Persecution: A Price To Pay For Being A Christian?
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The Persecution and Endurance of Christians By John MacArthur – Part 2
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"The Blood of the Martyrs Always Becomes the Seed of the Church"
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“I am absolutely 100% convinced that the weakness of the church in America, the superficiality of the church, the shallowness of the church, the hypocrisy of the church… is directly related to the absence of any cost or any price to pay to be a Christian. If you don’t have to pay a price, hey… jump on the bandwagon. If persecution came to America, you’d see a very different kind of Christianity. A whole lot of people who are real eager to talk about Jesus wouldn’t be talking about Jesus any more… who profess to know Jesus and to be a part of the church, they would stop talking very fast if the price was as high as it is for some people.”
-John MacArthur
“A testimony of Dr Daniel Wong, a professor at The Master’s College, who faced persecutions as a Christian first hand from Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in China.” -GTY Videos
TURNING GOD’S GRACE INTO AN IDOL
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Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3, ESV)
Grace Does Not Relieve The Christian From Their Duty To Contend For Proper Doctrine
As I began to talk about in Indeed, Did God Really Say? through the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church aka Emergent Church—morphing into Emergence Christianity—(EC) we are seeing a growing cult of pseudo-Christians perverting the grace of God. We’re actually witnessing a new “tradition” of men develop in that these dreamers have made this attribute of God into an idol and are now so over-emphasizing it to the point of antinomianism.
A good example would be the following from Twitter by someone named Khad Young, who tells us he’s Minister of Grace at Metamorphosis Church, yet another in a veritible cornucopia of social clubs churches “for people who don’t want to go to church”:
God’s grace is bigger than any disagreement we could ever have. God’s love runs deeper than any division. (Online source)
Young’s musing was then ReTweeted by “pastors” Jay Bakker and Connie Waters, names now familiar to Apprising Ministries readers. The problem for these emerging teachers now turning away from the faith into mythology (see—2 Timothy 4:4) is that God gave us boundaries in Scripture; and grace does not mean that I, as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will simply put aside my disagreement with those like Young, Bakker, Waters, and other EC ministers more widely known e.g. ELCA “pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber who hold the same corrupt views.
No doubt their hue and cry is men like me are “haters”; but the truth is, they are actually the ones who are so divisive. It’s important that you come to understand that they are the ones who in open rebellion against the Word of God, and thereby with the Lord Himself. You see, in their homopression, they continue lying to people about the nature of God. The fact is, it’s these rebels against the Bible who are spreading the lie to GLBTQ people, for whom Christ died, that having sexual relations with another of the same sex i.e homosexuality is not sin.
And sadly, just as is currently happening in the more “conservative” of the dying mainline denominations, it’s people like those mentioned above who are causing Christians to have to divide as they right now begin sowing their divisive doctrine among younger mainstream evangelicals. However, there can be no unity for the Christian with those who would dare defy Jesus while calling Him “Lord” while encouraging practicing GLBTQ people in their homosexual sin.
See also:
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT
THE NEW DOWNGRADE CREATES NO CONTROVERSY TODAY
IF YOU TRULY LOVE “JESUS” THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES FOR THE “CHRIST-FOLLOWERS”
CHRISTIANITY 21: EMERGING VOICES OF A PSEUDO-CHRISTIAN FAITH
QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?
Book Review: You Are the Treasure That I Seek
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Of all the sins of the heart, idolatry is one of the subtlest. It is particularly dangerous because any good thing can become an idol. Good things like family, music, hobbies, or even ministry and service. Absolutely anything can become the object of our idolatry, except, of course, God. How tragically ironic that the one Person we can worship without sin, and were made to worship, we don’t. We substitute the Creator for the creature, and sin grievously in the process.
Greg Dutcher, pastor of Christ Fellowship Church in Fallston, Maryland, recognizes the insidiousness of the sin of idolatry, and addresses it in his new book “You Are the Treasure that I Seek.” He provides biblical answers to a problem that can often leave us feeling guilty and hopeless, and does so gently and practically. I want to give you three reasons you should read this book and share it with your family and friends.
