The Secret vs The Revealed Wisdom of God

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

– Deuteronomy 29:29

Exposition:

        Above all God's creations, we are given an amazing brain capable of imagining things that we would want without restriction. We are curious about new things, we like challenges, confusions, and even horror for some time if we can resolve and regain control over them. However, some things are beyond comprehension. Sometimes we used our imagination to understand God. Scriptures forbid us to imagine a different God other than the God revealed in the Scriptures. Rather, we are commanded (not a suggestion or an advice) to study the Scriptures diligently to know Him more and more. The word of God is an infinite treasure of wisdom, inexhaustible, timeless, sufficient and beneficial for all those who seek to know.

        With the Israelites, we may wonder why God would bring a terrible judgment upon the stiff-necked Israelites? Could He not give them a change of heart instantaneously? Or any question like, “Why did God put the tree in the garden if He knew they would eat its fruit?” Those questions aren’t bad per se, but if they lead us to doubt and deny God, we must remember this verse: we are to seek and obey what is revealed in the Scriptures, and not to try to fool ourselves by attempting to know the infinite wisdom of God. Instead of asking ‘why?’ in our mind, we are supposed to study the Scripture and confirm “So, it was.” God warned them of judgment for disobedience, they disobeyed, and so, it was (that they were judged).

        We must not reject God or question His wisdom just because we don’t understand what He is doing. Our puny brain cannot understand the infinite God. God is revealed in the Scripture to be good, just, loving, merciful, and gracious. Would you humble yourself before Him and trust His wisdom? As one Hymn says, “To be happy in Jesus is but to trust and obey!”

Personal Reflection:

·       How often have I got angry in trying to understand some circumstances of life when I should have exercised trust and rest in God who has allowed them for my own good?

Personal Commitment:

·       To take delight in His word to understand Him better, especially in trying times.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to say like David, “I have quieted my soul before You. I do not seek to understand which is too difficult for me.” I put my trust in You, Amen!

Can Humans Live Without God?

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

– Judges 21:25

The first couple disobeyed the word of God. Then they blamed God for their suffering. Then mankind refused to worship God. Nowadays, many don't even seem to know that God exists, they have ignored God. But can man live without God? In other words, can humans live by themselves? This verse reveals to us the failed experiment of Israelites without God's law. It is a commentary on the sinful and chaotic lifestyle of the Israelites after the death of Joshua and before the days of the kings of Israel, particularly on the incidents of the Levite's concubine and the following massacres.

This is not to say that every Israelite behaved in a responsible manner to do what was right. It means they lived as they liked what Moses had forbidden them in Deuteronomy 12:8. (An identical commentary appears in Judges 17:6, where they decided to worship God as they liked). This was lawless, reckless, messy, and sinful. The Scripture says, "The heart is deceitful above all things," and "All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags." This verse comes as a lament on life without God. Because God is the true King of Israelites, in fact, the ultimate King of the Universe. Israelites refused to have God as their king, and they did not have a human king at that time. Even with their human kings, their spiritual, social, economic, agricultural, and political situations were more disastrous. Life without God as our King is a sinful life.

Who dictates your life: The government? Your boss? Your intuition? Your mood? God has created us for Himself. Then He bought us again in Christ. Our life is no longer ours; would you live for Him following His precepts written in the Scripture?

Are All Sins Equal?

Are All Sins Equal? (In 1000 words)

The simple answer is Yes and No. We can consider it in three headings:

I.                  CONSEQUENCE OF SIN

1.     Potential of Sins: The end result of all sins is the same – eternal separation from God, and eternal damnation (Rom 6:23). The solution for all sins is also only through one Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 6:23). Before God, all sins are an abomination. Small or big sins (humanly speaking), all sins make us miss the standard of God’s holiness (Rom 3:23). Sin is anything that falls short of the glory of God. Only one sin can cost you eternal damnation. The Bible says in James 2:10, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” In fact, sin is not primarily about committing or omitting by an individual; rather sin is already enslaving us for we are a sinner by nature, from our conception (Eph 2:1-3; Ps 51:5). Therefore, no matter how much or how less we think we do, we are all guilty before God; and the fitting place is the lake of fire because of the demand of God’s holiness. Everyone is a sinner since before we know what is right and wrong. Sin entered the world through Adam, and all died and will die because of sin (Rom 5:12; 1Cor 15:22). This alone, also known as “original sin” is serious enough to condemn us to hell. We sin because we are sinful at the core of our nature. Whatever we do is sinful-though not necessarily as sinful as a sinner can be-unless God regenerates our dead soul. God will not allow any sin to go unpunished. Are All Sins Equal? YES. Serious Enough For God’s Wrath.

