Gay Pastor's(xupc)recent Letter to the UPCI ! ! !

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

I wish you was correct I have never known any???? Not saying they haven't but I have yet to know the first one. I some who CLAIMED to but in time they went back into the lifestyle if they ever really left it. Again I hope you are right.

I know of several and more in process! I do agree that homosexuality is not inheritable, it is not genetic...it is a spirit. It is a very strong and damnable spirit. It takes a lot of work, a submitted life, and a change in friends, environment, thinking, and did I say..."SUBMITTED" life!

Blessings, Rhoni

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

Is it a lifestyle of sin and rejection of God that gets you to hell or do we believe God is very technical regarding sin (such as a lie or calling a brother/sister an idiot) and that it alone will get you a spot in hell? When the rapture takes place, do we think that the body of believers (the millions that are to be caught up in a twinkling of an eye) will all be in perfect unison and purity from any sin whatsoever in their life....or will there be a pause of 1 minute for everyone to throw in 6 Hail Marys in order to purge them of their sins...and will the ones that were sleeping at that moment get sent to the hot seat because they didn't make it in time to say their Hail Mary? Seriously, do you believe the body of believers will be in perfect purity? or do we really have a better hope in Christ knowing that his righteousness, not ours, is what makes us righteous?

JROC,

I believe that we who are believers are covered in Christ's righteousness...yes. But as the book of Romans so clearly tells us...does the grace and mercy of God give us license to sin? NO/God Forbid!

There will be no time for hail Marys, not that they help anyway since Mary is a person just as we are, but the day of salvation for us is now. Acts 2:38, John 3:3-5 gives us the way: We must be born again of the water and the spirit. We must repent [change our thinking and behaviors to show forth fruits of repentence], be baptised in the name of Jesus for the remission of those sins, and we have the promise of the gift of His spirit to help us live a live free from the practice of sin. Evidence of this gift of His spirit is evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the spirit gives the utterance. He is the door, there is no other way...

Blessings, Rhoni

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

JROC,

I believe that we who are believers are covered in Christ's righteousness...yes. But as the book of Romans so clearly tells us...does the grace and mercy of God give us license to sin? NO/God Forbid!

There will be no time for hail Marys, not that they help anyway since Mary is a person just as we are, but the day of salvation for us is now. Acts 2:38, John 3:3-5 gives us the way: We must be born again of the water and the spirit. We must repent [change our thinking and behaviors to show forth fruits of repentence], be baptised in the name of Jesus for the remission of those sins, and we have the promise of the gift of His spirit to help us live a live free from the practice of sin. Evidence of this gift of His spirit is evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the spirit gives the utterance. He is the door, there is no other way...

Blessings, Rhoni

Rhoni,

The "hail mary" part was in jest....

I am not suggesting the other side of the pendulum, either, with regards to license to sin....neither extreme is useful. But so many talk about sin as if they think believers will be in perfect purity before the throne of God when Christ comes for the church....now that is pretty silly to believe, IMO. It is this thinking, that many are in danger of self-righteousness.

That is what is so wonderful about the cross of Christ and the redeeming work he did for us at Calvary....so that while I strive to please and obey his commands because I love him and want to bring him glory....in the end, his righteousness, not mine, and his blood that cleanses my sin is what saves me...what comfort in knowing that He stands in my representation before Almighty God....ahhh, my redeemer lives...

SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

Rhoni,

The "hail mary" part was in jest....

I am not suggesting the other side of the pendelum, either, with regards to license to sin....neither extreme is useful. But so many talk about sin as if they think believers will be in perfect purity before the throne of God when Christ comes for the church....now that is pretty silly to believe, IMO. It is this thinking, that many are in danger of self-righteousness.

That is what is so wonderful about the cross of Christ and the redeeming work he did for us at Calvary....so that while I strive to please and obey his commands because I love him and want to bring him glory....in the end, his righteousness, not mine, and his blood that cleanses my sin is what saves me...what comfort in knowing that He stands in my representation before Almighty God....ahhh, my redeemer lives...

SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!

Yes, thank God for the cross!!! Without it, we would all be toast!!!

It is unfortunate that in many "Apostolic" circles now and in years gone by, that the teaching has primarily been, "any unrepented for sin" will be an instant ticket to the soul roast. While that preaches great and gets many people to the altar week after week after week, I don't think it is true. There is NO WAY that everyone will completely free of sin at the moment of the rapture.

Now, we can debate 'til the cows come home at what point a person is over the "line" and is in danger of hell fire, but the only one to know that true answer is the Lord Himself. I will still try my best to call 'em like I see 'em from the scripture, but some things only preach well and don't hold up to logical or scriptural scrutiny.

[Theresa]

Originally Posted by South of I 90

I also noticed that the guy who wrote the letter is not the pastor of the church.

The pastor of the church is an X-UPC minister.

and he's gay. His partner's name is Dan I think..or something

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by Theresa

and he's gay. His partner's name is Dan I think..or something

What is your motive for mentioning a name?

[Theresa]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

What is your motive for mentioning a name?

it's not a secret. Its not like I'm outing him or anything, they are openly gay and a openly gay church....Even their minister of music, who wrote the letter, is open with being gay...

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by Theresa

it's not a secret. Its not like I'm outing him or anything, they are openly gay and a openly gay church....Even their minister of music, who wrote the letter, is open with being gay...

I just don't see what relevance it has to name this guy, Dan...regardless whether it is a secret it or not....it just appears that your attitude behind the words "and he's gay. His partner's name is Dan...." is a bit unkind and almost carries a drop of hatred...

[Theresa]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

I just don't see what relevance it has to name this guy, Dan...regardless whether it is a secret it or not....it just appears that your attitude behind the words "and he's gay. His partner's name is Dan...." is a bit unkind and almost carries a drop of hatred...

well, I can say to you now - your take on what I said, and why I said it - was wrong. I have no bad feelings toward these folks, I in no way was trying to be unkind and there was no amount of hatred in my remark.

It was a simple remark about the man being gay - big deal? he's very open about being ex-UPC and being gay currently, in a long term relationship.

I read an earlier remark that I took to say the pastor didnt write the article and he was ex-upc, but he wasnt the "gay" person who wrote the article.

I only said that he was gay and mentioned his very public partner.

no hatred, no malice.

Originally Posted by mfblume

I think it is because it is perverting God's image. Romans 1 associates changing the image of God to that of creatures with homosexuality. A weird spiritual connection. Man is in God's image and when men change God's image to that of a creature, God gives them over to homosexuality, fit to be destroyed.

Rom 1:23-27 KJV And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

But not all idolaters became homosexuals.