form perfectly as God intended. As God did his knitting, I did my praying.

After each of my children were born, I prayed for them to sleep---a prayer I offered up quite often. As they grew, I sought God's wisdom for behavioral issues. I prayed for patience and strength to endure the tantrums of the twos and threes. I beseeched God when potty training was going nowhere fast. When they were sick, I asked for a quick recovery (and prayed the preschool teacher wouldn't notice their sniffles and send them home). When they drove me crazy, I prayed for sanity. And every day, I repented over my own temper tantrums.

In recent years, the Spirit has effected a complete overhaul in my prayer life. It was the apostle Paul's prayer for the Ephesians that opened my eyes to see that my prayers for my children were lacking. They were focused on all I wanted God to do in my children's life to make my life better. They were about me and my comfort. While praying for their health and behavior isn't wrong, I had lost sight of the most important prayer---for their heart.

Heart, Mind, Soul

In response to my son's question that night, I said, "The Bible says that the most important thing is that we love God with all our heart, mind, and soul. That is why I pray that for you each night. Because God loves you so much, you don't have to worry about anything bad happening. Jesus already took on for us the very worst thing that could happen. You can trust God to be with you no matter what happens."

Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:17-19 inspired this prayer of my heart:

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are a gracious and merciful God, whose love is unending. You are always patient with me, forgiving me time and time again. I am so thankful for Christ's death, which opened the curtain into your presence, allowing me to call you Abba.

I come before you today to pray for my children. I confess that I so often pray about their health and behavior more than anything else. I've prayed for their healing from illness and from surgeries. I've prayed for particular behavioral changes. I've asked for help and wisdom in dealing with tantrums and defiance and in weeding out discontent and selfishness.

But increasingly, I've come to see that while those prayers are good, that you hear them and accept them, there is one prayer that stands above them all. While asking for healthy bodies and good behavior certainly makes my life easier, it doesn't address my children's most serious and deadly ailment: their heart.

The most important prayer I can pray for them is that they would see their sin and need for you. I ask that you humble them before you. Pierce their heart so they would see their need for the gospel of grace. I pray that they would know there is nothing they can do to earn your love or to keep your love. Each time they stumble into sin, draw them back to the gospel and foot of the cross. I pray that they would be overcome and overwhelmed by your love for them, that their love in response would overflow beyond measure.

I pray, along with Paul, that my children would know the hope that is theirs in Christ. I ask that your Spirit would enlighten them, grant them wisdom and understanding. Give them a desire to know you more deeply and intimately.

You have been teaching my own heart that change happens from the inside out. Help me to parent them in this way. I ask that you would give me grace to speak to their heart and model the grace of the gospel in all my interactions with them. Please keep me from being a barrier between them and you.

I thank you for the power of the gospel. May it be the motivation for my children's growth in you as well as my own. I thank you that because of Jesus, all is grace.

In Jesus' name, Amen

* * * * *

For a printable version of this prayer, visit www.toshowthemjesus.com and click on the printables tab.

Christina Fox is a licensed mental health counselor, coffee drinker, writer, and homeschooling mom, not necessarily in that order. She lives with her husband of 15 years and two boys in sunny South Florida. You can find her sharing her journey in faith at www.toshowthemjesus.com and on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/ToShowThemJesus.

Osteen - False Teacher

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

2 Peter 2:1-3


Joel Osteen’s appearance on CNN Thursday revealed little that is new. It was Osteen as always — evasive and confused, but constantly smiling. This is now his calculated and well-practiced approach. He offered no word of the gospel, and no reference to Jesus Christ, but he was introduced as “one of the most recognizable faces of Christianity in America today.”

- Al Mohler

Our New LifeGroup

We just started leading a new LifeGroup for church.  The first meeting was last night.  It is already apparent that God has ordained this group of people to come together for a season.  We are super-excited.  This is the video for our study: The Gospel Project

Too Much Ado About Demons?

"All this emphasis on Satan and demons tends to distract us from another very real menace, our own sin. Yes, there is a Devil. There are real demons. But there is also the reality of sin. Satan may be our accomplice in our ongoing sin, but we cannot pass the blame and responsibility for our sin to a controlling demon. We do not have to be possessed by a demon to get drunk. There is enough abiding wickedness in us to do it all by ourselves. We can never say, “The Devil made me do it.” We can say that we are tempted, incited, or seduced by Satan, but not that we are controlled or coerced by him."

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/are-we-too-concerned-demons/

Knowledge

Something I struggle to remember with my doctrine-oriented mind: 

"The difference between believers and unbelievers as to knowledge is not so much in the matter of their knowledge as in the manner of knowing. . . .

 The excellency of a believer is, not that he hath a large apprehension of things, but that what he doth apprehend, which perhaps may be very little, he sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving, soul-transforming light; and this is that which gives us communion with God, and not prying thoughts or curious-raised notions."

