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These are good questions. I know that sin itself can be toxic no matter what direction it goes. We need to be diligent to not allow sin to fester and know that sin is crouching at the door constantly! God questioned Cain—“Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?”—for the same reason He quizzed Adam and Eve in the garden. The Lord wasn’t scolding them. Instead, He wanted them to admit their sin so that they would repent. I think all sin leads to hatred. Mostly hatred towards God. When we sin we separate ourselves from our Holy God. When we repent we restore it. Sin leads to hatred of ourselves, people, etc. I don't think it's a one size fits all. There's such a huge dynamic as under that umbrella hatred.
1 John 2:15Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Proverbs 10:1212 Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. 12 Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering. 12 Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.
Leviticus 19:17-18 KJV
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Maybe my observations are different, but IMHO, when the Word of God is preached without apology, it will drive the enemy out!Hello brothers;
There was a time growing up when the local Church was content in my eyes. Example, when I walked into Church with my Dad and Mom we felt welcomed by the ushers and congregation. We felt loved and accepted making it comfortable to get into the heart of worship as One Body. When I turned 11 I began to understand what the preacher was talking about though I was barely able to understand Scripture. The pastor was always highly respected and I personally felt intimidated to speak to him because of his position in the Church.
As a teenager we attended Youth Group. It was an excuse to get out of the house on the weeknight and hang out with the guys and girls. But we were not exposed to any discussion about liberal or new age religion.
As far as I remember worship of the Lord and respect for our leaders in the Church was the norm. This was during the 60s and 70s and perhaps as a boy and teen I didn't know any better? Was there discontent amongst the adults back then?
Today's Church has definitely changed as forgiven and gpresdo point out. I agree. I feel the Church as been infiltrated by the enemy. In a nutshell the world rejects Christ because it wants to bathe in and celebrate it's sin. Who, as a human servant of God condones this in the Church and by what motive? Larger offerings or the census of a larger attendance? Both can increase provisions, ministries and programs but in the wrong way.
This makes me angry, not just the situation of sin but at people. Regardless, I'm angry. So what do I do about it?
As crossnote asks, do we lump all anger as unacceptable, regardless? No. There is an anger, but one that God understands. When Jesus went into the temple of God and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, He was angry and rightfully so.
Anger that spits on God and His Kingdom, or an unpleasant situation with people of life's situation. The question is, how do we deal with it?
First of all, stay true and continue through the narrow gate. It is alive and well with the opportunity to celebrate Jesus and it can be contagious. By managing our anger instead of resorting to toxic hatred is always there for any of us who choose prudence for Christ, Holy morals and application of Scripture teaching in all circumstances for His glory.
God bless you, brothers.
Anyone else's thoughts?
Maybe my observations are different, but IMHO, when the Word of God is preached without apology, it will drive the enemy out! Darkness can not stand in the light of God's Word. What Jesus did was righteous indignation. Anger is not a sin. Now what we do when angry can be a sin. Everyone struggles, to varying degrees, with anger. One obvious sign that anger has turned to sin is when, instead of attacking the problem at hand, we attack the wrongdoer. Robert, the Bible says that we are to speak the truth in love and use our words to build others up, and not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips. As a moderator and a pastor, I know that you have seen the opposite right here. Unfortunately, we both have seen poisonous speech from people including Christians and it is a common characteristic of the fallen condition of man. I also think that you will agree that Anger becomes sin when it is allowed to boil over without restraint, resulting in a scenario in which hurt is multiplied toward our fellow man, leaving devastation in its wake. More often than not, the consequences of our mouth with words produce out-of-control anger that are irreparable. Anger also becomes sin when the angry one refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, and refuses to correct the obvious even when told.
Thank you brother.Hello Major;
God bless you. Your observation is spot on! You shared, "when the Word of God is preached without apology, it will drive the enemy out! Darkness (SIN) can not stand in the light of God's Word."
This ministers to us/me.
God bless you and thank you for your ministry, Pastor.
I believe your approach was the correct one.Thank you brother.
I have had on at least two occasions homosexual men attend our church service. It was obvious and no questions had to be asked. Several people approached me about what I was going to do after they had come a couple of times. I said........NOTHING.
God brought them through the front door so it is His responsibility. I preached the inerrant Word of God from 1 Corthinuans 6:9-10...
"Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. "
It is amazing what the conviction of the Holy Spirit will do when the Word of God is preached.
I believe your approach was the correct one.
All sinners should be welcome in church. That is usually where a change from sinning occurs.
The challenge comes, it seems, when they repeatedly attend and display affections while present in church.
God says we must judge...... If we didn't then we would be associating with profane users, drinkers, and other known sinners. However, He says we must ..."judge righteously". John 7;24. { i.e. ..no shooting in the dark approach}That is exactly the case. Unless someone displays affections in public.....no one actually knows. However, when two men sit together, hold hands with one arm around the other, it opens the door to speculation.
We like to think that we do not judge others but in fact we do. We judge their actions by our observations and when those are not in line with the Word of God, we as Christians are in fact called to judge those actions.
In this case, when the Scriptures were read, and then extrapolated on, those specific men made a choice. They could have repented or they could stay as they were. They chose to not come back and they sought out a church that was liberal and allowed them to stay as they were......living in KNOWN SIN!
That is the right Bible answer!God says we must judge...... If we didn't then we would be associating with profane users, drinkers, and other known sinners. However, He says we must ..."judge righteously". John 7;24. { i.e. ..no shooting in the dark approach}
Did you mean...man. (as in mankind)...referring to either sex?Have you ever had any homosexual men actually repent of their behaviour though?
Doesn't kindness lead to repentance?
What about thieves. If you stole something, you meant to pay it back or if you can't you go to jail - but the jail is full of murderers, rapists and other thieves as well, and so you just learn to be a more hardened criminal there from everyone else. Isn't that the way it is?
The two men that come to church holding hands. Or whatever.Did you mean...man. (as in mankind)...referring to either sex?
Repentance is changing your actions and renewing your mind so that your thinking is on how to please God.The two men that come to church holding hands. Or whatever.
Just want to know.
Also adulterers, how do they repent, do they go back to their own marriages?
And people that have had or caused abortions. What do they do to repent. Do they work in childcare?
Do people who murder go work in a cemetery burying bodies or help clean up morgues or something.
ok but then what is bearing fruits of repentance? Luke 3:8Repentance is changing your actions and renewing your mind so that your thinking is on how to please God.
Repentance is not doing things to atone for past sins. That's known as penance.
Awesome testimony.If you truly believe God is the God is all creation. You are missing the most important factor. The spirit of God. My daughter came from an LGBTQ lifestyle and God radically delivered her through her repentence [she changed her mind and agreed with God it was sin and an abomination.] The Spirit of God transforms an individual who's desire is to fully accept their responsibility for their sins and ask for Jesus Christ to save them. He is kind, he loves and he convicts so BRING us eternal life through Christ. Yes we participate but transformation is God dependent. My daughter actually was smoking, drinking, doing drugs doing a bunch of stuff and God in 3 says completely delivered her from [all addictions] in 3 days. People go to rehab for 90 days to battle addictions. God did it in 3 days supernaturally. God restored her desire for men, she no longer had any feelings towards women. Christ died for our sins and came to set us free. The moment we think "we have anything to do with at all" we are so far off the mark. Our surrender, repentence and acceptance of Jesus Christ changes everything. We are a new creation in Christ.