By Mark Ellis —
When he was two-years-old his university-professor parents divorced and his father and mother entered the gay lifestyle. His lesbian mom and her partner took him to gay pride parades, LGBT clubs, parties and campouts, while his father remained “closeted” for several years.
“Mom was a political activist,” says Caleb Kaltenbach, author of Messy Grace (Waterbrook Press). At gay pride parades, Caleb witnessed Christian demonstrators spray homosexual marchers with water and urine.
When he asked his mom why they were doing this, she said: “Because Christians hate gay people.”
As a result, Caleb wanted nothing to do with Christianity or God.
In high school, a friend invited him to a Bible study and he accepted with ulterior motives. “I thought I would pretend to be a Christian, learn about Christianity, and dismantle their arguments,” he recalls.
He had attended a mainline denominational church with his father sporadically, but was bored by it and didn’t understand the liturgy. “They never discussed God, only social issues,” he notes.
So when he grabbed a Bible off his dad’s shelf and went to the Bible study, he didn’t realize there was a difference between the Old and New Testaments. Confused when they asked him to read a verse from 1st Corinthians, he began reading from 1st Chronicles.
“I was so embarrassed, but I wouldn’t let these Christians get me down,” Caleb says. He had lumped this group of believers in with the angry demonstrators he saw in the street.
But something amazing happened when he began to read the Bible for himself. “I really fell in love with Jesus,” he recalls. “I learned that Jesus is really not like the Christians I saw on the street corners.”
Later, he met a Christian friend at a restaurant and asked, “What do you have to do to be saved?”
As his friend, Gregg, waxed on about the realities of Jesus and His divinity, something stirred within Caleb.
“As Gregg was talking, it happened,” he writes in his book. “I can’t explain it. Something just shifted inside me. I truly believed what he was saying. There was no way around it—in that moment I became a follower of Jesus.”
Baptized “covertly” almost immediately after he was born again, his dad grounded him after absorbing the shocking news. His lesbian mom and her partner were horrified when they learned, and accused him of the ultimate betrayal –siding with bigots.
The next week, Caleb attended a Christ in Youth conference in southern Missouri. While there, he felt God’s call to become a pastor and confessed before everyone he wanted to be a preacher.
Soon he was attending Ozark Christian College and later, Talbot Seminary in La Mirada, California. In Southern California, he served on the staff at Shepherd of the Hills Church for 11 years.
After graduation, he accepted a call as senior pastor of a church in Dallas. Then something remarkable happened, both his parents independently made decisions to move to Dallas and began attending his church.
“What was even more incredible was that as time went on some church members were nicer to my parents than I was,” he notes. As the church loved his gay parents without judgment, their hearts began to soften.
After three years of serving in Dallas, he felt called to move back to Southern California to lead Discovery Church in Simi Valley. “Two weeks before we left Dallas, both of my parents gave their lives to the Lord!”
“I was floored…how did this happen? To this day, I’m still not sure. I do believe my parents are saved.”
In Caleb and his family’s remarkable journey of transformation, he has developed some unique perspectives
because of his upbringing.
“I believe any expression of sexuality outside of heterosexual marriage is sinful,” he says, “but I don’t believe God called me to make gay people straight.”
While Caleb holds to traditional doctrinal views, his ministry style is very open and accepting. “I completely concur that God designed sexuality to be between a man and a woman, but that’s not the first thing I talk about with somebody that’s gay,” he continues. “I want to get to know them as a person, to build a friendship.”
“I want to help them see Christ as their main identity. When they see Christ as their main identity, there is margin for discussion of holy living.”
At his church in Simi Valley, he says, “We want to be a place where you can belong before you believe.”
If you want to know more about a personal relationship with God, go here
Caleb Kaltenbach is the lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, California. He is married to Amy, a schoolteacher, and they have two children. He is close to completion of a Doctor of Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary. For more about his book go here
Praise the Lord Jesus!!
Wonderful!!
God can do anything!
Love this!!
Thrilled for all involved!
My wife and I have raised our children with Christian values and they indeed are all good people. However, one of my sons has denied God’s truth, became an atheist, and married another guy.
