Naming the Name of Christ

[tsth]

Do you have personal Christian Friends who are Gay?

The above thread, truly troubled me.

How can that be so? It is an abomination to God, right? So, can you be practicing homosexuality AND naming the name of Christ too?

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[rtwo]

I agree, to a point.

The question becomes, though, how do we define "Gay"? Is "homosexuality" the sin itself or just the temptation?

If "gay" just means that you naturally have a slant toward that particular sin, then it is quite possible to be a "gay" Christian -- if you are relying on Christ to free you from that sin, and if you don't (or no longer) act on it. The predisposition toward sin is part of the human nature... the particular sin for which we are predisposed has no bearing on Christianity. In this sense, it's the same question as, "Do you have Christian friends who have issues with pride?"

On the other hand, if "gay" is defined as somebody actively inolved in the lifestyle, then we are discussing active rebellion from God, and the antithesis of Christianity.

[tsth]

But, what about being "Born Again"? And a "new creation" in Christ Jesus?

Mark 2:22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."

Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Ro 7:6 -

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

1Co 5:7 -

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ga 6:15 -

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[rtwo]

But, what about being "Born Again"? And a "new creation" in Christ Jesus?

Mark 2:22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."

Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Ro 7:6 -

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

1Co 5:7 -

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ga 6:15 -

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Again, it goes to definition... would you deny that Christians struggle with sin? Are we never tempted?

[tsth]

I am merely pointing out Scripture.

Which seems obvious in It's meaning.

Does a bank robber who becomes a Christian, still "desire" to rob banks, or has he become a new creation with a "new heart"?

Does a murderer still want to murder, if he is a Christian?

A Liar?

It is a matter of the heart.

Ga 6:15 -

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

It is a circumcision of the heart.

Eph. 2:11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,

In His Love,

Suzanne

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest cor]

Where in the bible does it say that homosexuality is wrong?

Also Jesus was tempted does that make him a sinner

[tsth]

Temptation was not mentioned in any of MY posts. I spoke of actions that were born out of the desires of the heart.

Romans 1:27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Galatians 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

Eph 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

Jude 1:7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Also Jesus was tempted does that make him a sinner

Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

1 Cor. 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[None]

Some people have to wait for God to speak to their hearts and tell them something is wrong. All we can do is keep putting the truth out there, it's what we're told to do, but we can't force anyone to see a light when their eyes are blindfolded by society.

[tsth]

blindfolded by society.

I don't think you can blame "society", I think it's the love of practicing evil.

John 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

In His Love,

Suzanne

[EricH]

I am merely pointing out Scripture.

Which seems obvious in It's meaning.

Does a bank robber who becomes a Christian, still "desire" to rob banks, or has he become a new creation with a "new heart"?

Does a murderer still want to murder, if he is a Christian?

A Liar?

It is a matter of the heart.

Ga 6:15 -

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

It is a circumcision of the heart.

Eph. 2:11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,

In His Love,

Suzanne

In His Love,

Suzanne

So are you saying that Christians will never feel temptation?