Who Was A Neighbour To This Man?
World Vision has recently amended their hiring to policy to allow professing Christians in married homosexual relationships to be employees in their organization. Predictably, some more fundamentalist Christians are upset, threatening to pull their sponsorships and boycott World Vision.
In the story of "The Good Samaritan", Jesus makes the case that actions matter more than beliefs and that morality without justice is useless. By failing to help the man beaten on the side of the road, the upstanding, right believing Priest and Levite are revealed to know less about God's heart towards people then the despised, outsider Samaritan.
Personally, I believe that even if an organization was run by hedonistic, occult practicing, satan worshiping witches, Jesus would still want us to give them our money if it meant that the life of an impoverished child was improved.
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hmm, I see your point. I'm hesitant on topics such as this, not because I haven't made a decision on where I stand, but because I think the answer is buried so deep beneath the baffling web of God's truth that we put ourselves in a precarious position when we choose one side over the other. In my personal experience, I know that there is a fine line between loving someone where they are at, and condoning sin. Very fine, and I'm not innocent of crossing that line many times. I think I've learned that the best thing for me to do in these situations is this:
ReplyDeleteThe issue of hiring homosexuals is not one that has been presented before me by God. It has been presented to the people who run World Vision, and I would hope/assume that they acted in a way that they felt was most glorifying to God. I trust that God knows their hearts, and all of that is between them and Him. Me? I recently got married, started school, and even more recently was offered a job as a part-time youth pastor. Those are the situations that God has presented to me, and so those are the things God is asking me to focus on/have an opinion on. Someday, if I'm the leader of world vision and God challenges me to hire or not hire homosexuals, then I'll worry about whether that's right or wrong according to God's heart. For now? I should probably start thinking about a good time to take my wife on a much needed night out.
Isaac, I agree that each of us has our own area of responsibility that God has called us to and our primary focus should be on those areas. However, I would argue that serving the poor and caring for the orphan is something the Bible calls all of us to do (I'm not saying your not saying this, lol). I actually don't think this is an issue about the rightness or wrongness of homosexuality or gay marriage. What makes me sad about the situation is that people are allowing their idea of "morality" to affect their calling to serve the poor. To me, the Bible seems to argue that loving your neighbour is the highest form of morality. If Christians can't agree to disagree on issues of morality in order to work together to help the hurting and marginalized of our society, what can we work together on? To me this isn't a case where you should have to choose sides. God is with the poor (Isaiah 41:17). We should be with anyone who has decided to join Him there.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you stand on the issue of homosexuality? Do you believe homosexuality is a sin? I would honestly like a direct answer from you and don't try to dodge this question.
ReplyDeleteIs world vision an association that is mandated to have only christians on staff? Then those christians should try and turn from sin (on top of already being saved). 1 Corinthians 5:11 tells us that we should not associated with people that call themselves brothers and sisters and continue to do certain things. They could be helping another organization doing the same work.
if they are not mandated to have christians only on staff, i see no conflict. continue to help away.
I don't think we can question those peoples salvation. But, they are living in direct contradiction of many scriptures in the OLD and NEW testament. Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it is not there. I would understand if something was only condemned in the OT, but it is also condemned in the NT in multiple passages. That being said, it is no different than someone else lying, or cheating or stealing. We all still sin, but if we are willingly ignorant of sin, there is another problem.
I would like to respond to Anonymous 26 March 2014 10:43.... Let me just say that I am a Christian and I do not speak on behalf of Eric Versluis. To start I complete support Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender, people wether they are Christian or not. God calls us to love everyone no matter who or what they do/believe in. I would challenge you to think hard about condemning anyone based on there actions. God came to save you and everyone else when they were sinners and in whatever sin that is. He accepts us into his family as we are and in what ever condition that is. If some one is LGBT I would think God would save them as they are just like he saved me in my sin. I would like to say I was able to stop sinning in the areas of my life that I was sinning, at that time I became a Christian, but sadly I haven't. God works in a still small voice and will work and is working on my issues as well as yours if you let him. So before passing judgment on others think on how you can support some one to help them lead a Christian walk not condemn them before they even try. As a side note there are more verses in the Bible that tell us not to eat seafood then not to be homosexual, and Jesus spent more time on earth with prostitutes, liers, cheaters, and non-Christians then pastors, celebrities and politicians. If you'd like to be more Christ-like (as all Christians are called to be) try spending some time getting to know people who are LGBT and you might just find that there just like you and I and God loves them the same as you and me.
Delete"To start I complete support Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender, people wether they are Christian or not" what do you support about it? The lifestyle? The person? Do you support the act they are engaging in?
DeleteDo you support murders or thieves? I would like to think you do not promote the sin, but love the sinner. I don't think you'll find Christ supporting people continuing to live in sin. In fact, he would say "Go and sin no more".
I have no issues with people living a LGBT lifestyle outside of Christ. But, what about those who continue to ignore clear teachings of the bible and want to be in christian circles? Willingly ignorant? Should we continue to support and have fellowship with people unwilling to turn from sin? Should I continue to accept you Brent because of your addiction to pornography? If you acknowledge the sin and try (with Christ's help) to turn, you can be in fellowship. But if you ignore sin and call it non-sin, then we have are against clear teaching . Big difference between acknowledging and ignoring clear sin.
1 Corinthians 5:11
" I would challenge you to think hard about condemning anyone based on there actions"
Deletereally? I cannot point out someone actions when they are living clearly in contraction to scripture? Really.