We are grouped together now as bigots, idiots, and basically all the stuff he was told to believe by the homosexual community.
It’s really hard to love someone who had rejected every single thing you taught them. It really is heart breaking and difficult. I have not read your book yet but perhaps I can give a before and after perspective.
God bless,
Jay
Jay,
Prov. 22:6 says ” train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” There is sill hope.
You’ve said what your son did, but what did you do? Did you attend his wedding? Do you still visit him?
I guess what I’m asking is: when you think of him now, is your first thought “how can I change him back?” Because if it is, then that’s why he thinks those things about you. And that bit’s not going to change until you change.
It’s not a shot against God, it just is what it is. If you’re harboring some ill feelings about who he is, even if you smile while you do it, he’s always going to feel like less in your eyes. And he won’t embrace you.
I think dad can live and support his son without going to his “wedding”. I consider on par with attending a pagan ritual that contradicts God outright. Just as many Israelites did throughout the old testament. We still must be loving while not compromising. At the end of the day though I agree with much of what you are saying. His son needs to feel loved unconditionally and that’s difficult for flawed humans to know how to walk out sometimes but through the Holy Spirit’s leading I believe we can do.
Well, if Jay’s mindset is anything like yours, it is no wonder his son doesn’t want anything to do with the family. I mean seriously, you compare his special day to a ‘pagan ritual’ and then demand he feel loved? People like are why these stereotypes against christians exist.
I read a book called “Unconditional Dad” by Chris Rader. Conservative pastor with two sons. One is away from Christ and is gay. It is a great read. Most of the book is about our journey in life and his is about homosexuality. He intertwines homosexuality in their and focusing on this being part of the journey for him. He does not stray from the gospel and his focus as mine is and I am sure yours is that our gay children come back to the Lord. Our goal is not to want them to be straight as much as it is for them to know Jesus. Be a light. It is hard. I know too. One more thing, remember the words of Jesus in Luke where he says to go into the highways and byways to reach some. This may be your calling. I know it is mine. Not a ministry with a church but God will show you. I believe Jesus said this because many in the church cannot and will not reach out to the LGBTQ community. Are you willing if asked? Be praying for you.
Wow, praise the Lord. This is my first time on God Reports and I’m thankful I found this site, thank you!
Caleb,
The story of your horrified parents in interesting. My observance of “gay” Christians is that I have yet to meet a “born-again” gay Christian, only some nominal Unitarian God-is-whatever-you-want-her-to-be “Christian.” That doesn’t mean there aren’t born-again gay Christians — it just seems like when they “come out,” they toss away their faith in favor of their sexuality. And they blame the “Church” for that decision, when it’s a personal decision they make.
Ray Boltz comes to mind as an example.
After reading your thread I would just like to say I’m a gay man and spirit filled born again and very much a disciple of Christ. Had a massive holy spirit encounter before ever stepping foot in a church. Sexuality has no baring on how God can use me in fact it had made me even more usable as I don’t judge luke the bigots and am never afraid to do his will. I wish people would act more like Jesus and stop wasting time with there own agendas. There are millions of lost souls out there who need to see God’s love but all there are seeing is man’s hate and judgement it’s not the way God intended. I’m an evangelist and gay and that’s between me and God. So I don’t really care what people think I’m busy being a Christian not just saying I’m one.
do you still live the gay lifestyle?? was it hard to give it up?? how do you speak to those who think you are a traitor??
When God calls homosexuality an abomination
(Leviticus 18:22) (Leviticus 20:13)
Have you read the rest of leviticus? Or just the part that fits your bias?
Doesn’t matter. That doesn’t change what God says and how He feels about homosexuality.
So, let me get this. You’re mad because your child decided to make a decision of his own volition and become an atheist?
What a horrible father for shaming him like that. Just, wow.
And Brian, there is no conclusive proof that God did call homosexuality an abomination. You may call it proof, I call it confirmation bias.
