Guard Your Mind Part 2

Fulfilling the Great Commission sometimes puts us in the position of speaking uncomfortable truths. As followers of Jesus, we certainly love every person and affirm that every person is created in God’s image. At the same time, we recognize that we must “speak the truth in love,” as Paul wrote to the Ephesians. We speak that truth because God’s word has taught us that certain actions separate us from God in this life and, ultimately, eternally. God call us to repent of our sins, deny our flesh, and live by the Sprit so that we may inherit eternal life.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul writes: 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

While many deny Paul’s teachings, we continue to affirm the Bible as the timeless inspired word of God. God loves every person and invites every person, just as we see was true for believers in Corinth, to turn from their sins, be washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus.
In this sermon, I reference an important paper written by Marshall Kirk & Erastes Pill (a.k.a. Dr. Hunter Madsen). You can read the paper for yourself at this link:

http://library.gayhomeland.org/0018/EN/EN_Overhauling_Straight.htm

You can also read a considerably more extreme document that I do no reference in the sermon at this link:

https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/pwh/swift1.asp

To be fair, there is disagreement on the nature of this second document. Its author and others claim it to be satire. However, many others feel that it reveals the deepest desires of some who seek to fundamentally alter our world. In either case, the article is deeply disturbing.

Again, it is vital to note that all are welcome to come to Jesus. Paul wrote in Romans 3: “For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Each one of us has failed on our own ways and we all need the redeeming power of Jesus’ blood. It is only His work and the power of the Holy Spirit that allows us to resist temptation and live the life that we are called to live.