I was talking with my "spiritual but not religious" friend about family life and our responsibilities that last a lifetime. The idea was is spending your life to bring people into this world really worth it? He brought up Gene Theory and we talked about how really good it is to give your life for the benefit of another. Contrasted with living selfishly, where the end result is loneliness, shame and a series of "guilty pleasures".
Then later in the day, I was talking with another friend about homosexuality and drug abuse in the church - both of which he was struggling with. He was saying that condemning a gay person to a life of singleness seems unbearable, essentially shutting the door of heaven in their face. When we are vulnerable to temptations, it seems unbearable. However, this is where fellowship with other believers and being connected in Christ, fed by His word and active in prayer comes in to save us. We talked until 8pm, having not eaten - but both felt enriched (Jesus demonstrates how bringing people to faith can nourish us). The awesome truth is that God has made the way, in Jesus Christ to save even people who have traveled down a different road for so much of their life.
Another friend put it this way,
Then later in the day, I was talking with another friend about homosexuality and drug abuse in the church - both of which he was struggling with. He was saying that condemning a gay person to a life of singleness seems unbearable, essentially shutting the door of heaven in their face. When we are vulnerable to temptations, it seems unbearable. However, this is where fellowship with other believers and being connected in Christ, fed by His word and active in prayer comes in to save us. We talked until 8pm, having not eaten - but both felt enriched (Jesus demonstrates how bringing people to faith can nourish us). The awesome truth is that God has made the way, in Jesus Christ to save even people who have traveled down a different road for so much of their life.
Another friend put it this way,
The New Testament is full of stories where Jesus, the Disciples and others engaged lost people in gracious and loving conversation. Lost people do lost people things. That should never surprise us.The idea of holding each other to God's standard in the church is actually better for us, however, ministry in the nursery is not the same as a ministry to missionaries.
It’s important to remember that Jesus died and rose again to change our NATURE, not our BEHAVIOR. When we focus on behaviors, activities and actions that we call sin, we miss the key principle of redemption....Focusing on sinful behaviors causes division among Christians and is a non starter when trying to engage a lost person.
- We become a NEW CREATION
- We have a NEW FATHER
- We have a NEW IDENTITY
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