Do to others
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12
Dear Christian,
Would you want others judging and heaping condemnation on you simply because they disagreed with you?
Would you want people restricting your rights to marry simply because they disagreed with you?
Would you want any of your rights restricted simply because someone disagreed with your faith or lifestyle? I don’t think you would.
So as a Christian if you don’t want your rights restricted. If you believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you believe the word of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 7:12, why would you want to restrict the rights of those in our society to do the same?
We live in a secular democracy where all are considered equal. So why would you protest against anyone who simply wants the same rights as you.
I strongly believe if you try to restrict the rights of others ultimately you will come back to hurt you.
In a democracy freedom for all has to be freedom for all.
As Christians we need to be supporting that concept.
Jesus made things very clear when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
Matthew 5:43-46.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13
If we are truly Christian we will be showing such love to all people. We will even be willing to stand up for the rights of those we disagree with, irrespective of who they are.
Billy Graham said,
“Racial prejudice, anti-Semitism, or hatred of anyone with different beliefs has no place in the human mind or heart.”
Billy Graham
Tony Campolo said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.”
Tony Campolo
think about it.
Showing posts with label Gay's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gay's. Show all posts
Sunday 25 January 2015
Thursday 6 November 2014
Of Christians and Gay's
Of Christians and Gay's
Over the years I have been asked by many people can Gay people get to heaven.
Over those same years I have sadly witnessed many pastors and evangelist in the media say emphatically no. I disagree.
At the risk of alienating the Christians that read my blogs I say anyone can get to heaven to say otherwise or to judge any other group because they are not like us is wrong.
The apostle Paul writes,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12,13
Simply put keep our own house clean and let God take care of those outside the church.
Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2.
What Jesus said is true. If we judge someone, especially someone outside the church they are going to judge us also.
James makes it clear,
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it....
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
James 2:8-10,12, 13.
American evangelist Tony Campolo said,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.”
Tony Campolo
That’s what I as a Christian do and I truly believe all Christians should be doing.
When it comes to who gets to heaven I believe the following applies to all people.
First of all the Apostle Paul make it clear is a free gift. Writing to the Ephesians he states,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
God sent His one and only Son to point mankind to the path that leads to Him. John recoding,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16,17.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23,24.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
There are many within our church walls today who are sinners, but know how to act like Christians. So they go unnoticed.
I would go as far as saying some of these people are even pastors and evangelist.
All who have not already need to admit they are sinners and accept Christ into their life.
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 1:9,10.
Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
John recoding,
“Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
John 1:12,13
No one has the right to tell someone whether or not they are saved. That is a personal decision between the individual and God.
Only God knows the heart of men. Only God knows why we are the way we are.
So ultimately, in the end, it come down to what do you believe?
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?
Have you accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour?
Jesus made it very clear, saying,
...“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.
Do you believe this?
Think about it.
Over the years I have been asked by many people can Gay people get to heaven.
Over those same years I have sadly witnessed many pastors and evangelist in the media say emphatically no. I disagree.
At the risk of alienating the Christians that read my blogs I say anyone can get to heaven to say otherwise or to judge any other group because they are not like us is wrong.
The apostle Paul writes,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12,13
Simply put keep our own house clean and let God take care of those outside the church.
Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2.
What Jesus said is true. If we judge someone, especially someone outside the church they are going to judge us also.
James makes it clear,
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it....
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
James 2:8-10,12, 13.
American evangelist Tony Campolo said,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.”
Tony Campolo
That’s what I as a Christian do and I truly believe all Christians should be doing.
When it comes to who gets to heaven I believe the following applies to all people.
First of all the Apostle Paul make it clear is a free gift. Writing to the Ephesians he states,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
God sent His one and only Son to point mankind to the path that leads to Him. John recoding,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16,17.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23,24.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
There are many within our church walls today who are sinners, but know how to act like Christians. So they go unnoticed.
I would go as far as saying some of these people are even pastors and evangelist.
All who have not already need to admit they are sinners and accept Christ into their life.
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 1:9,10.
Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
John recoding,
“Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
John 1:12,13
No one has the right to tell someone whether or not they are saved. That is a personal decision between the individual and God.
Only God knows the heart of men. Only God knows why we are the way we are.
So ultimately, in the end, it come down to what do you believe?
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?
Have you accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour?
Jesus made it very clear, saying,
...“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.
Do you believe this?
Think about it.
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