Dear Xander updated!
Dear Xander,
Congratulations! You gave me more to say about your last comment than would fit in the comments section of the blog. You rate your own post, which doesn't happen often.
For those that missed the comment that started this post, here it is:
Xander said...
You sir are what we call a bible thumping bigot. My apologizes for such language but your comment about Christians "cannot accept us and don't ask us to" just chaps my hide. For your information we ARE Christians!!!! And are greatly welcomed in our church and community with open arms. We are all GODS children (Colossians 1:16) and God loves the entire world (John 3:16)
What I really said was this: That's it in a nutshell. We're not to judge others and I'm not. But I can make a judgment about things by applying Scripture to them. Christians, Xander, cannot accept homosexuality as a lifestyle choice. Please don't ask us to.
And maybe Xander should have read this: And now, to turn my attention to Xander: You see, Xander, sometimes we can't have what we want or who we want. I get that we can't help who we love or are attracted to. In the English language, we use the world love in a lot of contexts. The Greeks (the original language of a lot of the Bible) use four words to describe love; the highest being Agape. Agape love, the way I understand it, is that kind of love where you make a choice to love someone. I had to choose and I chose to love God more.
To do what I wanted to do made perfect sense from that human perspective but Scripture is crystal clear; what I wanted to do would have been a sin. So I said no. No human being will ever understand how hard that was. God knows, I know. And because I made a good choice, things are as they should be for other people. I had no part in it, but I understand that the ultimate glory to God is that a man gave his life to Christ in the process and recognized he couldn't continue his life the way he was living it.
You see, Xander, even Christians struggle with life. We also can't help who we love; but we try and honor those commitments we made to Jesus when we took him as Lord and Savior. He's equally serious about the Lord part. And just so you know, Xander, the reason I don't point fingers at others is that often that finger will point straight back at me.
And I thank God that He could let me use my part in this little side trip to the past to share that it's not just homosexuals who struggle with right and wrong attractions and relationships. But like anything in life, sometimes the Truth hurts.
It's the same old tired tactic and it ain't gonna work on me Xander because I pointed the finger at myself first. Scripture applies equally to both of us. Sin is what it is and maybe it's time to quit using popular phrases for it like "lifestyle choice". I can't stop you from living in sin, Xander. I don't hate you for who you are or what you do. But if Colossians 1:16 says we're God's children, aren't we as Christians obligated to keep reading what the rest of Colossians says? Because before you get to the end of the epistle, you got some 'splainin to do. But not to me. That's between you and Jesus.
Xander, we all want to be accepted in life. I get that. You want me to accept that if God made you to be attracted to another man that it's all right because God made you that way. But if I accept that then I equally have to accept that it's not my fault I'm a sucker for a chubby chick and that it's OK if I have sex with them because God made me attracted to them. If I act on that attraction it's not sin if I take some scripture out of context to try and justify that sin. It's not adultery or fornication (guilty on both, sadly.) it's OK because God made me that way.
At what point does sin come back into the picture by your standards of Christianity, Xander? Seriously, what's not sinful? Does sin exist? And if it doesn't, then what's the whole point of the cross? Either Jesus came to die for our sins or the whole thing was pointless.
Oversimplified? Maybe, but still, is it not sin in your eyes because it's love? I loved the girl I was sleeping with when I was a newbie Christian. Did that make it not sin? When that woman in Colorado who was a godly woman loved me enough to tell me my actions as a Christian were anything but and she asked me to stop was I was sinning because we loved each other? Saying I was a Christian didn't make me one. Going to church and putting money in the plate didn't make me one. Following Christ makes me one.
And it doesn't make be a bigot. I didn't write the Bible. I just read it and believe it's God's Word to us. Not just the parts I like, but the whole thing.
God made both of us Xander. He made you and he made me. He loves us both equally. He doesn't love me more than you because I sin differently than you.
I'm not gonna let this one go either, Xander, because of what's at stake. I'm more convinced of that now than I was when I wrote this earlier this afternoon. I picked up a book I've been reading on and off called Radical. The back flap of the book talks about diluting the gospel gets manipulated. I looked at the inside of the book at the copyright and I can't include the exact wording from the back flap or from the chapter that deals with the very idea that we want to believe there is another way to God than through Christ.
There isn't because if there was, it completely nullifies the whole point of Jesus' sacrifice. We can't change that gospel message just because it's not culturally popular or politically correct. The point of sharing the Gospel is to lead people to eternal life through belief that Christ did die for our sins as you so appropriately pointed out in John 3:16. It's to get people to believe for themselves that Christ is the Son of God, that His death on the cross was THE act of Atonement for our sins, and that He rose again after three days and is seated at the right hand of God. It's to have them come to saving faith in Jesus Christ and accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. This is also for you, dear reader.