Read both the new and Old Testament about what it says concerning homosexuals, LEVITICUS 18:22
LEVITICUS 20:13
ROMANS 1:26-27
1 TIMOTHY 1:9-10
MARK 10:6-9
1 CORINTHIANS 6:9
I have no doubt that you are spirit filled though I would wonder if it’s the Spirit of GOD. No doubt GOD loves you and even less doubt that GOD upholds His Word above His Name Ps 138:2. Having said that I find it difficult to reconcile GOD’s Word that says homosexuality is an abomination to it’s OK to be ‘Homosexual and Christian ‘ To my mind the two are mutually exclusive. If people engaged in adultery and fornication and whoredom are not to inherit the Kingdom of GOD Gal 5:19-21, I find it hard to believe that persons practicing homosexuality will be inherits of the Kingdom. But GOD is GOD and His ways are above mine so its all in His hands.
You cannot be gay (or lesbian, bisexual, etc) and Spirit-filled; it just doesn’t work out. Unless the spirit you’re referring to is the spirit of Satan. You know, he’s the greatest deceiver.
I’m sorry but only God knows that. Do you masturbate? Judge others? Gossip? Covet? Lie? Have sex when not trying to have kids? Use birth control? I know you condemn and believe to know the mind of god. These are all sins and there are so many more that I couldn’t possibly name them all. What makes your sin any less then his. Yes the church tells us that living a Homosexual life is a sin. It doesn’t say that it’s any worse then any other sin. It’s not our place to say what sin if any excludes us from being filled with the holy spirit. And it’s definitely not our place to say what God can or can’t do., or to say we know God’s mind and what he would do or does. All we know God may fill them with more spirit then anyone to try to bring them closer to him. Or not it doesn’t matter we aren’t suppose to try to figure god out we are just suppose to live by his commandments and jesus’s teachings. Pointing a finger at those who don’t isn’t one of them. But loving those who are the most wretched more then those who are the most pious is one of them.
You can have sex in marriage and not be trying to have kids. Please don’t send a ridiculous message like this which isn’t true. Otherwise I think your comment is pretty much on par.
I agree because i was with a woman for 13 years and it was by far a choice. i always was a believer of God and i knew that lifestyle was not of him. satan had a hold on me by deceiving me into thinking, ‘hey God is love so why is it so wrong to love another woman as a mate?’ but on this great day i rededicated my life to christ and my heart started changing, my thinking started changing. my heart was being convicted
of that sin and my life changed that very moment.
i woke up converted as a woman to become a wife to a man. those feelings for women were gone as if they never existed. thats the power of God.
so many gays dont want the truth. they want the lie satan planted in their minds that God is love but his law doesn’t apply. lol. its crazy not knowing they are being reprobates. i dont think us as Christians are supposed to judge them or throw them away, because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. we cannot cast a stone without throwing it at ourselves.
but our mission is to be a living testimony, to spread the true gospel that god made man and woman to be fruitful and multiply and to marry and to serve him, but most will die in the lie and the deceitful lust satan implanted in them.
i thank god for jesus because without his interceding i would probably be still in that sin.
from then i have married but we are divorcing. lol. but the point is that lifestyle is a choice, just another sin satan keeps on us to steer us away from God. and also i dont agree when he said he wants them to join before they believe. no, they have to believe in what you are preaching. believe that jesus christ died for us, for our sins, the man who became sin that we might be joint heirs with him.
i wouldn’t dare go to a place of worship just to join. im going because im sin sick and need a savior to show me and guide me out of my sins, to be convicted of my sins, and come to the truth. the point is to preach the true gospel and to make them see their sin is not right in the eye sight of god.
God is love! No matter what! Jesus came not to judge, he showed us how to live the life he wants us to follow!
however jesus says do u think i came to bring peace? no not peace but a sword that would divide nation against nation mother against daughter father against son. jesus did not bring peace or tolerance he brought love, and love cares heals and sets free jesus set rules so that our lives could be enhanced not chained to our sin. by clinging to sin we reject his sacrifice homosexuals are our brothers and sisters who need our love and godly help but we must not certainly encourage their sin as a norm. if it is natural why do they try to justify it? it should stand on its own and not need to be defended. science is man discovering how gods creation works. and science connot prove anything! it can only draw reasonable conclusions unless the data says otherwise and while they say its a genitic issue more data can and will show that it is not a genitic issue but a mental issue. and god calls us to deny ourselves and seek the kingdom of God.