2.     Actual Judgment of Sins: Some sins are worse than the others. The Bible says clearly in many passages that there is a degree of sins, and so the judgments too. (Luke 7: 41-47; 12: 47-48). There are greater sins (Eze. 8:6 , 13, 15). The Mosaic laws differentiate intentional and unintentional sins (Lev 4:2, 13, 22, 27). Jesus in his teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven and the Law declares judgment concerning the degree of commitment (Matthew 5:19).  Moreover, Jesus says in John 19: 11, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” Matthew 11:20-24 also gives enough evidence about the degree of Judgment. Even the Believers Judgment of 1Cor 3:12-15 implies the degree of judgment. And still Hebrews 10:26-29 talks about the worst punishments. Are All Sins Equal? NO. As a man sows, so shall he reap!

II.               SOLUTION FOR SINS

God is not only a righteous and just God but also a merciful and gracious God. God will not just send anyone to hell because of the original sin. He provides salvation in Jesus. People go to hell on their choices. (John 3:16-18; 8:21, 24). Moreover, Galatians 6: 7 says “whatever a man sows that he will also reap.”

1.     Pardonable: Jesus’ blood suffices for the forgiveness of all sins (Heb 10:10; 2: 17; Rom 3:25; 1John 2:2; 4:10) The Condition is to believe in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (John 3: 8, 16). If one knows Christ (is saved), his sins are no longer counted. Big sins or small sins do not matter. He has become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21)

2.     Unpardonable Sin: Sins are not equal. It matters what sin you commit. There is a sin that leads to death, which should not be asked for forgiveness (1John 5:16). Hebrews 6:4-6 talks about the impossibility of repentance towards God for Salvation. More so, Christ talks about the unpardonable sin in Matt.12: 31-32 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the [age] to come.” We understand this in the light of John 3:17-18; Heb 10: 26-29; Matthew 7:21-23. No matter how you feel, no matter how much good work (including Christian work) you do, no matter whatsoever, if you reject Christ constantly, you die in your sin.

III.           POSITION OF A SINNER

1.     Redeemed Sinner: All the sins of believers are justified in the Cross (Heb 10: 14; 1John 1:9). There is nothing that he can do to lose his salvation (Rom 8:31-39). No sin has any effect on his eternal position. Moreover, a believer is free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2). However, sin matters in the earthly life. Believers sin (1John1:8) and therefore, God chastises His children (Hebrews 12:3-11). And that too, in God’s sovereignty, all things work out together for good (Romans 8:28). And one day he shall be free from the practice and presence of sin (Romans 8:29-30).

2.     Unregenerate Sinner: He has no forgiveness of sins both in earth and eternity (John 3:17-18). Sin reigns over him. He is bondage to sin (John 8:48). Death reigns over him physically and spiritually; earthly and eternally. (Rom 5: 12-14). Moreover, God has no obligation to do good for sinners (Proverbs 28:9). Non-believers live in guilt and finally go to the eternal lake of fire.

The effect and consequence of sin are different for a believer (redeemed sinner) and a non-believer (unregenerate sinner). Sins Are Not Equal.

CONCLUSION: Sins in the sight of God are all the same. It demands His holiness against it – damnation and eternal separation. There is no small sin that God will look over it and let you be in heaven. However, God punishes and will punish sin according to the degree of sin. Jesus provides the only Salvation for the forgiveness of sins. He who believes is saved and He who does not believe (reject) dies in his sin (which is the eternal torment). A believer is freed from sin and a  non-believer is a slave of sin. The Effect And Consequence Of Sin Are Not The Same.

Did Saint Thomas come to India?

 

Apostle Thomas, Bartholomew, and the Origin of Christianity in India.

India has been widely known to the world centuries ago even before the birth of Lord Jesus Christ. The book of Esther mentions the name of India (Esther 1:1). Jews are believed to be present in India since 562 B.C. Strabo in 5 A.D. mentioned the trade between the Roman Empire and India.[1] Since Parthians were hostile to Rome, Greek traders tried to avoid Parthians and used the route of India, West Pakistan (modern Hyderabad), and others through the Red Sea and Arabian sea.[2] Moreover, India was famous for pepper, silks and others. Odoric wrote in 1324 that pepper is found only in India (Minibar), nowhere else in the world.[3] India has been a well-traveled place for centuries.

