and not just dismissing it out of hand.

I don't post here much, partly because I haven't had much time lately.

As to your objection:

I thought the pastor made it very clear that sin is sin & God will not tolerate it. Nor would the church:

"The Bible teaches that all of us are sinners, and
though God always loves us, He hates our sin and calls us to repentance and
holiness. The Bible is clear that homosexual practices are unwelcome to God.
We are a Bible church, and as the scriptures would never affirm a gay
relationship as good and acceptable to God, neither would we."


keep in mind who he is writing to. Why be totally condemning? Why not leave the door open for the person to visit the church? Give them a chance to experience a place where all types of sin are struggled with & dealt with. Isn't that more compelling than trying to "convict" the person of their sin through the first correspondence? Perhaps the person he is writing to has never thought about these issues much or has never even been near a church. He only knows what he's been told, Christians hate homosexuals.
Why slam the door in his face figuratively. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is at work to bring this person to faith and this is his first stop along the way, so to speak.

Perhaps the person is already under conviction of his sin, and just needs a Christian to come along side of him and care. Just maybe.

Thanks Ted.
paul