Wow…AMAZING story! really enjoyed that!
Alright, so your parents were University teachers and you, at least, attended high school.
You mean to tell me, that two academics… who teach at an University, cannot find anything in Christianity to dismantle their arguments? Even with a mere high school degree, the job shouldn’t be to tasking.
If I were you I would demand these educational facilities to hand you back your tuition fees…
But lets face it, this is nothing more and nothing less than a claptrap.
You live in a one of the most … if not thé most religious country in the West, yet you need to come out of the closet? Something else you want to steal from a minority group, to vamp up your faith story?
And you enter Christianity because you want to debunk them out of hate or spite… yet you end up embracing them? And miraculously your parents embrace Christianity too.
Uninspiring, cheap, B movie material.
Ridiculous and in all probability completely fabricated and artificially inflated to sell better.
Spiritual marketing … yuck.
Lordy lord lord, how shallow your culture is.
Unbelievable, that you have so many brilliant people in the US, like the late George Carlin, Bill Nye, Bill Maher, John Steward, Noam Chomsky, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett… yet the majority venerates this low level, mind numbing, pseudo scientific, plastic fantastic, bigger is better culture.
Isn’t it sad that if this once great and leading nation, would be lost, it will be remembered for the stupidity of Jerry Springer, Oprah, Dr. Phil, Dr. Ozz, cheap sitcoms with laughing tapes, Fast Food Cuisine and its tendency to exaggerate everything and anything?
If your culture ever needs an icon, choose Paris Hilton.
She the cheap dressing slut who’ll bang anyone and who no one really respects, nor likes, nor wants to know, if it wasn’t for her family fortune.
Who needs to find best friends through a tv show, who’s a jack of all trades yet a master of none.
A socialite with no other apparent skill than simply being famous.
In public she knows just what the people want to hear… but wait until the lights go out.
She is the US.
I feel for you, seems like your country is going through the dark ages right now.
Yes! Yes, thank you!
It is proven, though, that those with a low education level, tend to believe in the silliest pseudoscientific/religious claptrap. I think America should choose as its Saints Andrew Schlafly, Bill O’Reilly, and Ben Carson.
really, that’s the best you could do, pathetic!!!1
I have a Bachelor’s degree and I’m a Christian. I know many educated people who are Christians.
One day, every knee shall bowel and every tongue, shall confess that Jesus Christ Is Lord!
AMEN!!!!
Sir Isaac Newton was a Christian. Albert Einstein spoke on many occasions about God’s existence. I am a Bio-Chemist and a Christian. With us, educated people, God speaks by different language and it’s very unclear and highly incomprehensible for people with extremely closed minds like you. Sorry no offense. Just facts.
Wow, I never thought the Holy Spirit can work with someone who is a born again and still in the act of homosexual relationship. What at all is the meaning of “HOLY SPIRIT ” what will you call person that comes to you with a gun in your house, tell you about God and after shoot your kids and and take away all your possessions? Will you call him a born again Christian? Or evangelist who murder and rob people of their possessions?
As a Christian I cannot judge another as I am not without sin. Only God can judge and forgive. In our society what 2 consenting adults do is no one else’s business but theirs. Spiritually, it is between them and their God.
Unfortunately, Trust that’s the attitude that had led to organizations like CABR and children of sperm and egg donation who don’t know where they came from, 3-patent embryos, NAMBLA, and a ton of other organizations speaking out in favor of or against things that God commands us to be vocal about. If you believe you are a Christian and do nothing to help others see truth then you have missed the point. If you can sit back and watch someone hurt themselves and others through simple ignorance or malice then you have little value as a Christian in this world. What happened to “Go ye into all the world…”? Or do we ALL get to pretend that the lifestyles of others have no affect on the rest of society? It’s ridiculous to think that what other people do only affects them. Especially when they are very opinionated and outspoken in efforts to change OUR world. Should we stand by and let that happen. Every ripple starts with a single drop.
LGBT community are new age nazis honestly I believe it to be a nazi conspiracy because he stood up for God and all that is good he is shunned by the lgbt community just what the nazis did to Jews
You clearly don’t know much about the Nazi’s do you? You do realise gay men were also victimised by the nazis right? Good ol Christian logic.