-John Owen
On the Mortification of Sin in Believers

Christian "Values"

Really?

Parents who raise their children with nothing more than Christian values should not be surprised when their children abandon those values. If the child or young person does not have a firm commitment to Christ and the truth of the Christian faith, the values will have no binding authority, nor should we expect that they would. Most of our neighbors have some commitment to Christian values, but what they desperately need is salvation from their sins. That does not come by Christian values, no matter how fervently held. Salvation comes only by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Human beings are natural-born moralists, and moralism is the most potent of all the false gospels. The language of “values” is the language of moralism and cultural Protestantism — what the Germans called Kulturprotestantismus. This is the religion that produces cultural Christians, and cultural Christianity soon dissipates into atheism, agnosticism, and other forms of non-belief. Cultural Christianity is the great denomination of moralism, and far too many church folk fail to recognize that their own religion is just Cultural Christianity — not the genuine Christian faith.

http://www.albertmohler.com/2012/09/11/christian-values-cannot-save-anyone/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AlbertMohlersBlog+%28Albert+Mohler%27s+Blog%29

iPhone 5 and Newness

Bigger screen. Better camera. Faster processor.

We're fascinated with newness. We love improving our gadgets. There is much common grace in a new iPhone — an image-of-God creativity to appreciate. And a danger to beware.

"Sit loose to this world's joy," calls the voice of Robert Murray McCheyne, a Scottish pastor from two centuries ago, who died in 1843 at the age of 29. "The time is short."

In his 2011 biographical message on McCheyne, John Piper cautions us that the temptation today to be distracted may be more acute than ever. But McCheyne's aging counsel can help us gain perspective in the good and bad of our fascination with newness.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/iphone-5-and-our-fascination-with-newness?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DGBlog+%28Desiring+God+Blog%29

Big Words!

"Small kids need big words. Not because they understand everything all at once but because, over time, God uses the inspired words of His Book to convict kids of sin and convince them to repent and believe in Christ.

Repent and believe. Those are big words too. That’s why even now I’m praying for the day those two big words represent the reality of my kids’ little hearts."

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2012/09/12/big-words-for-small-kids-bible-teaching-that-challenges-preschoolers/

How to Tell if Someone is Lying

This is very interesting, even if it isn't directly faith related.  It does say something about our depravity.

From FORBES.

1) If a person is really innocent, they will usually deny the accusation in straightforward language at the beginning of the conversation.

2)  If a subject counters a question with a statement that is true but doesn’t answer the original question.

3)  repeating the question to stall for time

4)  going into attack mode against the questioner

5)  trying to butter up the questioner with compliments

6)  invoking religion (“I swear to God I didn’t take the forty dollars”)

7)  using qualifiers like “basically” and “usually

8)  exhibiting selective memory (“not that I recall”)

9)  showing strange emotions while answering questions, like smiling when denying committing a serious crime like homicide.

10)  act like they don’t understand a simple question

There are also plenty of nonverbal cues to lying, though the authors say that averting eye contact, often thought to signify evasiveness, isn’t one of them, since many of us look away during conversations. More telling: hiding the mouth or eyes, throat-clearing or swallowing, biting or licking the lips, and what the authors call “anchor point movement,” shifting weight and position around the body at rest as a way to reduce anxiety, like fidgeting in a chair. To better observe this tendency, the authors like to have their subjects sit in a chair that has wheels or that rocks and swivels, so that the anchor point movements become obvious to the observer. Another clue: what the authors call “grooming gestures,” like brushing hair or adjusting a tie or shirt cuffs, which can signal anxiety. One last cue, which seems straight from central casting: sweating profusely. If the subject takes out a kerchief or simply mops his brow with the heel of his hand, it can signal deception.

In summary:

1. Look for deceptive behaviors and responses within the first five seconds of asking a question.

2. Someone telling the truth will say immediately and plainly that they did not commit the crime.

3. Liars often respond to questions with truthful statements that cast them in a favorable light.

4. Liars often repeat a question to stall for time, go into attack mode against the questioner or butter up the questioner with compliments.

5. Nonverbal cues to lying include hiding the mouth or eyes, throat clearing or swallowing, grooming gestures like adjusting shirt cuffs, shifting weight around and sweating.

5 Things We Do...

...Instead of Preaching the Word.

1)  Entertain
If people come up to you afterward and say, “I love that story you told,” it should make you crazy. Really, that’s what I am? I’m a storyteller? Christ’s gospel is the main story that you should be telling.

2)  Share
Since when is the man of God some Dr. Phil and Oprah combo? You’re supposed to proclaim a message.

3)  Woo
If you don’t have people walking away from your ministry saying, “This is a hard word, who can accept it?” then you don’t have a ministry like Jesus had.