It’s Concise
We live in an age of sound bites and text messages. Like it or not, most people don’t have the attention span to concentrate on lengthy tomes, let alone digest the information they contain. Given a large volume on a topic like idolatry, most people will set it aside to read when they have more time–like when they retire. “You Are the Treasure that I Seek” avoids this problem, saying just enough without saying too much. Each chapter is only a few pages, but is packed with hard-hitting truth. Each chapter is also followed by helpful study questions that aid in applying the truth, and that make the book ideal for small-groups or Sunday school classes.
It’s Practical
Idolatry is an issue of the heart, and as such, it’s easy to overlook places in our lives where it’s creeping in. Pastor Dutcher understands the power of a story, though, and he would rather show you the truth than state it academically. In fact, much of “You Are the Treasure that I Seek” reads like a collection of parables, powerfully illustrating the truth with real-life examples. And, as I mentioned previously, each chapter ends with helpful study questions that help you apply the truth you’ve learned in each chapter. The powerful illustrations and study questions combine to make this book about as practical as you can get.
It’s Biblical
Idolatry is so subtle that we will probably never be completely free from it this side of eternity. Writing a book on idolatry, it would be very easy to leave the reader feeling guilty and without hope. Mr. Dutcher, though, approaches the issue with biblical wisdom and gentleness. Like the Apostle Paul pleading with a wayward church, Mr. Dutcher pleads with us to get our eyes of the toys of this world and onto Christ, the only true source of satisfaction. He provides answers directly from Scripture, and gives the reader fresh weapons to combat idols. This book won’t leave you hopeless, but will lead you to the only true source of hope: Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, I recommend this book for every Christian. We all struggle with idols in our hearts, so there isn’t one of us who couldn’t benefit from this book and the truth it contains. I think you would be hard pressed to find a book that addresses the issue of idolatry as concisely, practically, and biblically.
Here, and then Gone
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This short piece concerns the issue of so-called gay marriage.
Within you’ll see that when emerging “pastor” Connie Waters can’t answer the Biblical text presented in my argument against this perversion of the marriage covenant, then she simply denies that I personally exist; seriously.
HERE…AND THEN…GONE…
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In Jay Bakker Dreaming yesterday here at Apprising Ministries we happened to mention that “pastor” Connie Waters, after having Bakker speak at her emerging New Bridge Faith Community last week, thinks he’s a real scholar. Now it seems that “pastor” Waters decided to weigh in on the AM piece Gay Marriage: Backlash Against Anglican Leader Expected.
Therein, I gave the proper Biblical definition of marriage per Jesus Christ of Nazareth; Who as our Creator, would appear to be a pretty good source. And His disciple Matthew quotes Christ as telling us marriage is between a man and a woman:
“Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4-5, NASB)
The above is why I would then write that aforementioned piece concerning Jay Bakker. My point was to bring out the real reason why even a “scholar” like “gay affirming pastor” Bakker wouldn’t dare accept the offer of apologist Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio to meet him in a public debate on homosexuality and gay marriage using the Bible.
Now, by all means, one is certainly free to hold a different opinion concerning this issue of so-called gay marriage affecting GLBTQ people. However, as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it’s part of my commission to then make sure those people know that it happens to be the actual Jesus of Holy Scripture with Whom they are having this disagreement.
The late defender of historic orthodox Christianity, Dr. Walter Martin, used to put it this way: “Your argument is with the Creator Himself; when you win that one, come back and argue with Walter.” Well, apparently “pastor” Waters has come up with a rather novel, and really quite ingenious, way of dealing with the above argument. Yep, merely erase me out of existence:
isn’t it interesting how “Ken Silva” can call others scared when he can’t even prove his own existence!! Maybe he lives at the North Pole! (Online source)
Hmm, but at the same time, I’m not so sure that the above actually changes what God the Son—on behalf of God the Father—and as recorded by the eyewitness Matthew, under the infallible inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, has told us. No way around the text; clearly, God’s decree is that marriage is between a man (male) and a woman (female).
So you see, even if I don’t actually exist, it still has zero effect on the existence of the others whom I’ve, oops—something just cited above. 8^)
See also:
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT
THE NEW DOWNGRADE CREATES NO CONTROVERSY TODAY
IF YOU TRULY LOVE “JESUS” THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES FOR THE “CHRIST-FOLLOWERS”
CHRISTIANITY 21: EMERGING VOICES OF A PSEUDO-CHRISTIAN FAITH
QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?
