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my best friend turned out to be gay(well bi to be exact) and he kinda came out to a few people. he told out main group of friends and one of his best friends since like middle school totally turned her back on him and she is just being a total hypocrite. I really dont get her at all!!! Im not alright with his orientation but...hes still a friend of mine. His friend then went and told everyone including the youth pastor(cuz were all 11th and 12th grade) and he took our group of friends and told us that he has decided to turn his back on god and so the bible says that we are not to accept that lifestyle so we need to turn our back on him, not ignore him, but theres no way that we can be best friends with him. Thats wrong right?? i say its his life and he will have to deal with god. we arent to turn our backs!!! his stupid EX friends are being snobby and i just can not believe it!!! they think they are being christians??? they are pitiful excuses of one!! god died for ALL of us!! he loves ALL of us. he accepts ALL of us. Im against being gay, in the sense that i see it as going against exactly what the bible says, but....they are still people that deserve gods and our love.
oh. im sorry, i didnt know that youve actually ASKED god this question and he flat out told you the answer. I'm sorry but i grew up in church, my mom is a minister, my grandpa is a preacher....i dont know what to tell you. ignorant of the bible? ill admit i dont know everything, but i do know that no where in the bible does it say anything about degrees of sin. again i ask...have you heard of the new testament? things changed after jesus came around. jesus was alive to save us from our sins. meaning all that we do, all the wrong stuff that we all do, we just have to ask for forgiveness and we would receive it. let me remind you of the ripping of the curtain at the temples. that ripping of the curtain represented the freedom we now have to freely ask for forgiveness. we dont have to admit our sins to anyone else and make sacrifices, we just have to ask god. now, please give me scripture reference of where i can find the degrees of sin. I dont deny that there is ONE "unforgivable sin" but thats it...ONE. show me where in the bible it says that murder is worse then adultery. let me save you some trouble...it doesnt say that. just because in our minds we give sins different degrees doesnt mean that god sees it that way.
(SIGH)......again, the ignorance is just astounding, it really is. The fact alone that a particular sin is considered the most serious TELLS YOU RIGHT THERE THAT THERE ARE DEGREES OF SIN. It couldn't be more straightforward if the point came and punched you in the face. What part of that just isn't sinking in? Read the gospels again about what Jesus preached.....not only did he preach about God's kingdom, he preached to people of all kinds of the need to REPENT.
Regarding the tearing of the temple curtain, at the moment Jesus dies, the huge curtain that divides the Holy from the Most Holy in God’s temple is torn in two, from top to bottom. Apparently this beautifully ornamented curtain is some 60 feet [18 m] high and very heavy! The astonishing miracle not only manifests God’s wrath against the killers of His Son but signifies that the way into the Most Holy, heaven itself, is now made possible by Jesus’ death. I suggest you try reading the Old Testament, specially the Law of Moses......some things considered as sins there merited the death penalty while others did not. Now read through there and explain how all of those sins would be considered the same. You won't be able to.
Just because you feel all sins are the same doesn't mean God does. And the Bible shows that he doesn't. Let's consider how we know that:
Although sin is sin, and in any case could justly make the guilty one worthy of sin’s “wages,” death, the Scriptures show that God views mankind’s wrongdoing as varying in degrees of gravity. Thus, the men of Sodom were “gross sinners against (God),” and their sin was “very heavy.” (Ge 13:13; 18:20; compare 2Ti 3:6, 7.) The Israelites’ making a golden calf was also called “a great sin” (Ex 32:30, 31), and Jeroboam’s calf worship similarly caused those of the northern kingdom “to sin with a great sin.” (2Ki 17:16, 21) Judah’s sin became “like that of Sodom,” making the kingdom of Judah abhorrent in God’s eyes. (Isa 1:4, 10; 3:9; La 1:8; 4:6) Such a course of disregard for God’s will can make even one’s very prayer become a sin. (Ps 109:7, 8, 14) Since sin is an affront to God’s own person, he is not indifferent to it; as its gravity increases, his indignation and wrath are understandably increased. (Ro 1:18; De 29:22-28; Job 42:7; Ps 21:8, 9) His wrath, however, is not solely due to the involvement of his own person but is likewise stirred by the injury and injustice done to humans and particularly to his faithful servants.—Isa 10:1-4; Mal 2:13-16; 2Th 1:6-10.
James 2:10 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
This indicates that God does not see sin in degrees of bad or horrible. To him a lie is destructive to truth and harmony amongst people. IN His eyes, killing some one is just as evil as lieing. or Molesting a child.
It is only humans who think evil can be graded from one to ten.
To God, sin IS sin.
Sin is rebellion against that which is good. And under enough stress the person who is willing to steal for their own personal gain would resort to killing if they felt the need would arise. It is a state of mind not a state of action.
Sin is the attitude of our heart. It is the iniquity we are born into. It is rebellion against the LORD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by campem2
James 2:10 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
This indicates that God does not see sin in degrees of bad or horrible. To him a lie is destructive to truth and harmony amongst people. IN His eyes, killing some one is just as evil as lieing. or Molesting a child.
It is only humans who think evil can be graded from one to ten.
To God, sin IS sin.
