Pastorbps, for as much as I may disagree with his tone
My statement can be viewed as sarcastic but it is only that way to make a point which was to reveal how impractical some of the statements are which have been made to legitimize D&R. Those of us who believe marriage is for life have been called judgmental, legalists, respecter of persons, cultish, and told we probably should leave the organization. However, when I point out the inconsistency of the rationales people have given for their actions or beliefs by using a sarcastic literary style, I have a bad tone. Seriously?
Now, let's take another one: Would you take in a member who HAD BEEN involved in homosexuality, professes a proclivity with which he needs God's help to over come, and says "I've believe, I've repented, I want to be a Christian and live like Jesus, but I am really having problems with keeping distance from homosexual desires and homosexual conduct. I want to give in, but I don't. I need your fellowship. Will you accept me as a member?" What would you do in that case?
I would take him in and work with him just like I would with someone who struggled with other unnatural affections and sins. He has confessed Christ, admitted his sins and turned from the sin. That sounds like Salvation to me. I would have to talk to the person because I'm a little uncomfortable with the reason why he still struggles with this. I would also exercise discipline if he acted on it and I would do that for a number of reasons.
However, that is not what has been expressed here. If D&R is adultery and the person has been shown it in scripture and they say, “Pastor, I’m an adulterer (Not in those words). I don’t believe there is anything wrong with it and I don’t intend to change.” I would not take that person in but I also would not take in a person who said, “I’m a backbiter. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with backbiting and I don’t intend to stop backbiting.” I believe a person must decide at Salvation to abandon their sins.
It has been stated by some that those who believe marriage is for life magnify D&R above other sins but I believe the opposite is true. I believe we hold it to the exact same standard as other sins. This was my point in bringing up the homosexual example. We would also tell an unrepentant homosexual they couldn’t join either. On the other hand, there are those who would take in a practicing adulterer while rejecting a practicing homosexual. Such an inconsistency must be dealt with. This is one of the rationales I disagreed with in the Assembly report. You can say D&R isn’t sin and therefore you can join but you can’t say it is sin and still be allowed to join without repentance (forsaking of that sin). That sets a dangerous precedent.
The bottom line is “Do you believe D&R is adultery?” I do. Those are my convictions. I know most here do not believe it is and therefore they treat it differently than me but if they believed it was sin, many (not all) of them would treat it the same way I do.
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