HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that gay couples have the right to marry, making the state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions through the courts.
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(Photo: AP Images / Bob Child)Connecticut State Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, speaks at a rally at the State Capitol in Hartford, Conn., Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 celebrating a ruling by the Connecticut Supreme Court favoring gay marriage. Looking on is Connecticut state Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven.
The ruling comes just weeks before Californians go to the polls on a historic gay-"marriage" ballot question, the first time the issue will be put before voters.
Connecticut's court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution. It was a logical next step for a state that was the first to voluntarily pass laws affirming and protecting civil unions.
"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice," Justice Richard N. Palmer wrote in the majority opinion that overturned a lower court finding.
"To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others," Palmer wrote.
The Family Institute of Connecticut, a political action group that opposes gay "marriage," called the ruling outrageous.
"Even the legislature, as liberal as ours, decided that marriage is between a man and a woman," said executive director Peter Wolfgang. "This is about our right to govern ourselves. It is bigger than gay marriage."
Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Friday that she disagreed with the ruling, but will not fight it.
"The Supreme Court has spoken," Rell said in a statement. "I do not believe their voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision — either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution — will not meet with success."
But House Speaker Jim Amann, a Democrat, said he expects the issue to be taken up by the General Assembly.
"The legislature, as the lawmaking branch of government, debated this issue and made Connecticut one of the few states that offers civil union status for same-sex couples," Amman said.
The lawsuit was brought in 2004 after eight same-sex couples were denied marriage licenses and sued, saying their constitutional rights to equal protection and due process were violated.
They said the state's marriage law, if applied only to heterosexual couples, denied them of the financial, social and emotional benefits of marriage.
Associated Press reporters Pat Eaton-Robb, Stephanie Reitz and Larry Smith in Hartford contributed to this report.
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I believe God. God said to have nothing to do with the empty philosophies of the world
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Then you don't understand philosophy my friend.
It IS true. you just don't agree with truth.
That simply is not true. If it were clear, there would be no room to debate, and there most certainly is. To say that me questioning the clarity of the Bible is equal to not believing in God is quite absurd.
Mike22685,
Autism is a condition that has a variety of causes. Some believe those causes include environment. Yet, people with autism still make choices, particularly as adults, on how to act.
Whether homosexual orientation is a choice or not does not change the fact that your actions and thoughts are not ruled by said orientation.
You can choose to believe in a god or not. You can choose to believe God or not. However, neither choice affects the truths that there IS a god, and God has made it clear exactly how He feels about homosexual sex - it is sin. If you believe it is not clear, then you are not believing God. You are putting yourself in the place of God and not honoring the truth of God - as I said before, reenacting Romans 1.
Luke 14:26
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sistersâ
Christians of California, Arizona and Florida, please all vote YES on your marriage issues.
California: Vote Yes on 8 (volunteer at www.ProtectMarriage.com)
Arizona: Vote Yes on Proposition 20 (volunteer at www.AZforMarriage.com)
Florida: Vote Yes on Amendment 2 (www.Yes2Marriage.org)
apart from honoring mother and father, and jesus protection of the little ones i see nothing of the obseession about family in scripture.
but i would say that if in your heart you believe you are loving your homosexual neighbor as yourself by denying him the right to marry then i would say vote for it.
WB, by your argument, autism is a choice since it relates to environment. Your arguments are empty because they will simply help you not question your bible, which I find pathetic. To question is to grow.
feet, plus you seem to think the 2nd part of the Great Commandment is limited to the New Covenant, but I would encourage you to read Leviticus 19:18.
feet, you seem to have no problem citing the 2nd part of the Great Commandment, but yet you seldom if ever speak to the 1st part of it. The part that Christ referred to when He said if we love God we'll keep His commands. Why is that?
jc
and about this........being led by the spirit in contrast to being led by the law
THE NEXT VERSE9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
why be led by what caused death. paul says the law is holy. but in his explanation of our new relationship to the law paul says it is for CONSCIOUS.
christ gives us three commandments of love. one being the summation of all the law...............loving ones neighbor as oneself. so now the law is to a make us conscious of loving our neighbor as ourself.
but our understanding and interpretation of the law does not lead our witness of the spirit, but rather, IT IS THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT, our witness of the spirit, that leads our understanding and interpretation of the law.
