Another question for RevTodd

[angryoldman]

I posted this many months ago. I just wanted to see what your thoughts were on this:
If God were walking the face of the earth today, what do you think he would say? How would he react to everything in the news? How would he react the gays vs anti gays? Personally, I think God would be sad. I think he would say "YOU are not the judges nor the jury. I am the only judge. Live by my words of 'love one another'. Let he who lives without sin cast the first stone. If not, let me do the job of judging, and everyone else just keep your traps shut." Of course I don't think he would say "Keep your traps shut", but I do think he would be very disappointed in the way some people feel they are doing his word justice by holding their Bibles in the air and yelling "Homos and fags are evil and are all going to hell". I think he would cry at the thought of cloning, stem cell research, and gays vs anti gays. Any other thoughts?

[RevTodd]

Re: Another question for RevTodd

Good questions AOM... I gotta hit the hay for tonight, but I'll try and catch up with you tomorrow sometime... Have a good one.

[pigmeat]

Re: Another question for RevTodd

whats with all the gay curiosity, pally...you coming out? Bwhaahaa!!!!

[angryoldman]

Re: Another question for RevTodd

whats with all the gay curiosity, pally...you coming out? Bwhaahaa!!!!

So I like the taste of penis. That doesn't make me gay, does it?
I love RevTodd. It's good to get an answer from someone on questions I'm curious about, who doesn't verbally attack or make it personal. Plus, the man's spent over 12 years of his life studying the Bible and Theology. I respect his opinion.

[pigmeat]

Re: Another question for RevTodd

So I like the taste of penis. That doesn't make me gay, does it?
I love RevTodd. It's good to get an answer from someone on questions I'm curious about, who doesn't verbally attack or make it personal. Plus, the man's spent over 12 years of his life studying the Bible and Theology. I respect his opinion.

i do too....good man to have on board....just bustin your balls pally!

[RevTodd]

Re: Another question for RevTodd

I posted this many months ago. I just wanted to see what your thoughts were on this:
If God were walking the face of the earth today, what do you think he would say? How would he react to everything in the news? How would he react the gays vs anti gays? Personally, I think God would be sad. I think he would say "YOU are not the judges nor the jury. I am the only judge. Live by my words of 'love one another'. Let he who lives without sin cast the first stone. If not, let me do the job of judging, and everyone else just keep your traps shut." Of course I don't think he would say "Keep your traps shut", but I do think he would be very disappointed in the way some people feel they are doing his word justice by holding their Bibles in the air and yelling "Homos and fags are evil and are all going to hell". I think he would cry at the thought of cloning, stem cell research, and gays vs anti gays. Any other thoughts?

People often bring up this whole thing about ‘judging’ because they have certain behaviors they do not want to give up, and they don’t want others running around saying they are wicked because of it. In order to give some Biblical sanction to this maneuver, they will often quote two passages of scripture (usually the only two they know, LOL). The first is the famous, “Judge not, lest ye be judged” admonition of our Lord in Matthew chapter seven. The other is the above-mentioned “let him among you who is without sin cast the first stone” scenario from John chapter eight.

I hate to break it to you, but there is a very distinct lesson being taught by Jesus in these two passages, a lesson which alas does not allow people to sin with abandon and not be called on it when they do.

In the first example, Matthew 7, the Lord had just spent a great deal of time and effort explaining to the multitude gathered on the Mount of Olives that – by adhering to the self-righteous standards of the hypocritical religious leaders of their day – they were not meeting God’s perfect standard. The point of the passage about not judging is that you can’t set up a human standard of goodness and then call others sinners when they don’t keep your standard, as if you aren’t a sinner yourself. The conclusion is that nobody can keep God’s standard, we are all sinners and that self-righteous men who think salvation is bought by keeping a set of rules will be judged by that same criterion, one they can’t possibly fulfill. Bottom line… Don’t judge others by your own self-righteous standards so you can feel smugly superior to them.

This does not mean we don’t evaluate behaviors and attitudes by the standards God has clearly given in the scriptures. Homosexuality (example you used above) is clearly and unambiguously identified in both the Old and New Testaments as a gross transgression of God’s design and purpose for human sexuality. To point this out does not run afoul of Christ’s teaching in Matthew 7.

BTW, the same Jesus in this very passage (verses 5 and 6) calls unbelievers hypocrites, dogs, and swine. Sounds kinda judgmental, doesn’t it? Many who often cite this text don’t usually like to read that far.

The second passage (John 8:1-11) is very similar concerning not judging people self-righteously. The people about to stone this woman were in fact acting according to the OT law. In light of that law, they were technically not wrong in what they were about to do. What Jesus was showing them, by asking for only one without sin to cast the first stone, was that they ALL were sinners and worthy of death. He was preparing them for the truth that they could only escape the just punishment of their own sins through what he (God in human flesh) was going to accomplish through his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.

So, if God came to earth today I do think he would confront the sin of mankind, including the sin of homosexuality. I do not think it would be a pretty sight. In fact, I don’t have to speculate, because the Bible teaches very clearly that he will come back one day and will execute judgment on the world. There are vivid and detailed descriptions of how that will happen in Daniel 11-12, Matthew 24-25, 1&2 Thessalonians, and especially the Book of Revelation. As I said… not a pretty sight. Also, not something anyone HAS TO experience, if they place their faith in Christ.