Page 707-708 … God’s abominations
“I am not buying that [there] are not things that are an abomination to God”
And I, my dear Friend, am also not claiming that there aren’t. I am merely stating the following very important Truths – Truths that you & yours would do very well to remember the next time you are tempted to openly condemn the sins of homosexuals:
Truth A) There are many sins that God finds “abominable” in the Old Testament, not only the sin of homosexual sex … Indeed, God clearly also detests “the sins of men” (see Psalm 14:1 & Psalm 53:1), the sin of believing that one has found the only acceptable way to interpret the Scriptures (i.e. arrogance – see Proverbs 16:5 & Proverbs 6:17), the sin of eating animal flesh (see “hands that shed innocent blood” – also Proverbs 6:17), the sin of fantasizing about causing another harm – even an enemy (see “heart[s] that devise wicked imaginations” – Proverbs 6:18), the sin of accusing others of sins that are not sins (see bearing false witnesses & being “sowers of discord” – Proverbs 6:19), the sin of damning the undeserving to Hell (see “condemners of the just” – Proverbs 17:15), the sin of remarrying former companions (see Deuteronomy 24:1-4), the sin of eating unclean foods (see Isaiah 66:17), the sin of committing adultery (see Ezekiel 18:6-13; including those who fantasize about having sex with anyone other than their spouse – see Matthew 5:27-28), the sin of oppressing the poor &/or the vulnerable (also Ezekiel 18:6-13), the sin of breaking one’s vows &/or lending money with interest &/or having sex with a menstruating woman (also Ezekiel 18:6-13), the sin of committing any basic injustice (like meting out an infinite punishment for a finite sin – also Ezekiel 18:6-13), &/or the sin of having a hardened Heart (like callously dismissing the damnation of homosexuals, because they “had their chance” — again Ezekiel 18:6-13) … and this, just to name a few!
There are even a few sins that Jesus himself finds equally detestable in the New Testament, if not more so (namely – arrogance, callousness & hypocrisy). So with this all in mind, I ask you the sincere & quite important question: Since all of these sins – some of them of which you & yours are just as guilty of as any homosexual – are “abominations” according to your God & His Bible, why are you & yours focusing your condemnations only on homosexual sex at the exclusion of these other, far more prevalent “mortal sins”? And – since your reason for not going and hearing Oliver Clyde Allen preach is based in your assumed belief that he is having gay sex, and since at least one of these other “abominations” is just as likely to be present in the private lives of every member of the heterosexual clergy as well – does this mean that you will now start to be morally consistent and stop going to church altogether?
Truth B) To focus solely on homosexuality itself (which, incidentally, is not one of the aforementioned “abominations”) or even gay sex (which admittedly is) is a form of arrogance & bigotry that in & of itself directly contradicts The Way of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 7:1-5, Matthew 23:12, Matthew 23:25-26, John 8:7, Matthew 18:3-4 & Matthew 18:22 et al)!
In this regard, please consider the words of your own Lord & Savior:
“If you truly Love me, you will keep my commandments.” ~ Jesus Christ (John14:15)
“I now give you a new Commandment: that you Love one another. Just as I have Loved you, so you should also show one another Love. Indeed, by this everyone will know that you are my disciples: when you show Love for one another … Be perfect [in LOVE] therefore, just as [the LOVE] of your Father in Heaven is perfect … There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment and whoever fears has not reached perfection in Love … Show mercy to others, just as your heavenly Father shows them mercy.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35 + Matthew 5:48 + 1 John 4:18 + Luke 6:36)
Truth C) Finally, and also most importantly, whether or not anyone else is actually committing an “abomination” in the eyes of God is actually NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Indeed, Jeremiah 31:33-34 makes this quite clear, Hebrews 8:8-13 re-crystallized this clarity, and Jesus Christ himself illuminated it so often & so lucidly that even a child can understand it (see Matthew 7:1-5, Matthew 23:12, Matthew 23:25-26, John 8:7, Matthew 18:3-4 et al) … And yet despite all these very clear Bible verses, you & yours (supposed followers of “the whole Bible”, no less) refuse to back down; refuse to humble yourselves and give the teachings of Jesus (supposedly your personal Lord & Savior) their due priority in your lives. This lack of understanding in what Jesus means by “perfect Love” (Matthew 5:48 – which is actually nothing more than a manifestation of your lack of faith in the ultimate Goodness of his Father) is unfortunately a trait that is quite common in Christian conservatives, one that is quite damning to the Christians who adhere to it (see Matthew 18:3-4 + John 13:15-17 + Matthew 24:12-14), and one that is quite detrimental to human society as well.
“Whoever becomes humble like a child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven … Be perfect [in your Love] as your heavenly Father is perfect [in His] … Do not judge others, so that you might also not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you receive in return.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:4 + Matthew 5:48 + Matthew 7:1-2)
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” ~ Jesus Christ (Luke 6:37-38)
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and that it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to follow me to have life” ~ Jesus Christ (John 5:39-40)
“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor” ~ Jesus Christ (John 12:26)
“Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the Kingdom” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 21:43 … see also Luke 17:20-21)
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