The coming of Christianity to India can be traced back to the Nestorian Church of Mesopotamia, part of Persia on the east side of Syria which is under the influence of Antioch, which in turn is under the influence of the Eastern Church (Greek-speaking Orthodox Byzantine Church).[4] There was a great connection between the Christians of India and the Church of Mesopotamia (Syria) from the earliest history. Geographically and for Trade and Commerce between India and the world, India is connected to the East.

One of the earliest assumptions that part of India has been evangelized (Christianized) is recorded in A.D. 196 (Bardaisan’s Dialogue of Faith).[5] India is believed to be evangelized by Apostle Thomas since 52 A.D. Tradition says that Apostle Thomas and Apostle Bartholomew preached the gospel in southern Arabia and parts of India. While Thomas is believed to remain and die in present India, Bartholomew left for other areas (without ministering in present India).[6] Tradition has that Apostle Thomas started from Jerusalem to Parthians to Medes to Persians to Arabia, and to India, then to China, and back to India and died.[7]

Acts of Thomas (180-230 A.D.) gives a lot of stories about the Apostle Thomas in India. Eusebius quoted Origen about the Apostle Thomas in India (185-230-254 A.D.) The Church of Edessa mentioned Thomas of India in 250 A.D[8].  Bishop Dudi of Basra is confirmed to visit India in 295-300 A.D. Hymns of Ephraim mentioned that Apostle Thomas died in India and his bone was in Edessa (306-373). All these give strong evidence about Apostle Thomas's ministry in India. Other sources like Marco Polo affirmed it. The Syrian Christians of India strongly continue to affirm it. The Portuguese when they came to India found them to be a long tradition.

Let’s evaluate it:

1.     The absence of the 1^st century writing about this makes scholars to doubt it.

2.     There were other Thomas in India.

3.      Some of the legendary and mythological writings found in Acts of Thomas and the traditional sites in India, and the beliefs of Syrian Christians concerning Thomas are ludicrous.

4.     India is a general name for lots of nations in the region, Apostle Thomas probably did not reach India.

5.     Other missionaries or Bartholomew could be the cause of the existence of the Syrian Church.

However, the absence of a 1^st-century account does not mean it is false. There are many things which first-century account did not acknowledge it. There were at least 2 important Thomas in India: Thomas Kinan (merchant) in 345 A.D[9], Bishop Thomas of Marga in 840 A.D[10]. Christians have been in India for more than a century even before they were born. Therefore, they cannot be confused with the Apostle Thomas. Regarding the ludicrous story, instead of rejecting it because of some accuracies in it, it is very much probable that at least the coming of Apostle Thomas, preaching, speared, and death happened. Concerning the objection that India is a general name, though true it is, writers, merchants, and traders knew India specifically. India had been widely known for its resources. Concerning the existence of the Syrian Church in India, there are no other traditions than the Apostle Thomas tradition[11].

Conclusion: The tradition that Malabar has cannot be disproven. The affirmation of some Church Fathers such as Ambrose, Gregory, Jerome and others indicate that (it is very probable) Apostle Thomas had indeed come to India. Granting this, India has a legacy of the Apostle. God’s grace reached India earlier than America or most of Europe. The church continues to grow (without complete destruction) even in all kinds of circumstances over the centuries. God’s grace has reached once more to India in the form of colonialism in the modern age. As of now, the church grows exponentially in its missionary duty which was not much there in the Syrian Christians. Our generation too needs missionary activities and even more!

---

[1] M.K. Kuriakose, History of Christianity in India: Source Materials, 1

[2] William G. Young, Handbook of Source Materials for Students of Church History

[3] M.K. Kuriakose, History of Christianity in India: Source Materials, 25

[4] C.B. Firth, An Introduction to Indian Church History

[5] Ibid, p.14

[6] Amr the son of Matthew in 1340 A.D. (M.K. Kuriakose, History of Christianity in India: Source Materials, 26)

[7] As documented by William G. Young (25) and C.B. Firth (p.3-4) in their books. William G. Young cites Eusebius for the traditions in the footnote.

