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All Have Sinned! - Are All Sins Equal?

Hi to my Forum Friends,

In the discussion "Republican Ted Haggard Starts A Gay Church" begun by NoBlueDog, our new Forum Friend, Dustin Smith, wants to play psychologist and attempts to use reverse logic on me. Unfortunately, he never bothered reading my post before he wrote a response. Since he has chosen to make an accusation against me, I have chosen to take this opportunity to share this with all of our Religion Forum Friends, rather than bury it in the dust of that ongoing discussion. For that reason, I am posting this as a new discussion -- I want everyone to read it.

Dustin, in my earlier post, I wrote, "Yes, Haggard has a problem with homosexuality. However, being homosexual is not a sin; living an active homosexual lifestyle is what goes against Biblical teaching. We all are sinners. Homosexuality is only one of the sins. But, when we turn for our sins and turn to follow Christ; we are forgiven. And, from all outward appearances -- that is what Ted Haggard has done."

And, Dustin responds, "Bill, Bill, Bill...... Your single paragraph above should be enough to prove to YOURSELF that you are gay. I don't care either way -- but I would bet my mother's life that you are gay. Why? Because, believe it or not Bill, we do not all fight the desire to be gay, because WE DON'T HAVE TO. Most of us are legitimately straight and have been since the day we were born, because that's the way it works. However, YOU were born gay and you feel unbelievably guilty about it because your religion tells you it's wrong. It's silly to say that homosexuality is a sin within us all. It's not, Bill. It's a FACT about YOU....and simply put, there's nothing wrong with you (other than your intelligence and just about everything else unrelated to your sexual preference)."

Well, Dustin, I see that you have a reading problem. Are you suffering from Dyslexia -- or do you have other problems with concentration. Possibly your problem is ADHD {Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)? Or possibly you just read into another's writing what YOU want it to say -- regardless of what is written. That, my Friend, is the greater sickness than dyslexia or ADHD; for it is a condition which your self-centered "ME" frame of mind has created.

Let's take a look at what I wrote: "We all are sinners. Homosexuality is only one of the sins. But, when we turn for our sins and turn to follow Christ; we are forgiven."

First phrase: "We all are sinners." No one except an atheist or secularist can deny this; for it is taught in the Bible, "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Next phrase: "Homosexuality is only one of the sins." Once again, a fact which no one except an atheist or secularist can deny.

1 Timothy 1:9-11, "Realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the unGodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted."

1 Corinthians 6:9-11, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 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. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."

In these two Scripture passages, the apostle Paul lays out quite a list of sins -- only one of which is homosexuality. However, there is nothing there which would say that any one sin is greater than another. As a matter of fact, Paul tells us that folks guilty of any or all of these sins WILL NOT inherit the kingdom of God. That includes the person who steals a pencil and does not repent and turn from his life of thievery -- as well as the homosexual who will not repent and turn from his/her worldly lifestyle of homosexuality.

And, the third phrase: "But, when we turn for our sins and turn to follow Christ; we are forgiven." In 1 Corinthians 6:11 Paul gives us our eternal escape clause: "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."

Yes, Paul has given us an escape clause. If one is washed in the blood of the Lamb, sanctified, i.e, set aside for Christ -- we are justified (just as if I never sinned), and named among those who do HAVE eternal life in Christ.

That, Dustin, if you had read what I had written, without your own personal agenda tainting your thoughts -- is what you would have learned.

Next, you tell me, "You have had homosexual thoughts since you were a child (as you clearly wrote in another post). You have known your whole life that you were gay, and it freaks you out, because your religion has taught you that it's wrong to be gay and that gay people burn in hell for eternity."

I challenge you to produce that post. But, am I concerned about every gay person who will not turn from his/her worldly, self desire centered, lifestyle -- and turn to follow Jesus Christ? Yes. I am very concerned for them; for, like any other sinful, worldly lifestyle -- if they will not turn from that lifestyle and turn to follow Jesus Christ, i.e., repent -- they are condemning themselves to an eternal life in hell. And, my Friend, I would not wish that on anyone.

Then, you tell me, "So what do you do? You spend your whole life trying to ignore the fact that you're gay. And to help ease your internal pain & suffering, you tell yourself silly stuff like 'being gay isn't a sin, only pursuing a homosexual lifestyle is.' And so, you have lived your whole life as a closet homosexual, going so far as to marry and have kids.....all because you're scared stupid of this make-believe superman whom you call 'God.'"

Yes, I did write, "However, being homosexual is not a sin; living an active homosexual lifestyle is what goes against Biblical teaching." And, you will find that to be Biblically true. We all sin. 1 John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us."

But, repentance is turning from that sinful lifestyle -- and turning to follow Jesus Christ. When a person repents and turns to follow Jesus Christ; does this mean that he/she will never have the desire to commit that sin, or other sins, again? No. It means that when we turn from our sinful lifestyle, turn to follow Jesus Christ -- His blood, His righteousness, has covered ALL our sins so that God does not see them. God cannot look upon sin, but, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

And, we know, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

You tell me, "It's silly and pathetic, Bill. It's FINE that you're gay. PLEASE stop trying to prove to your god (and to everyone else) that you're not gay. YOU ARE GAY."

If by GAY, you mean that I have found happiness and joy in my Lord Jesus Christ -- you are right. If you mean that I have any desire to follow the homosexual lifestyle -- sorry, my Friend, that "gay agenda" tactic sank with the Titanic.

My Friend, in the last three plus years on the Religion Forum, I have survived the attacks of athiests, secularists, secular humanists, New Agers, folks from cult churches, gays, and a few others -- most of whom have given up and moved on or have been invited to move on by the moderators. So, your feeble attempt to call me names pales in comparison to what I have already been called on this Forum. But, regardless, I do welcome you to the Religion Forum.

Finally, you tell me, "You're going to waste what little time you have left worrying about stupid crap like this, and you'll be dead before you know it. And for what? Nothing. You wasted your whole life. Dustin."

My Friend, you have just described the difference between a Christian believer and an atheist/secularist. An atheist and secularist, which I presume you to be one or the other, or both -- believes that this short life is all we have -- and, then into nothingness, into oblivion.

Sorry, Dustin, but, you are wrong. As all Christian believers, and many non-believers, KNOW -- when Jesus Christ died on the cross He "paid in full" our sin debt to God the Father. He was the "once for all" blood sacrifice which was required by the perfect justice of God for Adam's disobedience and for our inherited sin nature. No animal sacrifice could do this; but, He has paid this debt in full for us. All we have to do is to believe and accept His "free gift" of eternal salvation.

And, when He rose from the grave, resurrected -- that event assured that ALL mortal humans WILL also resurrect into eternal life. The only question left is -- where will YOU spend that eternal life? There are only two choices: heaven with God -- or hell with Satan.

You see, Dustin, He has given all of us "free will" -- the free will to choose to follow Jesus Christ -- or the free will to deny Jesus Christ. But, YOU have to make that choice. No one can make it for you. And, not choosing IS choosing; for the Default Choice is HELL.

No, Dustin, this short, often miserable life is NOT all there is -- we ALL are immortal beings, we all will live eternally. So, my Friend, choose wisely. For eternity is a very, very long time.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

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