I am struggling with writing this blog, because I really have no idea where to begin.. So this may be a lot of rambling but I am speaking from my heart. So with that said here it goes:
Everyday I see and hear things from people who claim to be Christians that really do not show the light of Christ. The gospel message that they are sending out is a gospel message that says you must change your way of life before coming to Christ. You need to stop what you are doing if you want Christ to accept you. That is not at all the gospel message I know. I sit here and I wonder what bible these people are reading. My bible tells me that I can come as I am, that I don't have to change before I come to the cross. The change begins after the cross. I also believe that ones conviction is not someone elses convictions. Christ convicts those of sin, not man.
I wonder why people don't listen when someone tells them about the love of Christ and its through Him that we can be purified and made whole. It was not until after I read the verse in Matthew about how we are the salt of the earth and if the salt looses it taste how will it be restored. That is when it hit me. Those that have chosen to live a different life style are winning the fight that we as Christians have chosen to take on because it is not our fight. Our message has lost its taste because we are not living as a light unto the world. So many Christians have become abusive with words filled with hate. We throw stones while living in glass houses.
I heard recently about a company that refused to service a couple planning a wedding because they were gay. They even said they were not going to offer them their service because the lifestyle they lived was unbliblical. I don't know the legal ramifications that this company could face and really I don't care. I am more concerned about the light of Christ that was just dimmed a little more because of this stand. How are we to win those who are lost to Christ, if people claiming to be Christan's keep turning them away? I no longer wonder why Christians are getting a bad rap it is because of companies and people like this who claim to be christian. They just don't get it.
I don't agree with this bakery at all. What was done is so very wrong on so many levels. We are called to love the sinner not the sin, Christ did not refuse anybody. He called all to repentance with a loving heart and open arms. People like this is the reason Christians like me have a hard time sharing the gospel with those living in sin...Sin is sin no mater the sin. One type of sin is no worse then the other. I wonder if this baker asks those of the heterosexual orgin who are getting married if they have had sex with anyone outside of marriage because that is biblical wrong as well.
The issue surrounding gay marriage really should be a non issue. I don't think by them getting married it will change the sanctity of marriage at least it won't change mine. God is the one who sanctifies marriage any ways not man. What does taking a stand for heterosexual marriages prove any ways? If the homosexual marriage would be legalized today, it would have no impact what so ever on the traditional marriage. I will say it again, I do not agree with the life style of the homosexual. Christ would not have turned them away. He would have loved them and showed them the truth. We as Christians are called to do the same. Colossians tells us that we need to be gracious in our speech seasoned with salt so that we know how to answer each other. Salt gives flavor, and as long as the salt is tasteless so will our words be tasteless. Tasteless words will not penetrate the heart, words with flavor that show love are the only way to the heart.
Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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."
Colossians 4:5-6 "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."
Excellently said.
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