Fine Distinctions

A sin is a sin, granted, but is there a difference between a lifestyle of sin and committing a sin?

A woman who has an abortion committed a sin, and she may be in a lifestyle that is continual sin, but not necessarily. Whereas a person who is in a homosexual lifestyle is practicing a lifestyle that is sin. I agree with Andy that many homosexuals, or people who struggle with homosexual temptations and tendencies, live without entering the lifestyle. A great quote I heard from a colleague at another college is "the opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality, but holiness." I think a lot of Christians' theological basis butt heads with the concept that homosexual is a trait that people are born with. For me that is not the point. Humans are born with desires that are of the flesh and all of us are called to lives of holiness regardless. So if you do not struggle with a desire for people of the same sex, you likely struggle to maintain the thoughts of purity within the context of heterosexual relationships. Or some are born with temperaments that lead to lives of greed, pride or other types of sin.

I feel very strongly that all sins are of equal status. Some may have more negative consequence that we see, such as things that are also against the law, or open your body up to disease, but in God's eyes, I never see a distinction between the level of sin. I do think there is a fine distinction between a person who sins and a person living in habitual sin, which would be the POSSIBLE difference between someone who gets a divorce, or an abotion, and someone openly lives within a homosexual relationship or lifestyle. The church I would love to be a part of is the one in which all people believed this way and expressed it openly. What would the church look like if all who sin could openly confess their sins, be forgiven, and join the ministry of Christ of redemption of His creation? That church would have beaten any hold-over power satan holds with fear, intimidation, and pride that keeps the church from reaching its potential...

Peace

posted by Dusty @ 10:48 PM