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10BODYOFCHRISTNEWSAUGUST2013TheBibleisnotallthewaytrueHonoringallreligiousbeliefsisnecessarytobeaChristianTruthistheenemyoflove.ThesearejustafewofthemessagesoftheculturethattheChurchofJesusChristissadlystartingtoadoptandpractice.IwritetodayinhopesofquickeningtheconsciencesofChristianswhoreadthisarticle.Weareasleepatthewheeltheworldisinthedriv-ersseatandweareonourwaytoadestinationthatweneverintendedandcertainlynotonethatGodintendedforus.Ourdesiretostandwiththeworldonsomanyungodlyissuesishavingtheexactoppositeaffectofwhatsomanywell-meaningChristiansmightvehopedfor.Letmeexplain.ThereisapopularteachingthatisinfiltratingtheChristianChurchthatwantsustobelievethatwehavetoalignourselvesonsomelevelwiththeworldforthepurposeofbuildingrelationshipsbecausethisishowwewinthelosttoChrist.IdisagreeIunderstandtheprinci-pleofwhatsbeingtaughtwhichisakintotheoldcatchingmorebeeswithhoneythanvinegarclich.HoweverwevetakenthisideatoofarWehavetippedbeyondthepointofrelationshipbuildingtoaplaceofunhealthyandungodlygroupingandnothingdemonstratesmypointbetterthantherecentrulingsoftheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedstatesSCOTUSwhichruledtheheartoftheDefenseofMarriageActDOMAunconstitutionalandthestrikingdownofProposition8Prop8inCaliforniawhichwillallowgayles-biancouplestolegallymarryagaininJuly2013.WhatsdishearteningisntthepursuitoftheseendsthisistobeexpectedfromthosewhodontknowChrist.Whatsghastlyoffen-sivetomeistheaffirmingoftheseidealsandpursuitsbysomanyChristians.IfyoudontbelievemeconsiderthefollowingIn2008JimCallisFounderandCEOofSojournerswhosmissionis...toarticulatethebiblicalcalltosocialjusticeinspiringhopeandbuildingamovementtotrans-formindividualscommunitiesthechurchandtheworlddefendedthetraditionalviewofmarriagebetweenonemanandonewoman.InanApril2013editionofChristianityTodayhehasalteredhispositiontostateIthinkwehavetotalkaboutnowhowtoincludesame-sexcou-plesinthatdeeperunderstandingofmarriage.InMay2012PresidentObamastatedthefollowinginanABCinter-viewMichelleandIarebothpracticingChristiansandobviouslythispositionmaybeconsideredtoputusatoddswiththeviewsofothersbutyouknowwhenwethinkaboutourfaiththethingatrootthatwethinkaboutisnotonlyChristsacrificinghimselfonourbehalfbutitsalsotheGoldenRuleyouknowtreatothersthewayyouwouldwanttobetreatedObamasaid.AndIthinkthatswhatwetrytoimparttoourkidsandthatswhatmotivatesmeaspresidentandIfigurethemostconsistentIcanbeinbeingtruetothosepre-ceptsthebetterIllbeasaasadadandahusbandandhopefullythebetterIllbeaspresident.InMarch2013ChristianPastorRobBellisquotedbyChristianitytodayasstatingthefollowingYesIamformarriage.Iamforfidelity.Iamforlovehesaidgoingontogetmorespecific.WhetheritsamanandawomanawomanandawomanamanandamanandIthinktheshiphassailedandIthinkthechurchneedstojustthisistheworldwerelivinginandweneedtoaffirmpeoplewherevertheyare.WhyarewesoquicktoselloutIsitsowecankeepourvocationalpositionsdowellinpoliticalopinionpollsorreleaseanotherbest-sellerWellImsorrymyvocationdemandsthatItellthetruthImnotinter-estedinbecomingapoliticianandIvenotbeenfacedwiththetemp-tationofreleasingmynextor1stbest-seller.MaybeIhavelesstolosethansomeandforthatIamthank-fulbecauseIstillhavetheabilitytosaythesepositionsaresimplywrongGodsWordhasnotchanged.CulturemaychangepoliticalviewsmaybeswayedourfeelingsmaybecomeandgobutGodsWordisstillthesame-Thereforeamanshallleavehisfatherandmotherandbejoinedtohiswifeandtheyshallbeoneflesh.Genesis224SomeonemaybefeelingasthoughIhavenoloveforthosewhochooseadifferentlifestylethanmineorwhodisagreeswithwhatIbelievetheBiblecommands.Thisissimplynottrue.TheBibledeclaresin1Peter217HonorallpeoplelovethebrotherhoodfearGodhonortheking.Igetit.Ihaveworkedforgaybosseswhoweresomeofmybestbossesbythewayandwithgayco-workers.Ihavefriendsfrater-nitybrothersandfamilymemberswhoaregayandevencloserfam-ilymemberswhoIamprettysureareconsideringitbutthiscannotaltermypositionasaChristiannorshouldonethinkbecauseweasChristiansdisagreewithasinfulchoicethatwedontlovesinners.HoweverourlovinganothercannotmeanthecondoningofsinWedotheworldnofavorbyalign-ingourviewswiththeirs.Asamat-teroffactwecausemoreharmtotheworldthanwedogood.RemembertheChurchaccordingtoActs18istobethewitnessofChrist.OurjobistospreadtheGospelto...JerusalemJudeaSamariaandtheendsoftheearth...TheonlyhopefortheworldisthisveryGospelthatIspeakof.TheGospelisstillwhatchangestheheartsandmindsofwickedmenwomenlikeyouandme.TheoffenseanddistinctionofGodsWordiswhatgivestheworldhope.Itsthelightthatissetonahillthatmenmightseeandcompelthemtoaskthatgreatquestion-whatmustIdotobesavedItsourthechurchsseparationfromtheworldthatgivesthemahopeforabettertomorrowthatletsthemknowtheresstillsomegoodtoperseveretoward.Somywords-Dividedwestand...arenotamis-speaknorisitamisprintbythispublicationitsthetruth.TheonlyhopethatweasacountryhaveofcontinuingtostandstrongisforChristianstoseparatethemselvesnotinphysicalproximitybuttheo-logicalidealsandholdupthelightthatstillgiveshopeandthatlightisJesusChrist.SoImsorryMr.Callisthereisnoneedtoexpandtheconversationofmarriagetoincludesame-sexcouplesMr.PresidentIpraythatyourviewsaretrulyderivedfromaplaceofignoranceandnotpoliticalmotivation.ShameonyouPastorBellforsuggestingthattheChurchneedstosomehowalignitselfwiththesailingshipoftheworld.NothankyouIllstayrightherefirmlyplantedontheshoreoftruthawait-ingthereturnofmyLordbeforeIddareoccupyaroomonthatship.ByPastorJohnMorelandDividedWeStandUnitedWeFallSERMONJohnMorelandTheoffenseanddistinctionofGodsWordiswhatgivestheworldhope.Itsthelightthatissetonahillthatmenmightseeandcompelthemtoaskthatgreatquestion-whatmustIdotobesaved