Paul Washer: A Biblical Husband & Family
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Posted in Videos Tagged: children, Church, denmark, family, house, husband, paul, washer, wife 
Tim Conway: What Happens When A Christian Commits Suicide?
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Posted in Videos Tagged: ask, Christianity, Conway, Life, murder, pastor, Sin, suicide, Tim 
The Power of a Tract
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This is an account of an outing with a couple of the customer service reps from Living Waters recently. Another great testimony that tracts are a great resource for sharing your faith.
We just concluded our 11th Academy here in California a couple weeks ago and the June Academy participants are now home hopefully continuing in all that they learned.
The day they left, just to end the weekend with a bang, some of the Academy Lady Mentors and Team Leaders joined up with a team of ten others to pass out tracts and engage in one-to-ones in Hollywood at that Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade.
We met up at someone’s church for a time prayer before going out, then caravanned to our destination. We parked on the same street, loaded our bags and backpacks with money tracts and a specially designed tracts just for this event.
One of the leaders put a tract together that was on simple pink card stock, with what looked like wedding bells on the front with a text that read: “GOT EQUALITY?”
On the back, it talks about our American constitutional rights and equality… then continues to talk about how we all will equally be judged according to God’s holy standard, the Ten Commandments, followed, of course, by the gospel message.
Nothing on the tract said anything about homosexuality, gay marriage, or the like, but those tracts flew out of our hands and in to the hands of both male and female attendees living in homosexual living styles.
Arriving early before the parade started, we began where the parade would later end and made our way toward where the parade would begin. Many of those I handed these tracts to gladly received them, having not yet read the back. And at one point my friend and I ended up breaking off from the rest of our team and hitting up everyone setting up to watch the parade. We covered the entire parade route from where it was to end to where it began and back again.
It was like nothing I have ever experienced! I didn’t really stick around long enough to hear what people had to say after they read the tracts, but my friend had a couple of friendly conversations with individuals out there.
When we later met up with one of our fellow evangelists, and the others that were out there with us at the end of the day, his eyes were blood shot, having been in tears over a conversation he had had with a young lady he’d given a tract to.
She had taken the Million Dollar tract and continued on her way, but ended up sometime later coming back to him later (he had been 75 yards down from where he handing her the tract), imploring him to take the tract back. Of course he said that he would not take it back and, “We care for you that’s why we give them to you.”
She said, “I read the back and you’re just here to condemn my homosexuality.”
He said, “No ma’am. No where on there does it talk about homosexuality, nor would I speak of it to you.”
She told him that he had to take that tract back because she had become very convicted by reading it and explained that she was living in a lesbian life-style.
She said, “I read the back and it talks about lusting and things of that nature.”
He said, “Ma’am, that is the moral law of God.”
She said, “Sir, I am a Christian. I’m a back-slidden Christian. I’m aware of my homosexuality. I have read this and I am living in a back-slidden state, but I am a Christian.”
He went on to say that she needed to heed God’s conviction by repenting, trusting, and committing her life to Jesus Christ alone and that God would then deliver her from that lifestyle. He was able to go through the law and the gospel with her, and told her if she was truly born again that there were many lost people around her that she could give the tract to.
She even ended up thanking him for speaking with her that way and turned and walked away with the tract. Usually we try to engage people like this, my friend was just passing out as many tracts as he could at this event and this fish came “swimming” from 75 yards back to him to “jump in to the boat” so-to-speak! THAT’S THE POWER OF A GOSPEL TRACT!
There were estimated to be thousands of attendees there that day and even though there were others passing out all kinds of other flyers, which covered the ground in certain areas of the parade route, I didn’t see even one tract on the ground, and my friend and I alone passed out thousands of tracts.
The parade, of course was quite obscene at times, at which points my friend and I had to warn each other not to look at it.
So God alone knows what impact that was made and we trust in Him that His Word will not return void!
May God be glorified!
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Goodbye Barkley
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God is good, always.
When I started ‘blogging’, I was told to always post ‘meaningful content.’ Depending on who you’re talking to, that may mean something different than your own ideas. Well, we’re all human, and what’s meaningful to me may not be to all my readers…totally understandable.
This morning I had to bury our cat, “Barkley”. To [...]