4)  Intellectualize
...preaching that stops at the shoulders is defective preaching. It has to move me—it has to call me to action—mind, emotions, and will. If you’re just preaching your theological construct, you’re blowing it.

5) Abbreviate

“The one who hears you,” Jesus said, “hears me.”

Yet there’s no pridefulness, is there? It’s so humbling. It’s a crushing weight, isn’t it? 

Full article HERE.

2 Extremes

2 Extremes...

Is either one really better than the other?

Food for thought.

Some More Dialogue

Recently a friend posted a commentary she found regarding the CFA debate.  The commentary blasted the church for failing by participating in the Appreciation Day that was held this past Wednesday.  You can read it here:


http://matthewpaulturner.net/f1/5-reasons-why-the-church-failed-yesterday/


So, my friend made a comment that:


"You know, it wasn't that long ago that our government allowed black people to be held as slaves and refused to allow them equal rights. And I bet there was scripture used to support those practices. Just a thought."


This caused me to render a quick reply:


"lauren, dont fall prey to the straw man fallacy that the battle for same sex marriage is equivalent to civil rights. That is a false argument. First, gay people have the same rights as everyone else. They are asking for a new right, a ne

w paradigm to be estabished. Additionally, there is a huge difference between the two...choice. Ethnicity and race are characteristics devoid of choice. Homosexuality, if if a genetic proclivity is ultimately a lifestyle choice. Most of all, scriptures regarding the inmorality of homosexuality are prevelant in both Testaments and are unambiguous while the arguments of slave owners and segregationists were based upon passages taken out of context and skewed to fit their agenda. Ultimately, the attempt to equate the two is an ad hominem attempt to paint supporters of biblical marriage as bigots. Its a trap, avoid it and encourage those who spout it to think clearly.

sorry for spelling, on mobile device. as for the article...we are commanded to speak truth in love. its not a choice between condemnation and love, its truth IN love. truth is paramount, the manner is with love. i felt that CFA apprecia

tion day was a way to show support for the truth about traditional marriage in a respectful way. unlike todays kiss in, no one at CFA appreciation day was disrespecting homosexuals with overt attempts to cause conflict. if there are better ways to speak truth in love on this issue, mr turner should have shared some. i always tell my staff, dont come to me with a problem if u dont have a possible solution lined up. the fear is that we will ignore the biblical mandate and decide to speak love with occassional truth as long as it does not offend anyone. its a think line to walk when we try and balance the two aspects. even if you speak truth in love, many will never see it that way. the question isnt, did a person enslaved to sin find my respectful comment on truth offensive. the question is, did i stay faithful to sharing gods truth in as loving of a manner as i could. my two cents."

My comments sparked some intense emotion and polar disagreement in others as they also contributed to the post:

K stated:

"To say homosexuals have the same rights is a complete FALLACY!!! Can homosexuals visit their life partner in the hospital or make decisions about their medical treatment the same way you can with your spouse? Do homosexuals get the same t

ax breaks or other government benefits that you can with your spouse? Gays and lesbians are fighting for equal rights outside of the church. If your religion doesn’t want to marry gays under a biblical definition, that is your right. But in a country with separation of church and state, there is ZERO legal basis for not allowing gays in committed relationships the same rights we receive in a hetero relationships except to push your beliefs onto others.
I’d also love to see the new scripture text that explicitly states homosexuality is a sin without it being taken out of context or open to your interpretation. Someone who thinks homosexuality is simply a life style choice has never experienced firsthand the pain and suffering so many have gone through in coming to terms with their sexuality. Homosexuality does not hurt or harm anyone unlike all other sins."

L said:

"

Oh Katie, I wish I could like your post a thousand times over! Thank you for saying all the things i was about to!! I have to say that people who are so UNINFORMED on the subject should probably not be posting! The rights of homosexuals are

 NOT EQUAL! Until you have experienced the battle they face or have done your research, then you just look ignorant in your comments. The problem with scripture is that it can always be twisted to fit your personal view! I would love the people who speak out so adamantly against this subject to ask a few homosexuals they know if it has been their choice to be gay!!! Just ask...."

Rather than hijack the post with a response to these comments, I decided to make my reply here and open things up for further dialogue.  I am just gonna do a general answer that will hopefully give a rebuttal to both comments at the same time.

1)  Before I begin to discuss the secondary issue of homosexuality, let me start by saying that the real issues here could be more foundational.  At the root of this debate are the questions of how we view the nature of God and how we view the revelation and interpretation of Scripture.  If either of you disagree with my views on those things, it would be no wonder that we should disagree with each other on things like same sex attraction.

