Posted on 05/09/2012 10:33:18 PM PDT by Cronos
Leaders of the nation's two largest religious denominations are expressing distress and sadness at President Barack Obama's newly announced support for gay marriage.
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, says Obama's remarks "undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society." He adds, "The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better."
The Rev. Bryant Wright, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, predicted that voters will hold Obama accountable for what Wright calls "a calculated, politically expedient decision that completely ignores the biblical foundation of marriage."
But in the ABC interview, Obama linked his decision to his faith in Jesus Christ and the Golden Rule, which he paraphrased as: "Treat others the way you would want to be treated.
I am a Southern Baptist and you are, of course, correct. I hope your court hearing goes/went well....
Excellent post! Thank you!
I am in complete agreement with you.
“I know you dont care for me and thats you prerogative but please try to tone down the animosity.”
Graybeard, I have no animus towards you at all. I don’t like what you post WRT the Bible. I’m pretty protective where our Lord is concerned.
You claim to be Southern Baptist, but you spout Calvinist ideas, including TULIP.
I understand Holy Ghost, but that’s not what you were talking about. You said...
Linking the name of our Savior to sinful behavior is blasphemy, the only unpardonable sin.
That’s just not true, whether you are a Southern Baptist, or a Catholic.
I hope and pray that things went well with your new family, and pray for nothing but happiness for all of you.
“Actually, the unpardonable sin as described in Scriptures is giving credit to the Holy Spirit for something evil: i.e. blasphemy. It is NOT something a believer can do as the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and will convict him/her of sin throughout the life of the believer. Those who commit the unpardonable sin are already not saved, so ...”
Actually...I said I agree with you, but I take it back.
Denying the existence of God, the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit is the only unpardonable sin.
Blasphemy can be undone by being saved and asking forgiveness.
You might disagree with me on this point, salvation.
JLLH, are you a TULIP believer, too?
Not a 5 pointer - husband is. Why?
On the verse in question, when one gives credit for evil to the H.S. there is a hardening of the heart and, I would argue, a full knowledge that one is doing so. That is not the act of someone who will be coming to Christ. It’s something someone like Madelyn Murray O’Hare would have done (and probably did do). She knew full well, I have no doubt, who it was she was rejecting, but her heart was so hardened she was in full rebellion and gave herself over to evil. Again, if one is coming to Christ or leaning that way, one will not be committing the unpardonable sin. Repentance is necessary for salvation to occur and those whose hearts are so hardened as to commit the unpardonable sin will not be doing that.
While not accepting Christ IS a one-way ticket to Hell, the unpardonable sin is apart from that because it’s the act of someone who has totally given themselves over to evil and blasphemy. (Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit such as described in this verse is not using the Lord’s name in vain, or any other manner of blasphemy, which Christ makes clear in that verse. It’s a particular kind which is only committed by those who will not be coming to Christ at any point - and this act is indicative of an attitude and heart and mind-set which are wholly given over to evil.)
Wanted to add that Christ makes it clear in the verse that this sin is not pardonable and will not be. Ergo, it is not something the believer, or those whose hearts are still malleable enough for the Gospel to penetrate, will be committing. It’s not ordinary (assuming there is such a thing, but Christ again draws the differences in this verse, so there must be different types) blasphemy we are talking about here. It’s clear it will not be pardoned, but since repentance is required for salvation and those who commit this sin are beyond that (and yes, there are those who place themselves beyond repentance and have hardened their hearts to such a point that the Holy Spirit ceases to strive with them — O’Hare comes to mind). Christ is warning the unbelievers He is addressing here to go no further down the path they have chosen. (One wonders if they listened and came to Him later. We can only hope.)
I see the same things.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.