ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER................

    In recent months and actually years, there has been a rash of sexual behavioral misconduct in various denominations among the clergy.

     Such things as child molestation, homosexual activity between consenting adults, heterosexual conduct resulting in adultery etc.

     These things have caused much discomfort to the innocent parties surrounding but not included in these activities.

     The wives and children, the congregations who trusted in those involved, the denominations they represented, their fellow workers,…… all were affected through no choice of their own. And indeed the financial situation of many of them as lawsuits began to take their toll.

     There are also many divisions among some denominations as to whether sexual preferences of individuals should have any bearing on ordination to the ministry of the denomination.

     Sexual behavior of any kind is at best not understood and is open to various interpretations and the blame for sexual misconduct is placed, it seems, on everything other than individual responsibility. From Freud to “God made me this way” everyone finds an excuse.

     I don't claim to understand homosexual feelings, whatever they are, but any sexual behavior is a choice.

    A womanizer, prostitute, a self gratifier, a person attracted sexually to children, etc…….

     There is a distinction between having “certain” feelings and acting them out.

   Those tendencies are in a person due to the horrible fall of man, but to act on them in any way other than God intended is a choice, and must be dealt with.

                       We make choices

     We all have weaknesses but when we yield or don’t yield to them, whether we act on them or don’t act them out, they are choices we make.

     I love women but I choose not to rape, I choose not to pursue another mans wife etc.

     The scripture explicitly speaks of it, therefore there is no debate...If it was vague then they would be able to speculate... (However, humans are weak and we are prone to follow strong desires.)

     The book of James tells us that we shouldn’t be confused on the issue of temptation. Every man is tempted, not by God but is tempted when he is drawn away by his own strong desires, and when those strong desires are followed, yielded to, they bring wrong behaviors, and if persisted in will bring spiritual death.

     Choice is what it is all about..."when they knew God they chose not to accept that and so God gave them over to their perverse lifestyle”, whatever lifestyle that is, not just homosexual...

     I don't say it is not possible for men and women to be weak in those areas or even that they can't be Christians, because sin is sin. Missing the mark is not graded by distance.

    (I realize there are those who want to condemn and would only use the word “sin” instead of “missing the mark” because it can be conjured up to mean something dastardly and condemning, and controlling but sin in it’s simplest meaning is, to not be perfect as God created us thereby missing the mark set for us at creation, that is, to be in Gods image.)  Jesus said “whoever is with out sin (hasn’t or isn’t presently, missing the mark) throw the first stone.”

     However, we must choose not to steal even if we are a kleptomaniac, we must choose not to lie even if we are one, etc. etc.

     Men and women have those tendencies, to steal, to be homosexual, to rape, to be attracted sexually to children, etc, but can get them under control by the power of Gods Spirit. And thus have the power to choose not to do it.

     The struggle in this life is a real one. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

     These and all other struggles ARE normal to the “fallen” world in which we live. All, every human being, is missing the mark, everyday, and we are far from the standard of Gods perfection.

     We all make excuses for our weaknesses

     We cannot fight Satan in our own strength,

     When I stumble I can get up and go forward.

     These guys got caught or they would still be doing it.

     These guys are not wrong because they got caught, they were wrong because they followed their own desires to the hurt of others. Jesus said that if we do something to the least person we are doing it for or against Him. Their wrong is against God.

     They should be prosecuted for the fraud they perpetrated on their congregations.

    (The incredible tragedy of the loss of innocence in their minds will haunt them for the rest of their lives!)

    The tragedy of imperfection is around us.

    As long as they could hide their behavior it was ok? I think not!

    The fall out from some behavior is much greater than others!

    The consequences of these various offenders are having a profound impact on thousands of people.

    However, what they have done is no different than a hidden sin that only a person and God knows about because in the case of sin, truly, “a miss is as good as a mile” “all have sinned”

    Be sure your sin will find you out.

   All of it was already forgiven at Calvary but the consequences are very, very real!

   I don't want my thought life that I have had all my life open to the public nor my actions and I am thankful that God sees me and all other offenders thru Jesus as he sits as a man, a human, at the right side of God.

  Life is a journey, sometimes we behave properly and some times we don’t.

  Jesus paid the price for it all on Calvary but the price we pay in this lifetime for our self-indulging desires is a very costly one.

I thank God for His  Grace and Mercy and Longsuffering. In spite of ourselves His promise is that He will never leave us nor forsake us! 

……………………David