So were christians.
Typical athiest logic.
I was raised very christian I attended all the special events I even talked to other about God.
Then one day both my parents died and I woke up and realized God does not do anything prayer is never answered. Either you get lucky or you don’t. Before you argue hundreds of thousands of true believers die everyday and only a few hundred make it. So after some research 40% of Christians with cancer die every year, and on the reverse side 60% of non Christians survive cancer every year. Thus prayer and belief will not save you.
But I am NOT atheist, I am agnostic. I completely believe God exists I just not longer feel a need to have faith in him. My first wife was a serious Christian who left me because my depression over losing my parents was to much for her. While my second wife of 15 years pulled me out of the depression never leaving my side. Her and her family is Buddhist and we have 4 children who we teach both Christianity and Buddhism to. They all know they are free to choose any path they want. We do not judge anyone for any belief that makes them happy.
But look at the gospel…
Jer. 29:11 – 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
(So before we are born God has our life planned. So being Gay and Christian IS a part of Gods plan.)
—————————————————————————————
Verse 11,12: “Jesus replied, ‘Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it’.”
(So they bible admits some gays are born that way.)
————————————————————————————–
Psalm 139: 16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!
(Once again being a gay Christian is a part of Gods plan for you.)
————————————————————————————–
Plenty of Christian bigots only recite the parts of the bible that say homosexuality is wrong, so convenient they leave out the parts of the bible that shows its part of Gods plan or that parts show even the bible admits some are born that way. I am a believer that God is flawless and as such everything in our world is a part of his plan. Free will you argue well if you believe in Christ then your life has already been planned out by God and if you’re gay then that is part of his plan. Free will then must only refer to non believers? But then the bible says he has planned everyones life not just non believers. Some argue gay is a choice… ok then why do all animals in nature sometimes perform gay acts? God made them and they have no free will?
No where in the bible have I found where God asks us to pass judgement on gays. Parts condem it parts justify it but NO where does it say WE are to pass his judgement for him against them. This is my biggest problem with these types of Christians THEY dont like gays so they use the bible as a scapegoat for their evil persecution of those people when their judgement is reserved for God and God alone. These people using the bible and a reason why its ok for them to act the way the do is wrong and most un Christian.
Christianity is not something you can use to justify your bigotry, your hatred, your evil intents. And any Christian with such a closed heart is not really a Christian and no amount of church will change that GOD will judge you same as those you judged in life. IF you believe in GOD then you know you cant hide the evil no matter how small you committed in his name.
This is how I lead my life without faith. I judge no one, if your a good person then I treat you the same as you treat me regardless of religion, race, sexuality. Its not my place to judge you that is left for GOD alone and the end of all of our days.
“Verse 11,12: “Jesus replied, ‘Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it’.”
(So they bible admits some gays are born that way.)”
A eunuch is a man who has been castrated, not a homosexual. They typically guarded a women’s chambers in the ancient times.
____
You claim you believe in God and you claim you believe He is flawless and no evil thing can be hidden from Him. Good for you. Satan believes this also. So do the fallen angels and the demons and unclean spirits. For what then shall that be accounted unto you? If you believe only so far as the Opponent believes than you believe in nothing. You say you don’t need faith and that you don’t need to believe or pray. Satan says this also. So do the fallen angels and the demons and unclean spirits. So do the false prophets and teachers. For what then shall these things be accounted?
They are accounted for judgement, not delivered by the hand of man but by Him who sits upon the thrown. For it is written, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Many are there who profess Christ with their mouths but honor Satan in their hearts. Whose right hand works for righteousness one day, and their left for lawlessness another. For they are those who put on a form (that is to say the appearance) of righteousness to guard a heart of evil. And in blindness and ignorance they speak untruthfully and deceitfully of the light. So, for them it is also written, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” For theirs is the reward of the great fire of wrath stored up for their master and all who follow him into destruction.
A tree is known by it’s fruit whether it is of God or not. I have not seen the fruit of Christ. Truly, any fruit your tree bears rots on the limb and falls to the ground so as not to be of good use for anyone. No, as it was said to those who claimed to be of God and yet rejected his Messiah, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.”
