From: GAVIN@phdlab.commerce.ubc.ca (Gavin Chin)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Homosexuality and the so-called "Christian biblical stance."
Date: 22 Jul 92 06:38:25 GMT

Please post this to s.r.c. (If you approve of it, or course):


onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR) writes:

> Conclusion:  It is unjustifiable on biblical, and spiritual, grounds
> to expell a church for reaching-out to a homosexual within the congregation.

> Conclusion: It is unjustifiable on biblical, and spiritual, grounds to
> expell a church for ordinating and staffing a homosexual minister.
>

<various other good points deleted in respect to space>

My view on this issue is this:  I'm a sinner.  You're a sinner.
Every single person on the face of this earth is a sinner.  This
includes the pastors and reverends that we have in our churches
today.  Yet despite our sin, God loves us and has called many of us
into His ministry.

Now is homosexuality a greater sin than others?  From my
understanding, sin is sin in the eyes of God and the punishment for
it is the same.  At the same time, Jesus died on the cross to save us
from sin, no matter what sin we have committed.  Just as the
punishment is equal to all, so is the redemption.

Some people will argue that it would not set a good example for the
congregation to have a homosexual minister since he is openly
practicing a sinful act.  However, I do not know of any pastor or
reverend who has yet become sinless during their ministry.  Yes, I've
seen them do things I myself would question, but then God knows that
it is impossible to lead a sin free life in this world.  That's why
we have Jesus.

It seems as though human society has put different sins in a scale of
1 to 10, where 10 is the most awful, disgusting, unforgivable thing
that a human can do.  Homosexuality is obviously closer to 10 than it
is to 1.  At the same time, kicking your little brother (not too
hard, but unprovoked, just a little jab... ;-) ) will probably yield
say, a 2.5.  Yet God seems to give all sin a "10", after all He is
perfect.

The most important thing would be for the homosexual minister to have
an unquenchable desire to become closer to God and to serve in His
ministry in the best way possible.  If it means that he will "lose"
his homosexuality, then praise God.  We should not condemn nor judge.
Rather we should ENCOURAGE.  Christians seem to spend too much time
judging and not enough time encouraging.  Let's all work on that.  I
know I have to.

-----------------------------

On a different thread, does anyone know FIRST-HAND of any homosexual
who, after accepting Christ and becoming a well grounded Christian,
renounce their homosexuality and become heterosexual?  If you don't
have any first hand stories, can you please share some from RELIABLE
sources?  Some people say that homosexuality is genetic, and
there is nothing that we can do to change that.  I haven't formed
my own opinion on that but I am a little skeptical.


In His Name,
Gavin Chin


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