[8] William G. Young, Handbook of Source Materials for Students of Church History, 212

[9] William G. Young, Handbook of Source Materials for Students of Church History, 409

[10] Ibid, 21

[11] C.B. Firth in p20 and footnotes mentions that Thomas tradition overwhelms Bartholomew tradition.

Mass Conversion In India - An Analysis

pictorial representation (not actual)

THE ANALYSIS OF MASS MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

I.                  Introduction

Mass conversion to Christianity is happening among both Roman Catholics and Protestants. The effectiveness of “mass conversion” must be a matter of serious concern for every church planter. A study done in 1928 by a team on mass movement is the major background for this article. That study was the first critical survey of mass movements in India. It was financially supported by the Institute of Social and Religious Research, New York in association with the National Christian Council of India. At the onset, a few definitions are given so that the terms are rightly understood in the context.

Mass-Movement is said to happen when a group (not necessarily everyone, but more than a family) is accustomed to exercise social and religious authority over the life of individuals that compose the group. It happens not just in Christianity, but also in Hinduism. Caste- It is not easy to define. Though it can be divided into four types, in practice it is more than hundreds. It is more than the ancestral occupation. For example, some Brahmin serves, and also some Sudras become warriors and kings. Outcast does not mean ostracized. It means untouchable by higher caste such as by a Brahmin. When somebody is ostracized based on defying caste, he is as good as dead. He can either take refuge in the lower caste or just be lost. A person cannot exist outside the group (caste) in a normal village environment.

Now the below discussion has been divided under various headings to trace from its inception and also to highlight the strength and weakness to serve as a guiding policy for future Church planting.

II.               How these Churches came into existence?

One person will be saved and on account of this person after a few months or a year, or a good amount of group will be converted. This is how Churches were founded. Such type of phenomenon can be noted with the Chuhras caste in Punjab, Karens in Burma, Gonda caste in Patna, Mehras in Bastar, Mala caste in Raghavapuram, Gara caste in Orissa, Uraons & Mundas in Chhota Nagpur, and the Chamars in Ghaziabad (The founders of the Indian Church by Dr. Donald A. McGavran). The powerful Christian testimony of the particular individual was the magnet that attracted others also to the Gospel.

III.           Social and Economic Background of the Converts

·        Social

The survey documents reveal that the mass converts are low caste people. They are poor, illiterate, and exploited by the higher caste people. They face untouchability, restriction of trading rights, service deprivations, difficulty in getting drinking water, discrimination in schools, and were enforcing themselves an attitude of inferiority. Initially, they faced lots of persecution for their conversion. This would also cause a few people to turn back to Hinduism.

·        Economic

Mass-movement seems to happen only among poor people. However, the survey documents show that a few well-to-do people are influenced after seeing the lifestyle of these converted people. The survey reveals the following pattern of the people. Caste places restrictions against acquiring wealth and so they were very poor. The sources of income of these people are like labor work in fields in villages, coolie, labor in town and cities, owning agricultural lands, cattle, goats, and poultry. People also emigrating from villages for better opportunities like sweepers, servants in hotels, domestic services, stone cutters, clerks, chowkidars,(a few teachers, doctor, nurse). They are in heavy debts and sometimes forced to do labor, work without pay. They struggle with the very basic need for food and also an average person has one or two meals per day.

IV.           Strengths of the influence of Mass conversion on the converts

The survey paints a good picture regarding mass-movement conversion for the following reasons.

·        Social

They have stopped responding to karma as they worship the “true God”. They have a desire to share the blessings with others. Social status has improved due to personal cleanness and education.

·        Economic

Mission agencies were willing to support the converts. They came forward to help depressed people through health service and better housing. The new lifestyle reduced wasteful expenditure and their education enabled better employment and more money.

·        Spiritual

In the church, believers were growing spiritually by practicing and memorizing creedal knowledge. The believers gave importance to Sunday for attending the church. The Church was very strict concerning family and marriage.

·        Witnessing

After getting converted evil practices were cut down in villages like gambling, eating dead meat, sorcery practices. Changes that took place, in honesty and changes of the temperament of convert are worth noting. New practices took over like– worshiping God, singing hymns, and church service. These allowed them to witness the Gospel. People of the villages noticed that changes in them. Thus they could witness through their good behavior as noted down earlier.

