andyc
New member
What makes people sinners?
Why are people homosexuals?
Why are people idolaters?
Because they are sinners?
Because they're born in sin?
No
It's because they don't know the Lord.
Notice Jesus didn't say, "it is eternal life for those who stop sinning". Or even, "it is eternal life if you repent, stop sinning, and believe in God"?
There people who are quite moral, who have repented and believe in God, but they don't know the Lord.
I know this is very simple and obvious to most, but after reading some of the threads on this website, some people haven't seemed to grasp this. They seem to be very critical of people advocating a sinful life, but who obviously don't know the Lord. How can people be criticised for not knowing the Lord, if that is the reason why they do what they do?
Let me just use a quick example from Paul to get the point across.......
While in Athens Paul was looking at the idols and objects of worship, and then he stood among them and said, "I see that you are very religious". And so in reality, Paul saw that they were all a bunch of idolaters, but he isn't critical of them, because they don't know the Lord. This is why he immediately goes on to introduce them all to the unknown God. Once they know him, they would no longer have use for their idols. And there is example after example. The woman at the well, Paul's own conversion, the Ethiopian eunuch etc
We live in a world of religious people, and their gods are scientists, liberal authors etc. They come across as arrogant in their atheism, or in their support of liberal ideologies etc, but the simple fact is they don't know the Lord.
Let's not beat them over the head because of who they are.
Why are people homosexuals?
Why are people idolaters?
Because they are sinners?
Because they're born in sin?
No
It's because they don't know the Lord.
Notice Jesus didn't say, "it is eternal life for those who stop sinning". Or even, "it is eternal life if you repent, stop sinning, and believe in God"?
There people who are quite moral, who have repented and believe in God, but they don't know the Lord.
I know this is very simple and obvious to most, but after reading some of the threads on this website, some people haven't seemed to grasp this. They seem to be very critical of people advocating a sinful life, but who obviously don't know the Lord. How can people be criticised for not knowing the Lord, if that is the reason why they do what they do?
Let me just use a quick example from Paul to get the point across.......
While in Athens Paul was looking at the idols and objects of worship, and then he stood among them and said, "I see that you are very religious". And so in reality, Paul saw that they were all a bunch of idolaters, but he isn't critical of them, because they don't know the Lord. This is why he immediately goes on to introduce them all to the unknown God. Once they know him, they would no longer have use for their idols. And there is example after example. The woman at the well, Paul's own conversion, the Ethiopian eunuch etc
We live in a world of religious people, and their gods are scientists, liberal authors etc. They come across as arrogant in their atheism, or in their support of liberal ideologies etc, but the simple fact is they don't know the Lord.
Let's not beat them over the head because of who they are.