Love For An Offensive Gospel
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by Gary Gilley
Virtually all students of the Scriptures would agree that the church exists for two basic purposes: evangelism and edification. We are called to share the gospel with lost souls (Romans 10:14) and to disciple those who come to Christ (Matthew 28:19). Edification takes place as the local church gathers together to be [...]
Startling Christianity
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“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus – Matthew 5:16
Have you ever experienced startling love? Throughout his ministry, Jesus demonstrated love that took people by surprise. He touched the untouchables, forgave adulteresses, ate dinner with tax collectors, talked to Gentile “dogs,” and took time for those who others wanted to send away. All of these things were shocking and unusual, and people took notice. The proud hated him for it, and the humble loved him for it.
Jesus commands us to show the same kind of unexpected love to others. He gives us several examples of this kind of love in the Sermon on the Mount: going the extra mile, loving your enemies, and turning the other cheek, among others. The point in all the examples he gave was that each was out of the ordinary, even extreme. Christ wanted his followers to act in such a way that people would take notice. So they could earn favor with God or men? Hardly. Unexpected, surprising, jaw-dropping love brings glory to God. What a difference it would make in the world, and what doors for the gospel would be opened, if Christians started living in this way.
I’d like to encourage you this week to look for a way to show startling love to at least one person who isn’t expecting it. It will mean taking your eyes off of yourself, your busy schedule, and your agenda for the day, lifting up your eyes, and noticing those around you. What needs can you meet? How can you bless those around you? How can you encourage someone? Be creative. I assure you, there will be plenty of opportunities. Let your light shine, and bring glory to God.
Paul Washer (Just To Remind You All)
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Posted in Videos 
Jay Bakker Dreaming
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An insightful post by Ken Silva over at Apprising.org. I’d like to add that I had an insightful conversation with Jay Bakker today via Twitter, and I must tell you the man is found lacking in truth. Even now, I continue to be attacked by his cohorts, just for the conversation! Oh well, yard needs mowing…..
Jay [...]
JAY BAKKER DREAMING
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Today gay affirming “pastor” Jay Bakker shares his dream:
Emergent and Calvinist are brothers & sisters in Christ.(Like it or not) And one day,we will be together forever at the family reunion… (Online source)
Apparently Bakker really likes the taste of red herring. Emergent and Calvinism have exactly zero to do with his biblically untenable teaching that people of the same sex can be married in the eyes of Jesus, Who just happens to be our Creator.
Perhaps Bakker, who according to “pastor” Connie Waters of New Bridge Faith Community is a real scholar, can stop confusing the issues long enough to peruse my latest post Gay Marriage: Backlash Against Anglican Leader Expected. I’d be absolutely fascinated to read his “scholarly” and biblical critique.
If Bakker’s so sure his gay affirming foolishness can stand biblical scrutiny my friend Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio has offered to meet Bakker in a public debate. But you’ll see in Fearful Jay Bakker that Rob Bell has a better chance to become president of The Master’s Seminary than Bakker dare meet Rosebrough.
Now just for the record the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church aka Emergent Church—morphing into Emergence Christianity—(EC) is not a move of the Holy Spirit. The only people who will be at “the family reunion,” quite obviously, are those actually in the Family of God.
And the only people in this Family are those who have been regenerated by the grace of God alone; through faith alone, in Christ alone. We may differ on the order in which salvation happens but not on the Gospel itself.
It’s not about systematic theology, and don’t kid yourself, followers of this EC pseudo-Christian cult have theirs as well. What it’s about is stated below, from the inerrant and infallible Word of God; and Jesus did tell us — “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27, NASB):
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” (Leviticus 18:22)
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9)
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)
The question for Jay Bakker is: Will Bakker finally hear His Voice here so that he may repent of his antibiblical stance and homopression of GLBTQ people for whom Christ died?
See also:
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT
IF YOU TRULY LOVE “JESUS” THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES FOR THE “CHRIST-FOLLOWERS”
CHRISTIANITY 21: EMERGING VOICES OF A PSEUDO-CHRISTIAN FAITH
QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?
GAY-FRIENDLY CHURCH SHIFT PRECURSOR OF EVANGELICALISM
JAY BAKKER DREAMING
Click the post title to be taken to the source.