If we think that being a good person is enough, then what was the point of the cross? I can't quit asking myself that, Xander. What's the point of Christianity or even the Bible if we can pick and choose what's Truth and what's not about it? Because according to the Bible, ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ALL. Including yours truly. Salvation comes at the point of accepting this truth and that Jesus is who He claims to be and all that goes with it. That doesn't give us a license to sin because we're forgiven. Repentance has to come with a change of behavior. Mine changed. I'm not perfect by any means, but if I slip or fall, the Holy Spirit wastes no time in convicting me of my sin. Not my shortcomings. My sin. It is what it is, and the Bible calls it sin.
I'm a sinner Xander who needs a Savior. We all are.
Saying homosexuality is a sin may not be popular. Saying what I did was sin was not an easy thing to do but I'm to the point that I see my own sins and don't judge others for theirs.
As for me, I'm always willing to put my money where my mouth is. If you're in the neighborhood, I'd love to have coffee with you. Maybe we could have a little one-on-one Bible study and start with the book of Colossians? It's not hard to find my e-mail address, there Xander. All you have to do is look at my profile and it's there.
Just sayin' that if you think I'm a bigot then take the time to prove it to me. I think you're interpreting Scripture to justify something to yourself and that it's not correctly being applied and I'm willing to love you enough to spend the time and try and help you see that for yourself. That's loving your neighbor, Xander. And aside from loving God with our whole hearts, our whole minds, and our whole spirits, it's the second highest Commandment the Lord Jesus Christ gave us Christians.
Congratulations! You gave me more to say about your last comment than would fit in the comments section of the blog. You rate your own post, which doesn't happen often.
For those that missed the comment that started this post, here it is:
Xander said...
You sir are what we call a bible thumping bigot. My apologizes for such language but your comment about Christians "cannot accept us and don't ask us to" just chaps my hide. For your information we ARE Christians!!!! And are greatly welcomed in our church and community with open arms. We are all GODS children (Colossians 1:16) and God loves the entire world (John 3:16)
What I really said was this: That's it in a nutshell. We're not to judge others and I'm not. But I can make a judgment about things by applying Scripture to them. Christians, Xander, cannot accept homosexuality as a lifestyle choice. Please don't ask us to.
And maybe Xander should have read this: And now, to turn my attention to Xander: You see, Xander, sometimes we can't have what we want or who we want. I get that we can't help who we love or are attracted to. In the English language, we use the world love in a lot of contexts. The Greeks (the original language of a lot of the Bible) use four words to describe love; the highest being Agape. Agape love, the way I understand it, is that kind of love where you make a choice to love someone. I had to choose and I chose to love God more.
To do what I wanted to do made perfect sense from that human perspective but Scripture is crystal clear; what I wanted to do would have been a sin. So I said no. No human being will ever understand how hard that was. God knows, I know. And because I made a good choice, things are as they should be for other people. I had no part in it, but I understand that the ultimate glory to God is that a man gave his life to Christ in the process and recognized he couldn't continue his life the way he was living it.
You see, Xander, even Christians struggle with life. We also can't help who we love; but we try and honor those commitments we made to Jesus when we took him as Lord and Savior. He's equally serious about the Lord part. And just so you know, Xander, the reason I don't point fingers at others is that often that finger will point straight back at me.
And I thank God that He could let me use my part in this little side trip to the past to share that it's not just homosexuals who struggle with right and wrong attractions and relationships. But like anything in life, sometimes the Truth hurts.
It's the same old tired tactic and it ain't gonna work on me Xander because I pointed the finger at myself first. Scripture applies equally to both of us. Sin is what it is and maybe it's time to quit using popular phrases for it like "lifestyle choice". I can't stop you from living in sin, Xander. I don't hate you for who you are or what you do. But if Colossians 1:16 says we're God's children, aren't we as Christians obligated to keep reading what the rest of Colossians says? Because before you get to the end of the epistle, you got some 'splainin to do. But not to me. That's between you and Jesus.
Xander, we all want to be accepted in life. I get that. You want me to accept that if God made you to be attracted to another man that it's all right because God made you that way. But if I accept that then I equally have to accept that it's not my fault I'm a sucker for a chubby chick and that it's OK if I have sex with them because God made me attracted to them. If I act on that attraction it's not sin if I take some scripture out of context to try and justify that sin. It's not adultery or fornication (guilty on both, sadly.) it's OK because God made me that way.
At what point does sin come back into the picture by your standards of Christianity, Xander? Seriously, what's not sinful? Does sin exist? And if it doesn't, then what's the whole point of the cross? Either Jesus came to die for our sins or the whole thing was pointless.
