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There is a fascinating verse in Matthew's gospel where Jesus says,
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
I think this means that if we choose to refuse people, reject people, not welcome them, not affirm them, discriminate against them, then that's the way it's going to be. On the other hand, if we welcome people, affirm them, and give them total access with the same rights and privileges as everyone else, then that's the way it's going to be.
We can no longer blame it on a cruel and discriminatory god... a god that we have constructed out of our own opinions, biases, and prejudices.
Neither can we wait for this god to change his mind, because apparently he won't until we will.
It literally is up to us.
We have the authority to make this happen. The power is in our hands. We are responsible.
No more delay!
1 comment
I must admit that I found this opinion piece confusing. The Bible teaches us that we are sinners. To suggest that we affirm people in their sin, whatever its manifestation, so a drug addict we affirm and encourage, making no attempt to change, is a gross dereliction of Jesus’ teaching.
Matthew 28: 18-20
‘All authority in heaven and on earth’, he said, ‘has been given to me! 19 So you must go and make all the nations into disciples. Baptize them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit. 20 Teach them to observe everything I have commanded you. And look: I am with you, every single day, to the very end of the age.’
We are called to bring about change; to take sinners, bring them to Jesus to change them and them teach them the ways of God.
For some change is hard, confronting but “the way of the transgressor is hard” (Prov. 13:15).
Many prefer the broad way that leads to destruction.
In Matthew 11:29-30 (J.B. Phillips New Testament) Jesus says:
28-30 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened, and I will give you rest! Put on my yoke and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We want people to aspire to God’s standard of holiness not our own.