Seriously?! We have the greatest message of hope in the world. We have a message of repentance and salvation and we choose to tell people they are going to hell? We choose to tell them that their flaws eliminate them from God rather than telling them that "we have all sinned and come short" but God's love trumps all our mess? We have a message that says... "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD..." and we choose to tell them that they are disqualified from His love. Jesus please don't judge Your church as harshly as we judge our neighbors.
Please help me understand why a church would feel that this was appropriate? We Christians, who have been forgiven so much, choose to make a statement that displays punishment over forgiveness? This sign is a message to anyone who may be LOST and struggling with their own sexuality that they are not welcome here and not only that... there is no hope for them... they do not pass go... they do not collect $200... they go to hell.
The truth is that Jesus came and preached a message of inclusion. He wanted everyone He came in contact with to know that they may have to make some radical changes but they most definitely could be forgiven and that there was room for them in His Kingdom. "Jesus came to the world, not to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved."
I'm sorry but I just don't believe I serve a God who rolls outta bed in the morning and says... "Let me see who I need to send to hell today". NO! I believe God is saying... "I love all those people so stinkin' much... I CANNOT WAIT to forgive somebody."
I welcome comments on this one. Let me know your thoughts. Don't worry I'm climbing off my soapbox as we speak.
2 comments:
Eric, I found your blog a while back, but had to comment on this. It's so sad that the only reason they took the message down was because "not everyone understood the cultural reference". I'm guessing that reference was superiority and hatred? Clearly they missed that John 3:16 says "the world", not just the straight ones. It's so sad.
Hey Eric,
I had not seen this sign and am sadder because I have. We wonder why people look at "Christians" and want nothing to do with our "God." If that is our God quite frankly, I'm screwed. We have taken our kind, forgiving, loving Father and made him a tyrant. It makes me so sad. Where is Christ in that?
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