HELLO?!?!?
Massachusetts has had MARRIAGE EQUALITY for over ELEVEN YEARS, NOW!!!
So WHY the sudden Hatred of GOD, by Conservative Christians???
Did Massachusetts cause the WORLD TO END, several years ago -- and I just am too stupid to have noticed it???
Baptist Pastor Sends An Open Letter To The LGBT Community
Read the open letter that Baptist Pastor Kevin Shrum has written to LGBT Community, which appears to be a declaration of war.
Baptist minister, Kevin Shrum, has written the world's most passive aggressive open letter, asking the LGBT community for civility and understanding while he leads a Christian crusade to make gays social pariahs and deprive them of their hard-earned right to marry. At least that's the way I read it. But maybe it's just me.
An Open Letter to my LBGT neighbors:
The Supreme Court of the United States ruling on marriage has changed everything and nothing for Christians.
For churches that have capitulated on this issue the matter is settled; for Christians who oppose the issue the matter is far from settled.
Since the ruling I have read both pro and con responses.
In summary, “When will Christians get the point? Same-sex marriage is now the law of land. These Christians don’t get it.”
I respectfully disagree.
We do get it, all too well. My fear is that you don’t and may never.
Or, at least you don’t get Christians like me per se.
First, what you may not get about biblically committed Christians is that we are called to be law-abiding citizens to the degree that our basic beliefs and citizenship concur.
Most of the time Christians can function in civil society without violating their conscience, a law codified in the First Amendment.
However, there are those rare times when a Christian cannot compromise those commitments or conscience.
This is one of those occasions. Why? Because we believe Scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong, unnatural, and sinful – being gay is not the new black, skin color cannot be changed, but being gay is a preferred choice, sexual desire gone awry.
We believe that marriage is exclusively heterosexual and that there is more to marriage than “being with the one you love.”
Marriage is a reflection of God’s character. We believe these truths not to be obstinate, but to be obedient to God’s word.
Second, Christians do not abide by the laws of the land alone; we abide by a higher law revealed in Scripture. Especially in America, the laws of men and of God have, for the most part, been able to peacefully co-exist.
When they do not, Christians make a choice to follow God’s law and bear the consequences of their peaceful civil disobedience.
The SCOTUS ruling made every Christian in America a potential law-breaker.
Christians may face persecution as a result.
Peaceful, civil disobedience may be the order of the day. However, the church often does best when it is marginalized the most.
Third, since the SCOTUS ruling I have felt a renewed sense of liberty to freely and lovingly speak my mind on these issues.
I have learned this from you, the LGBT community.
You have been unafraid to “come out.”
This ruling has renewed my freedom to “come out” as a Christian who believes God’s word affirms traditional marriage, and who offers the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to all sinners. Thank you for this lesson in being unashamed.
Fourth, while there may be a few angry Christians out there, most Christians are not angry – disappointed, yes – but not angry.
The Bible is clear: the anger of man does not accomplish God’s purposes (James 1:20). I am not angry at you. You are a sinner just like me. I am praying that an army of loving, truth-telling believers will rise with gospel in one hand and mercy in the other. Both of us need truth, love and redemption.
Fifth, I pray the SCOTUS ruling awakens a “sleeping giant” called the church.
Thank you LGBT community for ‘poking the caged lion’, the complacent church. We have much to answer for – hypocrisy, theological laziness, truthless, loveless Christianity.
Thank you for being a part of God’s plan to awaken the church to its biblical heritage and the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ.
While you may not "get me" and I may not "get you," let us agree to disagree agreeably.
Let us be neighborly. I know you’ll try to persuade me to embrace your position.
Trust me, I will make every effort to persuade you that the gospel calls all sinners to repentance and that in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the death of death and sin (sexual and otherwise) has been announced to every repentant sinner.
Kevin Shrum is pastor of Inglewood Baptist Church.
Dr. Kevin Shrum has been the pastor of Inglewood Baptist Church in Nashville for 15 years. He holds a doctorate degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. If you have something to say, Dr. Shrum has a Twitter account or you can post a message on the church's Facebook page.
Photo is a screenshot from Vimeo
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