To Feetxxxl:
Beloved, you need to keep reading down the page, for verse 11 and 12 say: "For sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."
Verse 13 further says: "Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful."
You said: "that is not true many of the prohibitions of the old covenant were of themselves, NOT sins"
Beloved, are the 10 commandments still valid? Would it now not be wrong to commit murder?
You said: "then are you saying the christ is the law?"
Yes, beloved, that is exactly what I am saying, because that is what the Bible says. If it were not so, I would not tell you that. You could easily prove me wrong by looking this information, therefore I would have no credibility from which to stand. But I stand on what is written, as Jesus came to fulfill what is written, not to nullify it.
You said: "
it is no trap.....................................if the answer is none, then it reaffirms romans 1:20 and what is written becomes a reminder of what we already know from having been created thru the spirit of christ."
Beloved, Romans 1:20 says this: "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Verse 21 goes a little further and states this: "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
Beloved, are you sure you want to use this verse, for this describes what happens to those who ignore what is written? In no way does this suggest a nullification of what was already written.
Beloved, let me ask you a simple question: Did Jesus live an "alternative", or homosexual lifestyle?
You said: "neither you nor anyone else has been able to answer that question.........instead this scripture is looked on as being non existent."
Beloved, why are you living only by what is written in Romans 7:6 "But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter."?
I only ask, because who ever has pointed this out to you didn't bother to show what is written in the very next verse, Romans 7:7 "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
THE NEXT VERSE9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
why be led by what caused death. paul says the law is holy. but in his explanation of our new relationship to the law paul says it is for CONSCIOUS.
christ gives us three commandments of love. one being the summation of all the law...............loving ones neighbor as oneself. so now the law is to a make us conscious of loving our neighbor as ourself.
but our understanding and interpretation of the law does not lead our witness of the spirit, but rather, IT IS THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT, our witness of the spirit, that leads our understanding and interpretation of the law.
CONTINUED
CONTINUED
Beloved, sin is sin. If it was sin in the Old Testament, it is sin in the New Covenant as well, as we see Paul just stated.
that is not true many of the prohibitions of the old covenant were of themselves, NOT sins
32 While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. 35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp." 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses.
You said: "ANOTHER NOT TO BE ANSWERED QUESTION where does scripture say we say specifically that we are led by the law....................romans says specifically we are led by the spirit. ARE YOU SAYING THE LAW IS THE SPIRIT?"
Yes beloved, I am saying that, because that is what is written in the Bible. Revelation 19:13 says "He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God". Is not the Old Testament a part of The Word of God? Again, read this for yourself beloved, the answers you seek are in there.
then are you saying the christ is the law?
You asked: "ANOTHER NOT TO BE ANSWERED QUESTIONapart from your own laws about homosexuality and of marriage. what written law is there in scripture that had it not been written you would not have known that what the law spoke about was against christ?"
it is no trap.....................................if the answer is none, then it reaffirms romans 1:20 and what is written becomes a reminder of what we already know from having been created thru the spirit of christ.
Just an update. My Army boy made specialist and is in the middle east right now. He's part of a 'house clearing team'. His leave is coming up so he should be home to visit within 60 days.
"Online, its really not. You telling me I was no born gay is like telling someone who is black they chose their skin color."
Nope. Not right. The issues here on this site are from a Christian perspective. Simply put, I believe the Bible. Either you do or you don't. I beleive God wrote the Bible through the hands of man. Evidence Which Demands a Verdict shows more than enough proof.
As all of us have been telling you...it boils down to what you believe. You believe you were born gay. The Bible says God thinks homosexuality is 'disgusting'. We are all waiting for "dad to get home". Once He's here He will state face to face His position.
Good parents post their 'rules' so everyone knows what is expected. He did this in the Bible. Not only did He give a rule but even went further to say how he felt about the behavior. He said it was disgusting.
When God created He looked at what He had created and said it was 'good'. There is no account in the Bible where He said he created something and it was 'disgusting'.