2)  I affirm the belief statement of the Gospel Coalition on these things, which says in part:

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who know, love, and glorify one another. This one true and living God is infinitely perfect both in his love and in his holiness. He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy to receive all glory and adoration. Immortal and eternal, he perfectly and exhaustively knows the end from the beginning, sustains and sovereignly rules over all things, and providentially brings about his eternal good purposes to redeem a people for himself and restore his fallen creation, to the praise of his glorious grace. God has graciously disclosed his existence and power in the created order, and has supremely revealed himself to fallen human beings in the person of his Son, the incarnate Word. Moreover, this God is a speaking God who by his Spirit has graciously disclosed himself in human words: we believe that God has inspired the words preserved in the Scriptures, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, which are both record and means of his saving work in the world. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and without error in the original writings, complete in its revelation of his will for salvation, sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do, and final in its authority over every domain of knowledge to which it speaks. We confess that both our finitude and our sinfulness preclude the possibility of knowing God’s truth exhaustively, but we affirm that, enlightened by the Spirit of God, we can know God’s revealed truth truly. The Bible is to be believed, as God’s instruction, in all that it teaches; obeyed, as God’s command, in all that it requires; and trusted, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises. As God’s people hear, believe, and do the Word, they are equipped as disciples of Christ and witnesses to the gospel.


3)  On to the questions that were originally brought up.  I want to be clear that I am interested in opposing same sex marriage because of my religious belief that it is immoral.  In the same way, people who want to normalize homosexuality do so because of their belief that it is not immoral.  Both parties are trying to "push their beliefs" on the other.  It isn't one-sided.


4)  As for what the Scriptures say regarding homosexuality, let me encourage you to read this excellent article on the issue:


http://www.sbts.edu/documents/tschreiner/Homosexuality.pdf


5)  Obviously, I believe that the sin of homosexuality does hurt people.  Living in a lifestyle of unrepentant sin (regardless of what the sin is, in this case homosexuality) means that you are not trusting in Christ.  Without Christ I believe that a person will suffer eternal wrath for their rebellion against God.  So, while homosexuality may seem harmless, as it involves two consenting adults, it can lead to the most long term and severe type of hurt imaginable...eternity separated from God.  


6)  I also think that same sex marriage is bad for children and society.  You can see some thoughts on that question here:


http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/februaryweb-only/2-16-41.0.html?start=1


7)  As for the issue of equal rights...gay people can get married right now.  They can marry someone of the opposite sex.  That is the same right that all of us have.  They do not have the right to marry someone of the same sex...neither does anyone else.  They have the same right to marriage as all of us.  What they are asking for isn't equal marriage rights, it is a new right to be established.  As for making medical decisions and visiting at the hospital, a power of attorney or living will can solve all those issues for people who are in same-sex relationships.  As for tax breaks, why would the government want to give tax breaks to homosexuals?  The tax break for married couples is designed to promote the future propagation of the state through reproduction.  By definition, same sex relationships do not create life.  Although, I would be happy to abolish the break for married folks anyway given my views on taxes.  Check out this piece for more:


http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5226


8)  I don't think I need to ask gay people if they choice to have same -sex attraction.  I bet money that they didn't choose that attraction.  I bet they were born liking the same sex.  In the same way, I like thick girls not skinny girls, I didn't choose that...it simply is me.  However, how we act upon our proclivities is up to us.  Alcoholics are often born into that condition.  We don't say "oh well" you were born that way.  The question isn't "Are homosexuals born with genetic predispositions?"  The answer is probably yes.  The question is "Should homosexuals act on their proclivities if homosexuality is immoral?"  I think the obvious answer (if you would concur that it is immoral) would be no.  They should restrain themselves from that lifestyle in the same way that I must restrain myself my adultery despite the ongoing battle that I, and all men, fight with lust.


9)  While I understand that some people have made comments like, what if Mike Huckabee called for feed the homeless day, how many would show up for that?  And the point is valid since Jesus commands us to help those who are less fortunate.  Let me remind everyone that the foundation of Christianity isn't built on acts of social kindness.  It is built on the glory of God.  He is glorified when we help those in need.  He is also glorified when we stand up for his revealed truth in a respectful way.


10)  Lastly, the thing that often troubles me the most in these debates is how people don't have civil discourse on the subject (and others like it...abortion etc...)  I understand that emotions are high on these issues, but using caps to indicate yelling and calling others names like ignorant, it isn't helpful.  That energy could be much better used in constructing a well-reasoned argument for your own views.  You can disagree with me all day long.  I welcome the discussion because we might both learn something, but please disagree with an air of respect and civility.  If everyone in this country would take that lesson to heart we would all be doing alot better.


I hope we can all continue the discussion, but as I first mentioned, if we don't agree on those fundamentals about the Bible...we might want to put our discussion on homosexuality aside and address the nature of Scripture first.


Anywho, take care everyone and I will try and keep an eye on this over the weekend if you want to reply.  It will be a busy one, but I will try to respond if you have more remarks.