GAFCON calls for a reading of Scripture as the unambiguous word of God, without interpretation
It would appear that like ++Jensen, like myself, ++Akinola needs glasses and therefore we are all breaking the Levitical Code. Luckily, I see that Jesus has completed the Law, and therefore superceded it and that the Holy Spirit continues to work beyond a series of man-made rules to ensure ethnic separation which were dressed up in biblical authority.
These Aussies make their point with humour, and grace. God’s love is poured out on all, and the Gospel of Condemnation is not the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, whose judgement will not be based on where we place our genitals, but where our hearts lie. Sin is not relative, but sin is bound by our relationship with God, not by our relationship with a collection of writings. I love Scripture and draw much from it, but it is not an object of worship, it is a tool of engagement with the living, saving, redeeming, transforming God.
God cannot be bound up within the pages of a book. Any book.
I bet there was some shellfish at the conference at some point too… and the odd garment without tassles on their corners!
You wrote,
‘Luckily, I see that Jesus has completed the Law’
Lady ‘luck’ before the providence & sovereignty of God?
Jesus completed the Law?
I undestood as written in scripture in Jesus’s own words that he came to fulfill the law not to do away with it.
Matthew 5:17-19 (King James Version)
17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
In fact Jesus came to tightened the Law,
Matthew 5:27-29 (King James Version)
27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
So yes it is a tool of engagement with the living, saving, redeeming, transforming God. But in order to benefit from it we need to submit to it, embrace it take the word to the core of our being.
You wrote,
‘whose judgement will not be based on where we place our genitals, but where our hearts lie.
We are all sinners, each and every one of us, the key to salavation is repentence and trusting in Christ. To repent you first have to acknowledge that you are a sinner. To declare that sex out od marriage is not a sin is dishonest and misleading.
Mocking your brothers and sisters in Christ in Gafcon is not showing love or compassion but taking a moral high ground which is arrogant and prideful.
As a church leader who supports ssame sex unions you are sanctioning sin.
Matthew 5:19
19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
If you have a problem with this teaching get on your knees and take it up with Jesus take it up with the word!
“So yes it is a tool of engagement with the living, saving, redeeming, transforming God. But in order to benefit from it we need to submit to it, embrace it take the word to the core of our being.”
Submit to worshiping a book? That is idolatry! No where are we to submit ourselves to objects! Have you forgotten about the Golden Calf in Exodus?
Remember Jesus is the WORD made flesh! The Bible cannot claim such a title! Nor would the Apostles approve it as such! Why do conservative Christians demand that we worship every letter of the Bible rather than allow God to speak to our hearts? Even the early Christians followed this example when there was no Bible to be had. It didn’t end with compiling a book together 400 years after Jesus’ ascension into heaven! God is still revealing himself to us!
Perhaps in light of having no Bible in the first 400 years of Christianity, an early Christian’s salvation is still questionable since salvation must only come from a belief in a literal, word for word, interpretation of the Bible.
Truly sad.