So Shawn that cancer research proves what exactly?? His Word also says My people perish for lack of knowledge. You know what – many times we blame God for things He has given us the ability to control. Cancer in particular is one of the things I’ve enjoyed researching. As a woman in my early 30’s I have lived a somewhat unhealthy lifestyle. My husband stayed to in his late twenties developing Type II Diabetes and high cholesterol. We started researching and learned about juicing, herbs, mega-dosing with vitamins and unsurprisingly were healed of the aforementioned as well as vertigo which I suffered with for years. God has already given us the ability to overcome MOST if not all illnesses but we need to do our do diligence. We cut significantly back on meat (which our goal is to make between 0% and 10% of our diet) and started eating a majority organic plant-based diet and detoxing our body in multiple ways and the changes were immediate. The cure was very nearly immediate. And through the process we’ve met others cured of much more serious diseases like cancer through the same process. I’ve seen a ton of people come back from terminal cancer by learning what the body needs. Frankly, a lot of God’s answers are practical and we look for something spiritual to our own detriment. He answered my prayers by guiding my search and pouring the knowledge at my feet. Then I did the work and saw the ultimate curative answer. Look at Dewayne Woods healed of HIV through prayer and changing his diet. We can’t blame God when we go our own way. We can’t say God, heal me of lung through a miracle while I keep smoking and then get angry that the answer is no because the cure IS there. Recently, my friends grandmother of 82 was diagnosed with stomach cancer. She is a pastor and church mother over 40 churches on the east coast. I recommended to mm you friend a number of things to do but she didn’t tell her grandmother one of them. My friend and their entire family was balling their eyes out when she was hospitalized and starving to death but still she was unwilling to do nothing. But her grandmother has a very poor diet. However, my friend says she has not to do chemotherapy but to just enjoy what time she has left. Her husband is afraid and watches her at night fearing her impending death. And when she passes many people will say how could God let her die of cancer, suffering ayer she spent get life serving Him. But God doesn’t make us immune to the laws of nature. We are natural beings and we must advise them. We have to be willing to seek, listen and change.
You can’t comeback from a terminal illness. Juicing doesn’t cure cancer. Please do real research before you go around spewing nonsense about things.
Man! You are a serious mess. And a very confused one…. You twist God’s Word without a second thought. Be careful.
Just because you call yourself a Christian does not mean that God will answer your prayers. Watch Francis Chan talk about it. As for passing judgement, have Christians been going around punishing gays? All they are doing is speaking out against it, according to what we are instructed to do in the Bible. John the Baptist was killed for speaking out against Herod’s sexual improprieties – did Jesus ever tell him to stop judging Herod, and that love is love? So if we belong to God, we must do as he did, and tell the truth, no matter how offended people get.
Wow this comment that is awesome.
Reading these comment truly hurts my head. You can’t all be this stupid.. can you?
It’s really strange to see so many Christians in one place, but I don’t get how many people can be in denial and even convert to Christianity….it’s really sad.
We really have reached the fulfillment of the itching ears prophecy when men would not accept sound doctrine but gather their own teachers to tell them what they want to hear, rather than listen and obey what God clearly teaches in His own Word to those who truly seek Him. Of course, He knows who that is. I can, have and probably will again be fooled…
I feel bad for you morons who believe this lunacy. God is fake. Get over it.
One of my sons is gay. He came out to us in high school. We are very accepting as I do not believe that this was a choice, but it was how he was born. We remain close. Somewhat surprisingly, however, in his freshman year in college my son became devoutly Christian and was baptized. He is majoring in religious studies in college and currently plans on going into the ministry (or perhaps will become a religion professor). I am concerned about how Christianity treats gays, as I don’t want him to feel constantly criticized or pressured to give up on having a loving relationship in order to practice his faith. And frankly, I feel many Christians are hypocritical,by calling homosexuality a sin while being very sinful in their own right. Isn’t it up to God to judge? (“let he who is without sin cast the first stone”). Yet, my son is a very impressive individual. Smart, a terrific speaker and charismatic. He could well prove to be a substantial bridge between the Christian and gay communities. He is growing into an amazing man and I suspect he will have a tremendous impact on many people.