I support LGBT people in there development as Christians. If anyone wants to follow Christ I will do everything in my power to encourage and instruct them in the following of Christ. What I wont do is tear them down and condemn them for sinning. I do agree with you on not living in sin and calling it non-sin I would counter with a bit of an example of how this can work in a christian walk.
DeleteI'd like to point out the sin of obesity. Proverbs 23:20-21, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 If a person is over weight they are living in sin. If they accept that they are over weight they are living in sin and calling it a non-sin as you have called it. Now should we exclude this person or condemn them for there gluttony. No as Christian we accept them and maybe they will make it there new years resolution to lose weight. So think about your own weight. I don't know you because I do not know your name, but if you'd like to message me personally feel free to email me at Thinker_lifted@hotmail.com and we can have a proper discussion about this topic.
Can we as Christian not accept and support someone living in sin as they work it out with God? I hope so. I don't mean to not addresssin but do it in love and explain what there doing is not in line with God but ill still support them as a Christian. If you support them as LGBT outside of Christ why stop when they become a Christian. God will work with them to address there area of sin as he works on my addiction to pornography, as you point out. God has help me to have more control over an issue I have struggled with since being a teen. I have lived with many other sins as well and I hope that God continues working on me in my everyday life. I know I sin but let me deal with that and Ill let others deal with there's, but I will not stop loving you just because you sin. I hope you let God do some work in you for your pride and your lack of love you show others.
"I'd like to point out the sin of obesity. Proverbs 23:20-21, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 If"
DeleteI stopped reading your argument after the NT reference. That is not a NT reference to obseity. IF you are using OT references now to support something, then you should kill your child for disobedience. Kill the adulterer.
Just because sin is laid out in the OT doesn't mean its not a sin. As to killing my disobedient child or an adulteress those punishments to sin in the OT were covered by Jesus dying on the cross. He took the punishment for our sin but it doesn't mean they are not sins. Do you disregard all the 10 commandments because they are OT? The teaching of the OT stands as Gods word and if you want to start disregarding some verses to suit your needs then why cant a LGBT exclude the verses pertaining to them.
DeleteAs to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I will disagree with you and say that that verse pertains to both physical and spiritial bodies. We need to be accountable for what we place in you body. And that includes staying healthy by avoiding obesity/gluttony.
I would really love to continue this discussion but if you are not willing to finish reading my posts when you disagree with it then it has become a very one sided conversation. I hope God and can give you the patience and level headedness to listen to others. Fell free to message me ( I have provided my email I will not post my phone number on this post) I would love to talk further with you either in person or over the phone as it is a much better form of discussion.
Sorry Anonymous, as a sort of general principal, I've find that it's pretty hard to have a truly productive and honest conversation with someone who is unwilling to put their real name next to their opinions. I'd be happy to have this conversation with you if you were willing to publicly take personal responsibility for what you say and believe.
ReplyDeleteEric... you are sounding like a politician..... Are we all sinners..... Absolutely... So what makes us any different than a Homosexual...... TRUTH...... I'm a sinner but I truly repents of my sins.... Because a particular sin is easy to my nature I don't go around saying GOD made me this way so it's OK.... If I'm un-repentant then I'm not forgiven... If I'm not forgiven then there is no salvation.... CHRIST did not die on the cross so I can take my sins for granted ... He died on the cross so I'm able to deal with my sins by turning them over to HIM from a repentant heart and only then does CHRIST take them and throws them as far from the east to the west and remembers them no more....Now the moment one sais my sin is not a sin.... and GOD is clearly said it is a sin.... Your now calling GOD a liar.... In Judges 19;22.... Not only does GOD call the act of homosexuality a sin but calls all the partake in the act (Belial) which means sons of satan.... and keep in mind JESUS never said that scripture is wrong.... Would I work along side a homosexual tom feed the poor... absolutely.... If I owned a christian company would I hire a repentant homosexual.. absolutely... But if the homosexual is a practicing homosexual and refuses to repent.... No I would not hire them.....We as Christians are called to hold each other accountable to no one other than GOD.... We must continually look at ourselves and see ourselves through GOD's eyes.... We are sinners and not deserving of GOD's love but HE loves us just the same..... All HE asks is that we seek HIM with a truly repentant heart and strive to live like CHRIST everyday..... Remember....SALVATION is not by works but by FAITH in HIM who GOD has sent...... That is what we should be teaching all those around us by word and deed...... Not by telling them they can do what they like GOD is ok with it...... NO HE's NOT....
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for the thousands of children who have been caught in the middle of this and who will now go hungry, or be pulled from school because people are so narrow minded. I'm not talking about a theological debate; God will judge us all one day according to our hearts and sins. I trust that WV made this decision carefully, and prayerfully and acted according to what they deemed right according to their beliefs. I LOVE that there are gay people who are willing to serve the poor and help those in the deepest of despair, and pray that they will not be turned off by the comments and actions of so many "Christians". The Holy Spirit works in ways that we don't always understand, and I am certain that He is doing a great work in the hearts and lives of us, gay or straight, Christian or unbeliever! I do think open conversation and bringing up hard topics are important for growth and for making us evaluate what we actually do profess to believe, but we NEED to do so in a loving manner.
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued that a post about how serving the poor is far more important than worrying about someone's sexual orientation, has devolved into a conversation almost completely about sexual orientation.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for that. I really do hope WV continues there work and are blessed beyond there own expectations. They do such good work.
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