More to back up the ROOT CAUSE of the problems in this world today. WGEN readers are well aware of my ROOT CAUSE stand on things. The REAL ROOT to all problems among humans is they turned away from what God commanded. The only way to fix the 'problems' is to return to what God commanded and live our lives accordingly. No legislated laws will ever resolve any of these problems - most times they only make them worse because they ignore the ROOT of the problem.
Jackie Juntti
WGEN idzrus@earthlink.net
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://thejacksonpress.org/?p=
An interesting way to start an opinion article on the way we should live our life don’t you think?
Do you remember this story?
It is the account of Abraham entertaining three angels one of whom turns out to be God himself of course this is only half of the story. Once you get into Genesis, it becomes apparent that the two angels are on their way to destroy Sodom. They stopped at Abraham’s tent mainly to involve him in intercession in this struggle between judgment and mercy. In the end Abraham pleads with the Lord for the innocent, those worthy of salvation and the Lord God said, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
Of course, the Lord God himself knew what the outcome would be and only Lot and his family, excluding his wife, were saved.
It is in my most humble opinion, her death symbolizes our struggle with sin and the temptation that surrounds it.
Why do I bring all this up?
I would say during these times it would be apparent! But I digress, so let’s go back 20 years or so, just so we will all be on even footing.
Many years ago a friend noticed a trend, a shifting paradigm as he put it, of sexual morality which is a source of controversy in our Western culture and therefore in our Christian Church. We had discussed this issue several times and it disturbed both of us deeply because radical Homosexuals were the source of this controversy and while we both had individuals that we might call friends that were of the tendency, we ourselves opposed the practice.
During one of these conversations, my friend commented that the secular civil rights of consenting adults are in contest with the timeless Judeo-Christian foundation for the family and society. The issue even prompted a piece of U.S. Congressional legislation (H.J. Resolution 56) to define “marriage.” (That is argument for a different time.)
It finally got to the point were in 1998 at the World Anglican Communion’s decennial Lambeth Conference, Bishops representing 77-million Church congregants worldwide passed a resolution reaffirming that homosexual ordination, same-sex marriage and homosexual practices were “incompatible with Scripture.” But a majority of the Bishops representing the 2.3-million members Episcopal Church in the U.S.A., the American branch of the World Anglican Communion, strongly objected.
My friend explained to me that the Episcopal Church had debated the “normalization” of homosexual practices, same-sex marriage and the ordination of practicing homosexuals, for over two decades. Episcopal Bishops came close to approving the ordination of practicing homosexuals at previous conventions, creating a rift between the Episcopal Church and the World Anglican Communion, and prompting a growing number of Bishops, both domestic and international, to view the Episcopal Church leadership as heretical and, thus, declared the U.S. a mission field for reseeding. Against the objection of the former and current Archbishops of Canterbury, George Carey and Rowan Williams, several Archbishops in the World Anglican Communion have been ordaining American Bishops and Priests under their authority since 1998.
He reasserted that at its 2003 triennial convention, the Episcopal House of Bishops voted to confirm an unrepentant homosexual as Bishop of an American Diocese, the first such confirmation in the history of the Anglican Church.
He considered this action as arguably “heretical, a willful violation of Scripture and the historic faith, order and governing canons of the Church, codifying a schism between the American Church and World Anglican Communion.”
Now we as a culture rarely like to get beyond the “pro-this/anti-that” labels. But false witnessing has impenetrated our language on the role of homosexuals in the Church and in our society which has caused a great deal of dissent in the role of the Church on the issue. Homosexual advocacy groups often rebut dissenters by claiming they are pharisaical, intolerant and judgmental. These accusations, as my friend would say, “Serve only to preclude discussing this issue consequentially”.
I am personally well aware that those that apply such tactics only do so as a means of creating discourse. It provides them with a medium they don’t usually enjoy and as we well know how the media loves discourse.
Let me set aside this one point that most may have overlooked, like Abraham, any disagreement with homosexual social agendas has no direct correlation with anyone’s capacity to love or have compassion for others. Nor is such dissent necessarily related to judgment, which is God’s alone. No, this is more about discernment between right and wrong, and obedience to objective truth rather than the cult of subjective relativism popularly justified under the contemporary auspices of “tolerance” and “diversity.”
So what do we do with the homosexual agenda that is attempting to use both the church and the government to expand its position? Romans 12:21 teaches: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
We, as good Christians, must reach out unconditionally with love with the hope of salvation for those we seek to heal. As my friend stated and I fully agreed “we must not predicate love for our brothers and sisters on condition of their obedience to God’s moral truth“, but we must not equate unconditional love with subjective relativism, and uphold sin as righteous. To do this violates God’s word and design.
However I have to point that my position for unrepentant sinners, and the inclusion of such persons as in good standing among Christ’s people, 1 Corinthians 5:11 confirms: “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral…. With such a man do not even eat.”