I’m sorry to tell you this but the bible has many, many verses in both the New and Old Testaments about homosexuality being a sinful lifestyle that will send you to hell. It doesnt matter how charismatic, smart, or friendly your son is. If he practices homosexuality he is not a follow of Christ for Christ claimed, “Those who love me will keep my commandments.” which your son is clearly not doing. Yes, all Christians sin. No one is perfect and we have the blood of Christ and grace of God to forgive us when we repent and “turn from our wicked ways”. That last part is crucial. True repentance is turning from your sin. If your son is not turning from his sin, but openly embracing it, he will not inherit the kingdom of heaven and he will be judged more harshly for leading others astray.
Yes, Joshua, you are the only one here who seems to understand the Word. I am so glad that you took the time to share.
When one is born again in Christ, he/she is given the Holy Spirit to indwell the heart. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to obey the commandments that Christ, Himself, gave. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, and reminds us of all that Jesus has said. John 14: 17,21,23,24 and 26. Anyone who claims to be Spirit-filled, and does not turn from their sins, as The Spirit leads, is surely being deceived into believing that one can go against Jesus’ own words (He IS The Word!), and will be accepted anyway (continuing in any desired sin) because, “after all, Jesus Christ is a loving God” (they say). They, very sadly, do not yet understand the Love of God. The Holy Spirit convicts us, and we seek always to obey Him, if we are truly born again, “not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God” John 1:13. We either believe the Word and the Gospel once delivered to the saints, or we enter upon the broad way that leads to destruction.
Thank you again, Joshua
Pamela
God is Love God grace is abundant to all Jesus did not come to judge anyone but to love and bring all we sinners to repentance
When you become a Christian, the Bible says that you become a new person. All the junk of your past is gone, changed and remembered no more by God. You cannot serve two masters. You can’t serve God and still serve the God of your past. Because we are ALL born with a sinful nature, we ALL must be forgiven of our sins. There is no room for Holier than thou, self righteous bigots in true Christianity!! For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God!! Not SOME, ALL!! We are commanded to “Judge righteously”. That means that we look for the fruits of the Spirit in others, and fellowship with those who exemplify the Spirit of the Lord in their lives. We are not to become best buddies with those who prove to be fruitless! By judging righteously judging does NOT mean that we get to be judge and jury and condemn those less fruitful. If we do so, we, in turn, prove that our own tree has also become barren. Just in case you’re wondering what the Fruits of the Spirit actually are:
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is a biblical term that sums up nine attributes of a Christian life according to the Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Galatians, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23.
Right Christian Living:
Philippians 4:8-
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Being a Christian means having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
Is homosexuality wrong? Yes. Is it any more wrong than any other sin? No. The only sin that is worse than any other sin is referred to as “the unpardonable sin” which is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
Before laying blame and condemning others, perhaps we should try celebrating each others successes, uplifting each other when we falter and praying constantly! Let’s put a little more focus on how our own fruit tree is growing rather than writing off someone else’s tree as a poison berry bush!!!
Let’s do what God has called us to do! Let Him tend to His job! He’s far better at it than we are anyway!!
Jesus took all our sin and nailed it to the Cross. He paid the price for all our sin. When we receive what He did for us – i.e., allowing Himself to be tortured, crucified, buried, and then being raised again on the third day – He demonstrated His Love in that He died for every one of us while we were yet sinners. When we receive what He did for us, (this incredible gift of Grace), we don’t WANT to sin. We begin a NEW life in Him. And it is our Faith which overcomes, it is our Faith which pleases God. “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world” 1John 4:15-17. “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1John 3:1-3. This is absolutely stunning!
Christ did not die in vain. He did not come to give us whatever we want, He came to redeem us. Let us read everything that He said, and everything that He did in the Scriptures.
Amen, Pamela!! To live after accepting Jesus into our hearts as we lived prior, says that God’s way wasn’t enough! It says that our way is better and that giving His only Son to die in our place was a wasted effort. Either we believe the Bible in its entirety, or we may as well leave it on the shelf to collect dust! We can’t just pick out the parts we like and excuse away the rest!
Amen, Bridget!!
Really awesome one.
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