hello everyone,
if you knew a church was purposely avoiding topics like the ones mentioned above, would you be okay with it?

I'll give my take later.

Is debate divisive? ;-)

no it's not okay...that is the church's job

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Denver McDaniel

The church is to proclaim the gospel of Christ. We are to preach the truth. We are to preach the truth in Love. I don't try to come up with topics of sin in order to try to be divisive.

Blessings to all!

If were preaching from the word of God, line by line, precept by precept, and we fall on a topic that people are uncomfortable with... too bad for them....
It's never divisive to stand for the truth of God's word.
If it bothers people that the word of God is preached, then they don't like hearing the words of Jesus anyway.
we are not called to allow or accomodate Leaven in the church body for the sake of peace.
Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword.
His word is a sword and causes division...
Basically causes us to have to make a decision, for either following his word or the world.
If a church is more concerned for peace, "fear of Man" then they will be judged for shrinking back from the words of Christ, thus saying the peoples opinions are lord over them and not the word of God.
Unity for the sake of unity is not biblical.
Peace for the sake of peace is not biblical.
When has the church became a place when discussing sin issues according to the word of God become a divisive issue?
God help us all.
I hope this isn't divisive :-)

Was Jesus Divisive.....usually. He always told the truth.

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howard

the church of the living God is the support and bulwark of the truth. (1Ti 3:15) It's not ok to avoid any topic however divisive it may be but to proclaim the truth of God."No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light." Luk 8:16

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Yuri

thanks for all the answers thus far. We seem pretty much in agreement. Regarding these 2 topics, it would seem they are the most needful to address during this time. Shouldn't The Church have an answer when there is so much confusion and even amongst some professing Christians?

the reason I ask is because I'm aware of a place where this compromise is taking place and some dear people I know attend there. thanks again for the input. Feel free to add any further thoughts and scriptures that come to mind.

It should be dealt with properly, NOT the way they are doing it now, accepting and even practising it in secret.

Now this concern is not what the world does, the world will always continue on doing what it does best, sin. But in the Church we can't tolerate any sin whatsoever, whether it be a lie or sexual sin. All these things must be dealt with in a non condemning manner, with compassion and a good old fashioned warnings that those who continually practise such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Though harsh that may sound, but that type of love must be put forth to the believer who has this struggle. And the struggle is real, the whole persons make up is all messed up and change can be as much as a laying on of hands but most times it's brought about through time as the person heals, but the person must be warned that healing comes with a cost and that cost is to stay abstinent from all forms of this types of lust. A great many of men have thought that by marrying a woman would help them escape the problem only to bring more problems for her and for himself. In rare instances it may work, but most fall back into that lifestyle, divorcing the woman and is back to square one again. Only from a renewed mind can change come and the healing of one's soul. What Satan has engineered for evil God hath brought about good.

So yes, the Church does need to address these issues but we need the operation of Wisdom and Knowledge in order for us to successfully nurture and properly create a haven for those seeking change. In that day the world will even say, those people do show forth the love of Christ because they have love one for one another. Let that day come again soon.

First-- Since the Bible addresses all of these topics clearly, as the preacher exposits the Word, (ideally verse-by-verse), these issues (ie. "Homosexuality/Gay Marriage and Abortion" and many more...) cannot help but be addressed. All of this, of course, if the preacher is indeed being a faithful minister of the Word and led by the Holy Spirit.

Second-- We need to get the right hermeneutic.
[b]Herman-Who???[/b]
HERMENEU'TIC
HERMENEU'TICAL, a. [Gr. an interpreter, from Mercury.]
[i]Interpreting; explaining; unfolding the signification; as hermeneutic theology, the art of expounding the Scriptures. [/i]

Third-- If we keep a "Christo-centric" (also known as "Grammatical-historical") hermeneutic while interpreting all of the Scriptures, then not only will we be "keeping the main thing, the main thing"-- (which is very important and will thereby disallow anybody to bring in their own ideas and attempt to thwart the glory of Christ)-- but we will also have the answer always available to these problems of our society ([b]THE GOSPEL[/b].)

Further hermeneutics reading:
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/qna/christcentered.html

http://www.reformationtheology.com/2006/03/the_reformers_hermeneutic_gram.php

http://www.thespurgeonfellowship.org/Downloads/Excerpt_Sp08.pdf

Lord help us! Amen.

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Adam

No... it is not ok.

Krispy