I tried really hard not to get "preachy" in this reply. > I'm gonna call ya here, could you provide chapter and verse for each > example please? IMO the only verse that applies here is "Judge not lest > ye be judged yourself".
In the Old Testament, there are several direct references: Leviticus 18:22 - "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." Leviticus 20:13 - "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them." And if you think it's only Old Testament, consider Romans 1:27: "and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers-none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." Now, as for your reference to "Judge not," I offer this - Matthew 18:15-17 "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." This does not speak to homosexuality as a sin, rather it defines the duty of the church when it comes to sinners. Today many churches will continue to witness past the refusal to listen, because of the fact that we are also tasked with being "fishers of men." The reference you make to Matthew 7:1 is to the individual. It's not the place of a Christian to decide what is sin and who are sinners. The Bible defines those things very well for us. It *is* our place to share with others the opportunity of salvation. We are to guide others away from sin, since, "the wages of sin is death." Hatton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;207172674;29440083;f Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:280618 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