It is so very difficult to stand in defense of God’s Word and plan for us all, particularly when there are so many that wish to fight against you. But stand firm and know that you were called to do so. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” (Psalm 1:1)
Remind yourselves that “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
Jackie Juntti
WGEN idzrus@earthlink.net
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://thejacksonpress.org/?p=
The men turned away and went toward Sodom
“The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.” (Genesis 18:22)An interesting way to start an opinion article on the way we should live our life don’t you think?
Do you remember this story?
It is the account of Abraham entertaining three angels one of whom turns out to be God himself of course this is only half of the story. Once you get into Genesis, it becomes apparent that the two angels are on their way to destroy Sodom. They stopped at Abraham’s tent mainly to involve him in intercession in this struggle between judgment and mercy. In the end Abraham pleads with the Lord for the innocent, those worthy of salvation and the Lord God said, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
Of course, the Lord God himself knew what the outcome would be and only Lot and his family, excluding his wife, were saved.
It is in my most humble opinion, her death symbolizes our struggle with sin and the temptation that surrounds it.
Why do I bring all this up?
I would say during these times it would be apparent! But I digress, so let’s go back 20 years or so, just so we will all be on even footing.
Many years ago a friend noticed a trend, a shifting paradigm as he put it, of sexual morality which is a source of controversy in our Western culture and therefore in our Christian Church. We had discussed this issue several times and it disturbed both of us deeply because radical Homosexuals were the source of this controversy and while we both had individuals that we might call friends that were of the tendency, we ourselves opposed the practice.
During one of these conversations, my friend commented that the secular civil rights of consenting adults are in contest with the timeless Judeo-Christian foundation for the family and society. The issue even prompted a piece of U.S. Congressional legislation (H.J. Resolution 56) to define “marriage.” (That is argument for a different time.)
It finally got to the point were in 1998 at the World Anglican Communion’s decennial Lambeth Conference, Bishops representing 77-million Church congregants worldwide passed a resolution reaffirming that homosexual ordination, same-sex marriage and homosexual practices were “incompatible with Scripture.” But a majority of the Bishops representing the 2.3-million members Episcopal Church in the U.S.A., the American branch of the World Anglican Communion, strongly objected.
My friend explained to me that the Episcopal Church had debated the “normalization” of homosexual practices, same-sex marriage and the ordination of practicing homosexuals, for over two decades. Episcopal Bishops came close to approving the ordination of practicing homosexuals at previous conventions, creating a rift between the Episcopal Church and the World Anglican Communion, and prompting a growing number of Bishops, both domestic and international, to view the Episcopal Church leadership as heretical and, thus, declared the U.S. a mission field for reseeding. Against the objection of the former and current Archbishops of Canterbury, George Carey and Rowan Williams, several Archbishops in the World Anglican Communion have been ordaining American Bishops and Priests under their authority since 1998.
He reasserted that at its 2003 triennial convention, the Episcopal House of Bishops voted to confirm an unrepentant homosexual as Bishop of an American Diocese, the first such confirmation in the history of the Anglican Church.
He considered this action as arguably “heretical, a willful violation of Scripture and the historic faith, order and governing canons of the Church, codifying a schism between the American Church and World Anglican Communion.”
Now we as a culture rarely like to get beyond the “pro-this/anti-that” labels. But false witnessing has impenetrated our language on the role of homosexuals in the Church and in our society which has caused a great deal of dissent in the role of the Church on the issue. Homosexual advocacy groups often rebut dissenters by claiming they are pharisaical, intolerant and judgmental. These accusations, as my friend would say, “Serve only to preclude discussing this issue consequentially”.
I am personally well aware that those that apply such tactics only do so as a means of creating discourse. It provides them with a medium they don’t usually enjoy and as we well know how the media loves discourse.
Let me set aside this one point that most may have overlooked, like Abraham, any disagreement with homosexual social agendas has no direct correlation with anyone’s capacity to love or have compassion for others. Nor is such dissent necessarily related to judgment, which is God’s alone. No, this is more about discernment between right and wrong, and obedience to objective truth rather than the cult of subjective relativism popularly justified under the contemporary auspices of “tolerance” and “diversity.”
So what do we do with the homosexual agenda that is attempting to use both the church and the government to expand its position? Romans 12:21 teaches: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
We, as good Christians, must reach out unconditionally with love with the hope of salvation for those we seek to heal. As my friend stated and I fully agreed “we must not predicate love for our brothers and sisters on condition of their obedience to God’s moral truth“, but we must not equate unconditional love with subjective relativism, and uphold sin as righteous. To do this violates God’s word and design.
However I have to point that my position for unrepentant sinners, and the inclusion of such persons as in good standing among Christ’s people, 1 Corinthians 5:11 confirms: “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral…. With such a man do not even eat.”
It is so very difficult to stand in defense of God’s Word and plan for us all, particularly when there are so many that wish to fight against you. But stand firm and know that you were called to do so. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” (Psalm 1:1)
Remind yourselves that “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
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