·        Schools

The initiative to start schools was a great blessing. The motives were to equip them to read the Bible, to train the next generation, and for the abatement of social oppression and poverty. Mass movements lead to the common idea of planting the Church and Schools. They were able to get a good education which led to their socio-economic growth.

V.              Weaknesses of the influence of Mass conversion on the converts

·        Social

The woman started taking the lead in certain settings even in Churches. The issue of child marriage still persisted. Westernization was adopted.

·        Economic

Imitational expenses were high.

·        Spiritual

Indiscipline was observed in Church services in the form of interruptions and distractions. Practicing Idolatry and the use of charms still continued among some. Church administration was in Chaos. Less instruction before baptism, baptism was given in the mass/mela, and also systematic teaching/discipleship was lacking after the mass conversion. Poverty in the initial days caused them to depend on the missionary agencies to support. Church Discipline was not firmly practiced and also the Pastor showed partiality in certain cases. Pastoral care also lacked leading to stunted Christian growth. This could be the main reason why the Sudra community mass converts engaged in remarriage and other vile things even though once they were boldly proclaiming  Jesus Christ.

·        Schools

The focus changed from evangelizing to the development of the community and the missionaries were heavily burdened. The literacy program was not also very successful.

VI.           What do we learn from Mass movements?

We live in a time where people criticize mass conversion movements. They criticize the motives underlying Mass-movement conversion. Some believe that it is a heresy and is entirely secular and most of them– unworthy. Some became Christian for materialistic gain. Mass-movement is not a missionary method. We cannot practice or create it. There are lots of incidents telling us to be very cautious about it. However, multitudes are coming to know the Truth as they bring along with their relatives and neighbors. Moreover, in Indian villages, the caste group is the chief center of influence for effective witnesses.

VII.       Conclusion

 We must be thankful that the mass conversions took place according to the sovereign will of God. However, as enlightened by the survey results we should not be satisfied at this point. If so, all our suspicion (nominal Christian, westernization, heresy, self-righteousness) would become true. We should be doing more. We should disciple the converted souls. They should be equipped with the sound doctrine for a strong conviction. The mass movement lacked proper Church administration. So it is highly mandated that this movement needs more pastoral care, fellowship and must be organized under proper leadership.

Thinking through Pope Francis' Comments on Same-Sex Civil Union

My 2 Cents on Pope Francis’ view on Same-Sex Civil Unions

I'm sure I'm not a primary source of information for you regarding this news. Nor have I ever thought of myself to be an authoritative guy for anyone especially on news such as this. So, if you're reading this, I will assume that you've read from primary and authoritative sources already. Or you can watch the documentary when it is out. I'd like to tackle this issue differently as I often do, to give 2 cents on some current issues for my regular and random blog readers. (Actually, I have posted this article on some WhatsApp groups already. This is just a blog version with minor edits and inclusion of links for further reading or watching.)

This month, I've been watching some recommended mathematical movies to appreciate better the contributions of Mathematicians to our society. Yesterday, I watched The Imitation Game, a Benedict Cumberbatch starrer biographical movie of Cambridge Mathematician, Alan Turing. Nobel Prize of Computer Science is named after him as "Turing Award." 

The movie is about how he and his team decoded the German Enigma, which helped the Allied forces won the 2^nd  World War. The movie also presented the other side of Alan Turing, his homosexual struggle. While I don't know much about the British Law on homosexuality in the early 1900s, the movie presented Alan Turing to be a victim of unenlightened discrimination, which the 21^st Century world should condemn.

It makes the movie-goers to ponder, "Why can't we allow homosexuals to live a normal life, they deserve it!" That's what Hollywood Media wants everyone to believe. Well, we need to define what "normal" is and its ramification before anyone advocates that position.

Let's recall some major events in the history of America. By the late 1980s, same-sex "marriage" has become a very hot political issue in America. Republican politicians sponsored a Defense of Marriage Acts bill and eventually signed it into law by a Democratic president, Bill Clinton in 1996. Bill Clinton was not happy about it, but he couldn't go against it because the Congress and the Senate had passed the bill. That bill clearly defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman in section 3.

Perhaps the adage "Laws were made to be broken" is practically true. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (presently the governor of California, who restricts church services in this era of Covid19) defied the marriage law of California, in issuing a marriage license to same-sex couples. Over3000 homosexual couples had been "married," and the court refused to intervene it.