Sin is rebellion against that which is good. And under enough stress the person who is willing to steal for their own personal gain would resort to killing if they felt the need would arise. It is a state of mind not a state of action.
(SIGH)......again, the ignorance is just astounding, it really is. The fact alone that a particular sin is considered the most serious TELLS YOU RIGHT THERE THAT THERE ARE DEGREES OF SIN. It couldn't be more straightforward if the point came and punched you in the face. What part of that just isn't sinking in? Read the gospels again about what Jesus preached.....not only did he preach about God's kingdom, he preached to people of all kinds of the need to REPENT.
Regarding the tearing of the temple curtain, at the moment Jesus dies, the huge curtain that divides the Holy from the Most Holy in God’s temple is torn in two, from top to bottom. Apparently this beautifully ornamented curtain is some 60 feet [18 m] high and very heavy! The astonishing miracle not only manifests God’s wrath against the killers of His Son but signifies that the way into the Most Holy, heaven itself, is now made possible by Jesus’ death. I suggest you try reading the Old Testament, specially the Law of Moses......some things considered as sins there merited the death penalty while others did not. Now read through there and explain how all of those sins would be considered the same. You won't be able to.
Just because you feel all sins are the same doesn't mean God does. And the Bible shows that he doesn't. Let's consider how we know that:
Although sin is sin, and in any case could justly make the guilty one worthy of sin’s “wages,” death, the Scriptures show that God views mankind’s wrongdoing as varying in degrees of gravity. Thus, the men of Sodom were “gross sinners against (God),” and their sin was “very heavy.” (Ge 13:13; 18:20; compare 2Ti 3:6, 7.) The Israelites’ making a golden calf was also called “a great sin” (Ex 32:30, 31), and Jeroboam’s calf worship similarly caused those of the northern kingdom “to sin with a great sin.” (2Ki 17:16, 21) Judah’s sin became “like that of Sodom,” making the kingdom of Judah abhorrent in God’s eyes. (Isa 1:4, 10; 3:9; La 1:8; 4:6) Such a course of disregard for God’s will can make even one’s very prayer become a sin. (Ps 109:7, 8, 14) Since sin is an affront to God’s own person, he is not indifferent to it; as its gravity increases, his indignation and wrath are understandably increased. (Ro 1:18; De 29:22-28; Job 42:7; Ps 21:8, 9) His wrath, however, is not solely due to the involvement of his own person but is likewise stirred by the injury and injustice done to humans and particularly to his faithful servants.—Isa 10:1-4; Mal 2:13-16; 2Th 1:6-10.
.....your right,god does view sins in degrees....2 DEGREES! first degree: dont blaspheme god. Second degree: every other sin.
ok ok. say there is degrees of sin. who to say that lying is worse then stealing or homosexuality worse then lustfulness?? the bible doesnt point that out at all. so would you mind giving me a list from the worst to the least worst?
Is it possible that the youth pastor is just, well, wrong? Consider that in the lineage of churches, the original church is the Catholic church. And over the centuries, the leadership of that church has made decisions that people strongly disagreed with. So those believers ran out and formed a wonderful variety of protestant churches that exist today.
That said, maybe the church you are currently attending is one that does not want your friend, or you for that matter. Big deal! Pray for them. Pray that the church leadership and those others who are jumping on the "shun the gay" bandwagon will someday realize that what they're doing is wrong.
You can choose to stay in church with these people who aren't leading lives of forgiveness as Christ taught us. Or you can choose to go to a different church where the congregation does believe in forgiveness, and spiritual growth. Sure, you might also be "shunned," but remember Matthew 5:10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for justice' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
In response to silentrascal's comment below: It is not found in the bible. The Catholic Church traces it's leadership back to St. Peter. Historical facts do not require divine inspiration to be true.
Is it possible that the youth pastor is just, well, wrong? Consider that in the lineage of churches, the original church is the Catholic church. And over the centuries, the leadership of that church has made decisions that people strongly disagreed with. So those believers ran out and formed a wonderful variety of protestant churches that exist today.
That said, maybe the church you are currently attending is one that does not want your friend, or you for that matter. Big deal! Pray for them. Pray that the church leadership and those others who are jumping on the "shun the gay" bandwagon will someday realize that what they're doing is wrong.
You can choose to stay in church with these people who aren't leading lives of forgiveness as Christ taught us. Or you can choose to go to a different church where the congregation does believe in forgiveness, and spiritual growth. Sure, you might also be "shunned," but remember Matthew 5:10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for justice' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
The original church is NOT the Catholic church, contrary to errant opinion. Catholicism is part of the great apostasy that developed within the first century Christian congregation. Note the viewpoint of not shunning willful, unrepentant sinners......that opinion is completely contrary to what the Apostle Paul directed the congregations to do in 1 Corinthians 5:13. The modern viewpoint is to not remove such ones from the congregation. God's viewpoint, which does not change, is reflected in the inspired words of Paul in that aforementioned scripture in which such a person was to be removed fron the congregation. Pray that those who water down Bible morality by preaching tolerance of unrepentant wrongdoers, such as homosexuals, will turn around and start abiding by God's standards instead of modern society's.
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