Oversimplified? Maybe, but still, is it not sin in your eyes because it's love? I loved the girl I was sleeping with when I was a newbie Christian. Did that make it not sin? When that woman in Colorado who was a godly woman loved me enough to tell me my actions as a Christian were anything but and she asked me to stop was I was sinning because we loved each other? Saying I was a Christian didn't make me one. Going to church and putting money in the plate didn't make me one. Following Christ makes me one.
And it doesn't make be a bigot. I didn't write the Bible. I just read it and believe it's God's Word to us. Not just the parts I like, but the whole thing.
God made both of us Xander. He made you and he made me. He loves us both equally. He doesn't love me more than you because I sin differently than you.
I'm not gonna let this one go either, Xander, because of what's at stake. I'm more convinced of that now than I was when I wrote this earlier this afternoon. I picked up a book I've been reading on and off called Radical. The back flap of the book talks about diluting the gospel gets manipulated. I looked at the inside of the book at the copyright and I can't include the exact wording from the back flap or from the chapter that deals with the very idea that we want to believe there is another way to God than through Christ.
There isn't because if there was, it completely nullifies the whole point of Jesus' sacrifice. We can't change that gospel message just because it's not culturally popular or politically correct. The point of sharing the Gospel is to lead people to eternal life through belief that Christ did die for our sins as you so appropriately pointed out in John 3:16. It's to get people to believe for themselves that Christ is the Son of God, that His death on the cross was THE act of Atonement for our sins, and that He rose again after three days and is seated at the right hand of God. It's to have them come to saving faith in Jesus Christ and accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. This is also for you, dear reader.
If we think that being a good person is enough, then what was the point of the cross? I can't quit asking myself that, Xander. What's the point of Christianity or even the Bible if we can pick and choose what's Truth and what's not about it? Because according to the Bible, ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ALL. Including yours truly. Salvation comes at the point of accepting this truth and that Jesus is who He claims to be and all that goes with it. That doesn't give us a license to sin because we're forgiven. Repentance has to come with a change of behavior. Mine changed. I'm not perfect by any means, but if I slip or fall, the Holy Spirit wastes no time in convicting me of my sin. Not my shortcomings. My sin. It is what it is, and the Bible calls it sin.
I'm a sinner Xander who needs a Savior. We all are.
Saying homosexuality is a sin may not be popular. Saying what I did was sin was not an easy thing to do but I'm to the point that I see my own sins and don't judge others for theirs.
As for me, I'm always willing to put my money where my mouth is. If you're in the neighborhood, I'd love to have coffee with you. Maybe we could have a little one-on-one Bible study and start with the book of Colossians? It's not hard to find my e-mail address, there Xander. All you have to do is look at my profile and it's there.
Just sayin' that if you think I'm a bigot then take the time to prove it to me. I think you're interpreting Scripture to justify something to yourself and that it's not correctly being applied and I'm willing to love you enough to spend the time and try and help you see that for yourself. That's loving your neighbor, Xander. And aside from loving God with our whole hearts, our whole minds, and our whole spirits, it's the second highest Commandment the Lord Jesus Christ gave us Christians.
I suppose i should be honored then.
ReplyDeleteI believe you wrote a blog about being born this way.
Well i was born this was in Gods image.
Xander, if that's how you feel about it, it's yours to believe. All I know is what Scripture says about sexual sin in both the Old and New Testaments and I'd just ask you to stop. I'd say the same thing to a heterosexual in an improper sexual relationship and the same thing someone had the courage to say to me.
ReplyDeleteYou asking me to stop loving my partner is like me asking you to stop breathing. Let me ask you something... How is it that my marriage is a sin but a murderer who has turned to the bible is forgiven of his sin?
ReplyDeleteXander, I have an answer to your question. A murderer seeking forgiveness finds it in the shed blood of Christ; just as all sinners do. If the murderer goes on murdering though, it's not true repentance. With repentance an expected ideal is that one turns away from sin. You can't do that when you're having sex with someone. Let my stories I've shared about my own issues with that serve as examples.
ReplyDeleteIn your question, said person would also have to face the consequences for that murder. Forgiveness doesn't mean there won't be consequences. I will live the rest of my life with the consequences of my sin. But when I die, I know I will see Jesus in heaven because I chose repentance and change.
The other thing is Xander, breathing isn't a choice. You kind of imply by saying that I don't understand what I'm asking and that I have no feelings or empathy in the matter because my someone I chose not to be with is not of the same sex. My someone has a name and you've read about her lots of times on here. But this is what the Bible says; what Jesus says: (Matt. 22:36-40 NIV) 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
ReplyDelete37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
See, Xander, God chooses to love us despite the detestable creatures we've turned out to be. He's Holy; he hates sin but loves us. And He gives us a choice. Your choice is one you have to make: Do you love God more? If so you do your best to keep His commandments. Jesus said "If you love Me keep my commandments." If I can do it, so can you.