The Bible & Homosexuality: Enough with the Bible Already
Kinnon on Keller on Fitch on Kimball on Missional Growth?
I really enjoyed this issue of Geez that just came out.
Phil Nellis has a bunch more artwork out. Check it out. Loved this one.
Good gift ideas (a little to late)
I don’t think I mentioned it yet, but I got an unlocked G1 and am loving it. I moved away from the blackberry completely and got rid of the data plan which was a purposeful move to try and not stay that connected but still connected enough that I could manage the business. So you may see random links in the future about Android.
I think this may be the next lens I purchase.
“The Bible & Homosexuality: Enough with the Bible Already”
and what is your personal opinion on this link?
thought it was great, what did you think?
well from what i read i think the author is quite mistaken. the moment we try and claim the bible isn’t an accurate representation of our Lord, is the moment we start to lose focus. after all, the bible is the essential historical document of Jesus Christ. so to claim something like Jesus is love and we should accept all lifestyles regardless of biblical morality seems ironic. that’s what i got out of his thread.
The point of the post was to put the bible aside completely for a little bit while tackling an issue like this. Because of some people’s theology on what the Bible is to them and how they read it, it has the tendency to skew people’s relationships.
He isn’t saying the bible is not an accurate representation of “our Lord” he’s saying it does not give an accurate representation or direction of how we should believe, treat or accept homosexuals, very different.
“i understand that. but i can’t help but wonder. do these people not realize God is in control of the future? do they believe he had nothing to do with the writing of the texts? i mean i am certain God knew his writen words would be available today. so if God had any other intention than to not allow homosexuality, then why wouldn’t he state that? it’s just something that hits me personally. i realize we christians are quick to judge on character – the fact is that God doesn’t allow homosexuality. we cannot either. it’s dangerous territory to “put the bible aside” any time because of personal opinion. i think people like these have been influenced too much by the surrounding media (claiming ‘it’s okay to be gay’ – ‘they are people too’) and so on and so on…
i could go on. nonetheless, i won’t win any arguements on facebook.”
I trust God but that doesn’t mean I have to trust everything that happens in the world. Just because we trust God doesn’t mean he stopped other text and scriptures from other religions coming into being and he never stopped other people from living in cultures where those text are just as important to them as the Bible is to us.
The entire NT is Jesus, disciples and the authors wrestling with the message of the NT and the Hebrew Bible and how they fit together and what “laws” from the Torah you had to follow now and what ones you didn’t and how Jesus changed the entire way you approach God and humanity. It seems natural to me that we will be wrestling with similar issues and since its 2000 years later, and new issues and praying and hoping that the Holy Spirit leads us to Christ-centered decisions and opinions, acknowledging that we could very well be wrong at any time. Our faith can’t be in the Bible, but it can serve as a guide to show us how Christians have reacted in the past
but our faith has to be in the bible. not that the bible is our God – but that our faith in the very words of God himself. the moment we try and live our relationship with our Lord based solely on prayer and modern opinion, we lose focus. the bible explains that our own hearts can deceive us. the only way we can keep accountable to the truth is by continually measuring our opinions with the written words of our God. i pray we don’t lose focus of this.
it seems as though certain people (maybe you) believe specific lifestyles (namely homosexualy) are allowed now because of modern culture. or maybe i’m misreading you.
i guess that’s just where we disagree Dan, the bible has to be seen as something that informs us of our faith and helps point (like a lot of other things) us to where our faith should be, that is in Christ. Hard to understand because the bible is an integral part of the process of learning more about Christ, but it still can’t be where our faith lies.
I don’t think this conversation is about me believing in homosexuality as much as it is about the Bible being a good source to formulate our opinions on whether we should believe in it or not. I think there is better things to help us decide on how we should approach the subject of homosexuality than strictly the Bible, i don’t want to throw it out all together though, because it is an important part of the puzzle.
well that surprises me. i’m going to end this conversation soon in fear that it may get heated. but to me there’s no way our relationship with God can be clear without the bible being our source of truth. the bible is what we have left to define the character of Jesus and God. so if we neglect certain aspects of these written words, we’re merely creating our own Jesus even our own religion. this is how other false religions begin – like mormanism or jehovah’s witness. i don’t see any “better” thing to help us formulate decisions for any topic. anyway, i’ll let you believe what you like. i’ve stated all my points.
Hi Dan, I promise I won’t get heated. But I’m willing to stop if you want, but I am enjoying the conversation.
I think we have maybe come down to where we disagree though. When Jesus left he did not leave the power or authority or the truth with the Bible, the Bible doesn’t even give itself that kind of position. Rather the Bible and Jesus gave the power and authority to the church (Peter, Pentecost, Great Commission) and the body of Christ left here on earth. Of course that opens it up to abuse, but so does him submitting himself to death on a cross. So yes it will be abused, and false religions will start up, heck they were starting up all around Jesus. But it is the church, and people that Jesus left with the authority and commission to work alongside of the Holy Spirit to bring about the good news to the end of the earth. It wasn’t until at least 100 years later that we had our entire canon formed (possibly even 400 years, i forget).
I thought the article in question was great Nathan, thanks for posting it\
Nathan,
“When Jesus left he did not leave the power or authority or the truth with the Bible, the Bible doesn’t even give itself that kind of position. Rather the Bible and Jesus gave the power and authority to the church (Peter, Pentecost, Great Commission) and the body of Christ left here on earth.”
I think this is a false dichotomy. The Scripture is the testimony of the Apostles (Peter, et al) and the Church writing by the inspiration the the Spirit given at Pentecost. I think that you also need to specify what authority Jesus and Scripture gives to the church for your line of arguementation in your last comment to make sense.
Have a great New Year.
Tom