This prompted a Republican president, George Bush to favor the Federal Marriage Amendment Bill in the February of 2004. That amendment bill is a call to protect the institution of marriage as a union of one man and one woman. It was introduced in the Congress from 2002 till 2015, but unfortunately, it was never passed. 

Following the endorsement of that bill to protect the institution of marriage by George Bush were attacks and criticism from same-sex activists. Larry King invited Mayor Newsom and an actor Chad to represent their views on CNN. He also invited pastor John MacArthur and a Colorado Congresswoman for a debate against them. You can watch that exchange on YouTube. In that debate, they wanted not only a Same-sex Civil Union but more, they wanted it to be called "marriage," which they got it by 2013 known as the Windsor decision. It struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Acts which was signed into law in 1996 as unconstitutional.

Then, by 2015, which we all remember, "same-sex marriage" has become legal in America through the Obergefell decision, which struck down section 2 of Defense of Marriage Acts 1996 as superseded and unenforceable.

On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India has made homosexuality legal in India. According to that decision, it is not a crime to practice homosexuality. Before that decision, it was punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment. I don't know much about Indian Marriage Law. Last time, I called up a lawyer friend of mine to talk about Marriage Law in India, and I am told India doesn't have a unified marriage law. 

In India, Same-Sex Marriage or Same-Sex Civil Union is still not recognized. In 2017, the UniformCivil Code was drafted which would recognize same-sex marriages. BJP became the first political party to support it. However, neither the Code nor same-sex marriages have been legalized until now.  In fact, in February of 2020, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad replied,"Presently, there is no proposal to legalize same-sex marriage."

Even in India that has no Judeo-Christian worldview, a same-sex civil union is not recognized. Even in the fallen whole wide world, the term civil union has become popular only by the late 1990s. The Roman Catholic Church over the centuries does not recognize a same-sex civil union. It is not even to be mentioned as a normal acceptable thing. The Bible condemns homosexuality as a sin. It is not normal behavior, but an abnormal one (Romans 1:18-32). For Pope Francis to endorse Same-Sex Civil Union, in saying "They are children of God and have a right to be in a family" is an embarrassment for Conservative Roman Catholics.

Every human being including homosexuals, drunkards, rapists, liars, down syndrome, the fetus in wombs, etc, are created in the image of God. Therefore we can be called children of God, and one another as brothers and sisters. However, the Bible makes a clear biblical distinction between the children of God and the children of the Devil (1John 3:10). For a religious leader like Pope Francis to say "children of God" loosely in such a setting is very telling.

Furthermore, what kind of right is he talking about by "right to be in a family"? A political right? A God-given right? It is in our DNA, and everything around us shows that only a union of male and female brings forth a baby which constitutes a family, which in turn creates a society, a nation, and a human race. Male-Male or Female-Female doesn't bring forth a baby. It doesn't make a family.

Despite this indictment, it doesn't mean that homosexuals are beyond salvation. It doesn't mean they are more sinful than you and me. It just means we must call sin a sin, and not celebrate it. As much as adultery, fornication, debauchery, and polygamy are sinful, homosexuality is. Jesus came to earth not to condemn sinners but to call sinners to repentance. That's the good news, the gospel, that He came to save us from the penalty, power, and the practice of sins. We must turn away from sins and follow Him. Many early Christians were such (homosexuals, fornicators, drunkards, thieves etc), but they turn away from such and followed Christ (1Cor.6:9-11).

In fact, everyone is a sinner including Abraham, Paul, Peter, John, and Mary. Everyone is called to repent and be His life-long disciples. None of us who are Christians now can look at any sinner including a homosexual and say, "You are more sinful than us!" Genuine Christians are more loathful of their own sins than the sins of others. Thanks be to God, Jesus is our propitiation! (Romans 3:25). If you want to know what and how Jesus becomes our propitiation, I would suggest you read the book of Romans.

[The cultural revolution has invaded all form of institutions, including the church. The sexual revolution of Romans 1:18-32 is highly on display. The view of Pope Francis on this is not a biblically-based conviction. It has nothing to do with the Bible, but a conformation with the dictates of the reprobate minds of the world. Christians are not to be conformed to this world, but be a transforming light and salt to the world. And to talk about the presidential election of USA, Christians are to vote for the party and candidate that align most to the Christian values.]

Thanks for reading and thinking through! You are welcome to post a rejoinder!