Today gay affirming “pastor” Jay Bakker shares his dream:
Emergent and Calvinist are brothers & sisters in Christ.(Like it or not) And one day,we will be together forever at the family reunion… (Online source)
Apparently Bakker really likes the taste of red herring. Emergent and Calvinism have exactly zero to do with his biblically untenable teaching that people of the same sex can be married in the eyes of Jesus, Who just happens to be our Creator.
Perhaps Bakker, who according to “pastor” Connie Waters of New Bridge Faith Community is a real scholar, can stop confusing the issues long enough to peruse my latest post Gay Marriage: Backlash Against Anglican Leader Expected. I’d be absolutely fascinated to read his “scholarly” and biblical critique.
If Bakker’s so sure his gay affirming foolishness can stand biblical scrutiny my friend Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio has offered to meet Bakker in a public debate. But you’ll see in Fearful Jay Bakker that Rob Bell has a better chance to become president of The Master’s Seminary than Bakker dare meet Rosebrough.
Now just for the record the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church aka Emergent Church—morphing into Emergence Christianity—(EC) is not a move of the Holy Spirit. The only people who will be at “the family reunion,” quite obviously, are those actually in the Family of God.
And the only people in this Family are those who have been regenerated by the grace of God alone; through faith alone, in Christ alone. We may differ on the order in which salvation happens but not on the Gospel itself.
It’s not about systematic theology, and don’t kid yourself, followers of this EC pseudo-Christian cult have theirs as well. What it’s about is stated below, from the inerrant and infallible Word of God; and Jesus did tell us — “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27, NASB):
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” (Leviticus 18:22)
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9)
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)
The question for Jay Bakker is: Will Bakker finally hear His Voice here so that he may repent of his antibiblical stance and homopression of GLBTQ people for whom Christ died?
See also:
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT
IF YOU TRULY LOVE “JESUS” THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES FOR THE “CHRIST-FOLLOWERS”
CHRISTIANITY 21: EMERGING VOICES OF A PSEUDO-CHRISTIAN FAITH
QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?
GAY-FRIENDLY CHURCH SHIFT PRECURSOR OF EVANGELICALISM
Gay Marriage: Backlash Against Anglican Leader Expected
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A short post, which uses a One News Now story as its backdrop, and gives you a few succinct reasons as to why those arguing for gay marriage cannot do so from the Bible itself.
GAY MARRIAGE: BACKLASH AGAINST ANGLICAN LEADER EXPECTED
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One News Now brings us this story:
Homosexual-rights activists are exasperated over comments by a Church of England bishop. Recently, Archbishop of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali said the Bible defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman. He added that while the church welcomes homosexuals, they need to repent and be changed.
Nazir-Ali’s comments ignited a firestorm of controversy throughout the United Kingdom. Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion & Democracy, says the backlash against the bishop’s remarks was expected… (Online source)
Here, at the heart, is the deal for gay rights leaders and homopressive gay affirming “pastors” like Jay Bakker—1) all Scripture is inspired by God; 2) Jesus is God, therefore 3) what God says in Scripture, Jesus says.
Now, following is what Jesus—the Creator God Himself in human flesh—was recorded by Matthew, who’s an eyewitness—also under the inspiration of God. And, in addition, keep in mind here that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is informing us as an eyewitness (at the very least) to the event in question:
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4-5, NASB)
So, above we have the Biblical definition i.e. the Creator God’s definition of marriage. No way around the text: A man (male) joined to his (male) wife (female)—marriage is between a man and a woman. There’s very good reason why someone like Jay Bakker will not meet Chris Rosebrough for any public debate, which I discuss further in Fearful Jay Bakker.
The bottom line is this: The argument for gay marriage cannot be made from the Bible. Even in a debate with Dr. Walter Martin circa 1985 John Shelby Spong has already admitted that, “I do not disagree that homosexuality is condemned in Scripture,” as I showed in the AM piece Why No Condemnation For Christians Who Are Homopressive?
See also:
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT
THE NEW DOWNGRADE CREATES NO CONTROVERSY TODAY
IF YOU TRULY LOVE “JESUS” THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES FOR THE “CHRIST-FOLLOWERS”
CHRISTIANITY 21: EMERGING VOICES OF A PSEUDO-CHRISTIAN FAITH
QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?