In short, you're logic is not based on the Bible. It is based on what you want. This is quite common here in America. The Bible never says God wants you to be happy! It does say God wants you to be 'content' which is quite different. The Bible never says God wants everyone to be in possession of much earthly wealth. There are many things which Americans try to shape the Bible into supporting which is just simply not there.
Our job is to warn you. We care for your eternal soul as well as your earthly soul. (Interesting the Greek has a word for both.) My son joined the Army because he was 'tired of people like me telling him what to do'. His ROTC commanders in high school tried to tell him the Army was different from high school ROTC but he 'knew better'. Once he got there face to face his 'knowledge' changed. :-) (oh...mama!)
The choice is yours. Deal with it now or wish you had then. It's the same for all of us gay or straight in all areas of our lives.
To Feetxxxl:
You said: "neither you nor anyone else has been able to answer that question.........instead this scripture is looked on as being non existent."
Beloved, why are you living only by what is written in Romans 7:6 "But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter."?
I only ask, because who ever has pointed this out to you didn't bother to show what is written in the very next verse, Romans 7:7 "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
Beloved, sin is sin. If it was sin in the Old Testament, it is sin in the New Covenant as well, as we see Paul just stated.
You said: "ANOTHER NOT TO BE ANSWERED QUESTION where does scripture say we say specifically that we are led by the law....................romans says specifically we are led by the spirit. ARE YOU SAYING THE LAW IS THE SPIRIT?"
Yes beloved, I am saying that, because that is what is written in the Bible. Revelation 19:13 says "He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God". Is not the Old Testament a part of The Word of God? Again, read this for yourself beloved, the answers you seek are in there.
You asked: "ANOTHER NOT TO BE ANSWERED QUESTIONapart from your own laws about homosexuality and of marriage. what written law is there in scripture that had it not been written you would not have known that what the law spoke about was against christ?"
Beloved, this is a trap question and I will not get pulled into this circular reasoning by "what if's". I am only here to tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
Beloved, I do this because of the love that I have in my heart, not to condemn you, for my sins are too numerous for me to judge. I am only trying to get you to see what the truth is. For this truth shall set you free in ways you cannot possibly imagine, and once realized, can never live without. Beloved, we're not crazy radical evangelists, we're just telling you what is written, that's all, nothing more. I implore you dear one, look for these things yourself. Stop taking other's words for what is written, for if they deceive, they truly have their rewards.
It has been said that 95% of all spiritual battle occurs within our own minds. Would it not then be wise to arm oneself with the truth, to seek all that is written?
mike, feet, i have had enough. You can have your beliefs. Goodbye. I shake my feet clean, I am free from your blood. It is upon your own heads.
Mike,
if you were not born gay does not mean you consciously chose to be gay. You've previously said we do not understand the development of the consciousness. It may have been environment. Plus, it may be God has given people over to their sins because of what they have done/desired, or because of their parents (to the third/fourth generation), as we have no idea if that is speaking physically or environmentally or emotionally or mentally or what.
There are numerous possibilities that do not necessitate you having consciously chosen to be gay.
Online, its really not. You telling me I was no born gay is like telling someone who is black they chose their skin color. Sexual orientation, although we do not know what causes it, is not something we choose. Whether genetic or prenatal, it is determined before birth. I choose to be in a relationship, absolutely! I know I am in love, not lust, and that love is not something that hurts anyone. My partner and I bring out the best in each other, and someday we will adopt children who so desperately need a loving home.
feet,
I ask you once again to address the verses and questions presented to you in my posts referenced by the following dates and times:
Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:20 pm
Thu Oct 16, 2008 12:07 am
Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:10 am
Mike,
The argument that God made me gay; is like saying â
jc
neither you nor anyone else has been able to answer that question.........instead this scripture is looked on as being non existent.
do away with law????....................where did you get that??.....................my point was that under the new covenant, believers having died with christ to the law...............resurrected to be under grace..........that believers are now led by the spirit, rather than the law.
ANOTHER NOT TO BE ANSWERED QUESTION where does scripture say we say specifically that we are led by the law....................romans says specifically we are led by the spirit. ARE YOU SAYING THE LAW IS THE SPIRIT?
paul says that the things of the sin nature are obvious ........meaning by the essence of their very nature it is obvious that they come against the spirit of christ..
