> LOVE IN ACTION CO-FOUNDER: "MY MINISTRY SHATTERS LIVES"
14 August 2005, 18:54
I must respond to that last comment, as it is not only heretical but also quite deceptive. First of all, he writes, “God does not hear a sinner’s prayer.” We know from Paul’s writing that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That makes us all sinners, which is a traditional belief held by the Church. To say that God does not hear a sinner’s prayer is ridiculous, because the very act of repentance, of seeking God’s forgiveness, is when a sinner comes before God humbly. The commentator says one smart thing that God “cannot and will not go against his word.” That’s true, but he foes on to misquote and misuse the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in ways it was never intended. So what is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah about…
Well, God sent some angels to warn Lot about the destruction of Sodom. The destruction clearly had to do with Sodom’s sin before this story, since God already intended to destroy the town. So, in the story a group of unscrupulous men surrounded a house where angels were visiting Lot in what was doomsday for the city of Sodom. The men from the town sought to sexually assault/demean these angels (who appeared to be men to them). Clearly, this is a story of rape and violence. This single potential act of same sex violence is not designated as the reason for the destruction of the city of Sodom, but rather Lot states, "Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. Don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof” (19:8). Hospitality is the sin in this story, and Lot makes that quite clear. It helps to understand that hospitality was an almost sacred convention during the time this was written. Also, read Matthew 10:5-15 and you will see that Jesus compares the inhospitality the disciples face with that of Sodom and Gomor’rah. Dr. Daniel A. Helminiak has a great section on this in his book "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality." Further, Ezekiel 16:48-49 clarifies "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, surfeit of food and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."
The commentator also writes, “Yes, God loves us but we have to choose him over this old flesh.” It is true that we are called to follow the way of the spirit, but that path does not neglect the body, rather we are to honor the body as God’s temple. We are not called to neglect the physical part of ourselves and our physical needs. Many people are called to physical intimacy and companionship and the Church recognizes this as a sacrament. Homosexuals often feel the same calling to loving and committed relationships. Some are called to celibacy, but Scripture makes clear that celibacy should not be embarked upon unless one has the gift of celibacy, which one either has or doesn’t (Matt 19:10-12; 1 Cor 7:7-8). For more information about the six “clobber passages” often used to condemn homosexuals, or for a list of books which study these verses in context, visit my website www.truthsetsfree.net. The devil has hijacked the issue of homosexuality to divide Christians and non-believers alike. We need to rightly divide (i.e. study) the Word of God as we are called to do (John 12:48), yet so often fundamentalist Christians are more eager to justify their fears and prejudices than to truly seek what the Word says on these sensitive issues. When that happens we find messages like the one I am responding to.
In Christ,
Justin R. Cannon
Founder of TruthSetsFree.net Ministiries www.truthsetsfree.net
I must respond to that last comment, as it is not only heretical but also quite deceptive. First of all, he writes, “God does not hear a sinner’s prayer.” We know from Paul’s writing that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That makes us all sinners, which is a traditional belief held by the Church. To say that God does not hear a sinner’s prayer is ridiculous, because the very act of repentance, of seeking God’s forgiveness, is when a sinner comes before God humbly. The commentator says one smart thing that God “cannot and will not go against his word.” That’s true, but he foes on to misquote and misuse the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in ways it was never intended. So what is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah about…
Well, God sent some angels to warn Lot about the destruction of Sodom. The destruction clearly had to do with Sodom’s sin before this story, since God already intended to destroy the town. So, in the story a group of unscrupulous men surrounded a house where angels were visiting Lot in what was doomsday for the city of Sodom. The men from the town sought to sexually assault/demean these angels (who appeared to be men to them). Clearly, this is a story of rape and violence. This single potential act of same sex violence is not designated as the reason for the destruction of the city of Sodom, but rather Lot states, "Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. Don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof” (19:8). Hospitality is the sin in this story, and Lot makes that quite clear. It helps to understand that hospitality was an almost sacred convention during the time this was written. Also, read Matthew 10:5-15 and you will see that Jesus compares the inhospitality the disciples face with that of Sodom and Gomor’rah. Dr. Daniel A. Helminiak has a great section on this in his book "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality." Further, Ezekiel 16:48-49 clarifies "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, surfeit of food and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."
The commentator also writes, “Yes, God loves us but we have to choose him over this old flesh.” It is true that we are called to follow the way of the spirit, but that path does not neglect the body, rather we are to honor the body as God’s temple. We are not called to neglect the physical part of ourselves and our physical needs. Many people are called to physical intimacy and companionship and the Church recognizes this as a sacrament. Homosexuals often feel the same calling to loving and committed relationships. Some are called to celibacy, but Scripture makes clear that celibacy should not be embarked upon unless one has the gift of celibacy, which one either has or doesn’t (Matt 19:10-12; 1 Cor 7:7-8). For more information about the six “clobber passages” often used to condemn homosexuals, or for a list of books which study these verses in context, visit my website www.truthsetsfree.net. The devil has hijacked the issue of homosexuality to divide Christians and non-believers alike. We need to rightly divide (i.e. study) the Word of God as we are called to do (John 12:48), yet so often fundamentalist Christians are more eager to justify their fears and prejudices than to truly seek what the Word says on these sensitive issues. When that happens we find messages like the one I am responding to.
In Christ,
Justin R. Cannon
Founder of TruthSetsFree.net Ministiries
www.truthsetsfree.net