~Shalhevet~ Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 334 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 2,049 Content Per Day: 0.38 Reputation: 120 Days Won: 4 Joined: 08/13/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) Homosexuality is no more wrong than envy or dishonesty. You'd be looking a long time before finding someone to serve in the ministry who wasn't tempted by some form of sin. You are correct. A sin is a sin is a sin. That isn't the point. The point is that it is wrong to promote a sin. I still cannot believe this is even an issue in a CHURCH!! This is outrageous. Talk about corruption! Edited August 22, 2009 by asecretchord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 ~andy~' The issue of pedophiles serving in youth group is different because that is intentionally placing them in temptation which is sinful and illegal and dangerous. The aspect with this is: gay men are attracted to men period - serving in Church involves contact with other men on an ongoing basis - if a gay man is struggling with issues concerning attraction to men - this needs to be resolved BEFORE serving. I cannot stress this enough. I have been agreeing with you that anyone who struggles with lust needs to have this issue addressed before serving in ministry. Straight males are attracted to women but somehow find a way to keep those temptations and lusts under control while in the ministry, and I think that gay male can too. If it is a problem, then of course, they should not serve. Are you suggesting they should have to turn straight before they can serve? I am not speaking for HG, but yes, they should be straight first before serving. It would be no different if they were struggling with porn. There needs to be a lengthy time of proving one has been delievered fully of any delibitating sin before serving in ministry. This is not about behavorial reform. There needs to be observable proof of a full and final deliverance from the bondage of sin particularly if you are talking about homosexuality, porn, adultery, or whatever, and that can take years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~candice~ Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 955 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 11,318 Content Per Day: 1.89 Reputation: 448 Days Won: 33 Joined: 12/16/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 I don't know which of my posts was unclear or unbiblical . a person who remains active and unrepentant in their sin should never be in any position of authority in the church. period. if they are unwilling to take every thought captive to Christ, then they are incapable of leading others in the way of righteousness. i'm disheartened that there are people here at WB who think living a homosexual lifestyle is acceptable in the eyes of God or that it should be acceptable in the eyes of the church. Agree 100%. andy, when we accept Christ as our personal saviour, our old self dies and we are made a new person in Christ. and Christ doesn't make gay people! Our old self dies, but the battle between the spirit and the flesh continues. Being saved doesn't mean instantly turning straight. Homosexuality is no more wrong than envy or dishonesty. You'd be looking a long time before finding someone to serve in the ministry who wasn't tempted by some form of sin. You are correct. A sin is a sin is a sin. That isn't the point. The point is that it is wrong to promote a sin. Correct. Which is why I stressed that I would be uncomfortable under a serving minister who says that the temptation is OK so long as it is not acted upon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixJLD Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 57 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/15/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 Homosexuality is no more wrong than envy or dishonesty. You'd be looking a long time before finding someone to serve in the ministry who wasn't tempted by some form of sin. You are correct. A sin is a sin is a sin. That isn't the point. The point is that it is wrong to promote a sin. Is it promoting a sin to allow a person who struggles with that particular temptation into the ministry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Shalhevet~ Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 334 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 2,049 Content Per Day: 0.38 Reputation: 120 Days Won: 4 Joined: 08/13/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 Maybe I will be the first person to admit that I have had homosexual desires and encounters and I have chosen, yes chosen, to live my life according to God's will, as a heterosexual female. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Shalhevet~ Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 334 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 2,049 Content Per Day: 0.38 Reputation: 120 Days Won: 4 Joined: 08/13/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 Is it promoting a sin to allow a person who struggles with that particular temptation into the ministry? If the homosexual minister promotes the sin and preaches that it's not wrong to be gay, that is not okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixJLD Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 57 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/15/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 Is it promoting a sin to allow a person who struggles with that particular temptation into the ministry? If the homosexual minister promotes the sin and preaches that it's not wrong to be gay, that is not okay. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Homosexuality is no more wrong than envy or dishonesty. You'd be looking a long time before finding someone to serve in the ministry who wasn't tempted by some form of sin. You are correct. A sin is a sin is a sin. That isn't the point. The point is that it is wrong to promote a sin. Is it promoting a sin to allow a person who struggles with that particular temptation into the ministry? It is a violation of the biblical standards laid out in Scripture relative to the qualifications of a minister, particularly a pastor or a deacon. The qualifications given by Paul to Timothy would exclude by implication someone who is struggling with immoral lifestyles such as homosexuality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~candice~ Posted August 22, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 955 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 11,318 Content Per Day: 1.89 Reputation: 448 Days Won: 33 Joined: 12/16/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2009 Maybe I will be the first person to admit that I have had homosexual desires and encounters and I have chosen, yes chosen, to live my life according to God's will, as a heterosexual female. No, you aren't the first . Praise God that you are not in that lifestyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 andy, i was clear on the fact that you believe it to be sin. i probably should have made what i was saying more clear, but i was in a hurry to get dinner out of the oven. when we become a new person in Christ, we put aside the old. yes, a person is still, in most cases, going to have temptation to fall back into sinful patters, whether it's sexual sin (homo- or hetero-) or drugs or alcohol or cussing or whatever. but once we accept Christ, putting aside our old self means we stop defining ourselves by our temptation. we should no longer label ourselves as "gay" or "slutty" or "addicted", we should label ourselves a new creature in Christ. that's the first step in taking our thoughts captive to Christ! if we continue to identify with our old nature, we're setting ourselves up for failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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