ANOTHER NOT TO BE ANSWERED QUESTIONapart from your own laws about homosexuality and of marriage. what written law is there in scripture that had it not been written you would not have known that what the law spoke about was against christ?
Just as you should be careful saying homosexuality is merely a behavior. You have no proof I was not born gay, my experience is more valid than your opinion.
There are many things Christ didn't address because they just wouldn't make sense in context. He didn't address drinking and driving either. Anyone want to argue against how stupid dwi is?
He said what needed to be said. One man, one woman. (Please note the period.)
"but when you are born gay and you have people with no scientific background telling you "
People with no scientific proof are telling you that you were born gay. What's the difference. You believe you were born gay because it brings comfort to your lifestyle. The other name for it is denial.
I was born white...check my skin.
I was born with red hair...it's still there.
I was born male...you figure out what to check.
There is no evidence anyone is born to a type of behavior. In the psyc world that only applies when you are talking about someone who is abnormal to the point of mental illness.
You might want to be careful with that 'born gay' arguement!
Online, I understand your reason for quoting from the Bible, but when you are born gay and you have people with no scientific background telling you that you are not because the Bible says so, and the Bible says I must not be Christian for growing into the person I am, you get a little tired of it being flagged around as "truth" when in your heart of hearts you know it is not. As I've said before, I have faith that God knows my heart and will see me as a follower on the Last Day.
So forgive us (for) quoting from its pages.
(I believe the biggest thing is he taught us how to pray and how to love one another.)
I agree that Jesus taught us how to love one another but love will never drown out truth. This same Jesus who teaches us to love one another also says, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). This truth is found in his Word; Jesus again says, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17). So forgive us from quoting from its pages.
mike22685, Christ didn't speak to contraceptives because they did not exist. People who were committing acts of sexual intimacy with someone of the same sex did. If God condones those types of relationships why did Christ not speak to that issue? Let me answer the question for you, because He didn't have to since the people knew that it was a sin to have sexual intimacy with anyone other than with someone of the opposite sex who was their spouse. Nor did He need to speak to rape since the people knew that violated God's law as well. Once again Christ clearly stated what God defined as marriage and that is one man and one woman for life alone. Plus, as far as Him selecting only men to be His Apostles. God's Word clearly states that a woman should not hold a position in the Church that would give her automatic spiritual headship over a man or men. That being the case Christ would only call men to be Apostles because they would go on to be the leaders of His Church and they would indeed have spiritual headship over men. And in fact Christ did speak up for women and raised them to a higher level of respect and honor than most women found themselves in at that time in history.
The issue is not whether Christ existed. The issue is not whether Christ said the bread was His body. If it is literal, then it is supernatural in nature.
But so too is the creation of the universe, the world, mankind, and the flood. The thing is, if you want to deny the power of God to do these things, what makes you think God has the power to do the other?
Believer, you have said it yourself before: Christ was silent on the issue of contraceptives because people would not have understood it. The idea of homosexuality as loving couples was not something even discussed, and so Christ was silent about it. Christ used men instead of women as his followers because women would not have been allowed to speak up the way men were at that time. Christ has a history of speaking to the times, and so we cannot use what Christ said about marriage as a means of denying gay couples the right to marry.
WB, the Eucharist is a spiritual matter. People were there to document what Christ said, rather than the writers of Exodus who were not there during Adam and Eve, so they either heard it through word of mouth or wrote what they felt God was moving them to talk about. There is historical evidence about a figure known as Christ who was described as having a cult like following. There is no historical evidence that the entire population of the world evolved from a man and woman who magically appeared out of sand and a rib.
MSNchris, although I disagree with your views, I respect them because they are at least consistent. I get annoyed when others accuse me of being an "a la carte" christian when they do the same thing themselves.
mike22685, for the sake of the discussion let's leave Adam and Eve out of the discussion and focus on Christ and His words alone. Christ declared that marriage in the sight of God was the marriage of one man and one woman for life. That being the case regardless of what the civil authorities say or do if you and your partner are or do get married as a result of the civil authorities allowing and performing same-sex marriages that marriage will still be illegitimate in the sight of God, therefore if you and your partner have sexual intimacy, in the eyes of God that is sin because God's Word declares that sexual intimacy is reserved for the marriage bed of one man and one woman united in marriage in the sight of God.
Mike,
You stated you "do not believe Adam and Eve were real: It goes against science and logical thinking." Yet, you also stated that you believe the Eucharist is the body of Christ and the wine is the blood of Christ.
Please explain how believing in Adam and Eve is less scientific and logical than believing that a piece of bread is the body of a man dead 2000 years.
I have not said that believing in the eucharist makes you not saved, nor have I stated its corallary. That is not the problem. The problem is not believing what God has written in place A, yet believing it in place B. What makes place A more acceptable to believe than place B, expecially when both are beyond the realm of the natural laws?
The Word of God doesn't tear down anyone, it build us up. The Word of God says we should love the sinner, and yet hate the sin. If we hate the sin, then maybe we should vote against that sin. We can outvote them, but you think that means we hate the gays or something. We don't hate them at all. In fact, the vast majority of hospitals who help gays especially when they need counseling and health services are Christian groups. We don't judge them, that is for God to do. They are loved by God, but by their actions they reject God.
Just because we believe that you shouldn't redefine marriage, doesn't mean we hate them. We simply do not approve of equating both unions as equal, which they are not.
I take Adam and Eve Literally and I also take the Eucharist literally.
Since Christ is the foundation of all society since he built the foundation of the world, shouldn't we make laws that honor God. I personally don't care if there are people who are not religious and don't like what the Good Book says about homosexuals. We are a society built by the people and while us Christians are still in the majority, we will make laws that honor our God.
Mike,
Being an Ala Carte Christian and only taking bits and pieces you like is not being a Christian, my friend. You have to take the whole of Scripture, which is inspired and without error.
Ala Carte Christians are dangerous. They are a new form of relativism.
Again, you take Adam and Eve literally, then take "unless you eat my body and drink my blood" figuratively. If I take Adam and Eve figuratively, I must not be a true Christian. You just admitted that you INTERPRET the verse about the eucharist differently from catholics, and who is to say who is right? I interpret Adam and Eve and Noah differently, and you accuse me of not being a Christian. I do believe Jesus was here, and I believe the biggest thing is he taught us how to pray and how to love one another. The fact that you use the word of God to tear others down so consistently is obnoxious and not of God.
To Feetxxxl:
What do you suppose Jesus was saying when he said this:
"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
Why was Jesus quoting the law if he came to nullify it?
Beloved, your argument about the law being nullified by Jesus doesn't hold water, especially when held against God's word.
Open your eyes dear one, to The One who will show you what the real truth is. Let Him open your eyes. Pick up the Bible and read it for yourself, please. Stop listening to those who translate it according to their lusts and their desires. For these have already received their reward.
Beloved, think about what is at stake here; You either let God open your eyes, and change your life to what He has in store for you, and He will let you stay for all eternity in what Jesus called "Paradise". Or, you continue in this lifestyle, you die, and you make it to Paradise and see what is there, you will see Him who sits on the Throne, but beloved, you will not stay there. You will have been there just long enough to know what you are missing, in Hell. You will know what His law said, you will know His love He had for you, and you will know that He is never-changing. And, beloved, you will know that you will never ever leave the torment, the fire, the darkness. This you will know, as all the inhabitants of Hell will know, for they did see God too, but they did not stay.
Beloved, I know it is harsh, but it is reality. One goes to one place or another, there is no inbetween, or "opting out" available. You can know for sure which place you go to before then beloved, you don't have to go to that awful place of torment. Open your eyes to the One who gave you life, to the One who set things in motion, to the One who is capable of anything and everthing. He can change your life completely around and awake you to what is real truth.
But as for all of us beloved, it starts with you. Jesus will help you, He is knocking and calling you everyday and is waiting for you to lift your hand for help, but it has to start with you. As with all of us, we have to take that first step of faith, from there, He will take it.
Mike,
Picking and choosing which portions of scripture that will become authoritative in ones life makes it convenient, does it not? In regard to the Lords supper, my answer is identical as believers; there is no question that Jesus instituted it as a memorial. Since you set aside most of the Old Testament; here are a few passages in the New Testament where Jesus and Paul specifically mention the creation, Adam and Eve, the fall, the authority of scripture, and the natural order of pairing together the man and the woman. Will you now delete these NT passages in order to keep your world view?
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (Matthew 19:4).
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female (Mark 10:6).
For Adam was first formed, then Eve (1Timothy 2:13).
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression (1 Timothy 2:14).
Mike,
I've already shown where Christ used an analogy when speaking of the eucharist (http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2008/09/29/the_lords_supper_eucharist_and_wine_body_and_blood_of_christ_or_analogy/). But like believer said, a disagreement of how to interpret what Christ said at the last supper is not the same thing as saying it never happened. This is what you are saying about the things God has said are bad: its a story.
The Old Testament is the history of God's interaction with mankind through the eyes of a specific group of people. It is replete with verifiable historical information. IT has prophecies that point to the coming of the messiah. These prophecies came true in the person of Christ. If you do not believe the Old Testament, why do you think you can believe anything in the New Testament?
It seems to me that when someone posts something in the news, you claim that either it could not have happened, or they are biased or flat out lying. You treat the Bible similiarly: when it is something you dont like, it was a story.
Are there parts of the Bible you think are true?
mike2685, your talking apples and oranges, the verses that define marriage as between one man and one woman is cut and dry and are stated in both the Old and New Testament. Whereas the disagreement with regards to the Lord's Supper is not that we should or should not celebrate the Lord's Supper, but does the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that Christ instituted the Lord's Supper as there is no doubt that God instituted marriage and clearly defined it as being between one man and one woman for life.
feet, God's Great Commandment is a summary of all the other commands we are to obey if we truly love Christ. All other laws are in a sense a reflection of our love for God and our love for others. The Great Commandment does not negate the other commands that God has given us in His Word.
Online and WB, then I go back to the question I have asked before when this comes up. Christ said "Unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you shall not have life within you." Catholics believe this means the Eucharist, evangelicals often INTERPRET it differently. To me, not believing Jesus was literal there is the same and not believing the Old Testament was literal for much of it. I believe the Old Testament has stories of God's strength and rewards for peoples faith in him, all paving the way for Jesus to come.
feet,
Jesus said in John 14:15,
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
What Jesus said about sin,
Mark 9:47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.
John 5:14
Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Jesus said in John 14:23-24 to obey Him, or you don't love Him,
23 Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. "
And since you brought up 1 John, I thought I'd let you know what God said through John about obedience,
1 John 2:4-6
4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
1 John 5:2-4
2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
2 John 1:5-6
5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
feet, but once again Jesus said if you love Me you will keep my commands.
the three commandments of love as reaffirmed in 1john
feet,
What did Paul mean when he wrote in 2 Cor 12:21 about people sinning and not repenting?
21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
Mike,
(I do not believe Adam and Eve were real: It goes against science and logical thinking.)
How do you reconcile this statement with your earlier one (I have a strong faith in God); which God, evidently it is not the God who has revealed himself through scripture. Both of these statements contradict each other.
"the belief in Adam and Eve is religiously related, not civilly"
For anyone who trusts God and believes His word, there is no separation between the spiritual and the physical life in terms of whether to live convictions or not. To hold a conviction is to live that conviction. To hold a belief is to think without acting upon it.
Mike,
As much as you don't want to admit it, man only gets to pretend they know what is right. We have two choices on how to decide what is right: God's word, or man's thoughts. But it is GOD, who created everything, who decides what is Right, and HE has already told us what is Right. It is our choice to go along with Him or not. But you, like all of us, will answer to God when He judges. I only pray your right is in line with His Right when that time comes.
Our nation's morals are going down the drain, and in time, God will no longer with hold His wrath because of it. If the people in this country do not move back to God, and stop calling evil what HE called good, and vice-versa, He WILL stop being long suffering in regards to this nation. He has done it in the past, as His word tells us. He can do it again.