The church of Scotland has approved the appointment of the openly-homosexual Scott Rennie, despite worldwide condemnation of the move, opposition which supported the proposal by Lochcarron and Skye Presbytery to assert the primacy of heterosexual marriage. There can be no other kind of marriage of course, for marriage is a state of union entered into by a man and a woman. Any other union, however it is viewed from a legalistic point of view, cannot be accurately described as a marriage. It is sad that the Church of Scotland leads in the way of the world rather than in the way of God on this subject.
Of course the old chestnuts surrounding the quotation from Leviticus were aired (how boring!), yet there was an apparent failure to put the real point of view that sexual union outside of marriage is fornication and as such is an abomination to God.
Just in case anyone in the Church of Scotland might want to promote God's standing on the subject, the Kirk have agreed a moratorium on any discussions about it for the next two years, the reason being given that it is to suppress any potential debate with the media. I suggest that the real reason for the moratorium is that those in favour of the situation hope that after two years the whole matter will have blown away and been accepted without further debate.
We know that in certain areas of the Church there have been paedophiles in the priesthood. this is a fact that has been well documented, particularly over the last couple of decades, and is being addressed to a large extent, albeit that the damage inflicted upon countless children can never truly be repaired. No amount of financial compensation, awarded in many cases decades after the offences were committed, can heal the scars of the abuses. At least there is an attempt to root out the evil, punish those responsible, and fall in line with Scriptural teaching.
But, now that the Church of Scotland flies the banner in favour of appointing openly-homosexual ministers, allowing them to live with their partners in the church manse, what next? In fact, does it really matter what the ministers are like in their personal lives, and which of God's laws they break, just as long as they make the right noises from the pulpit?
Unfortunately, some of them aren't even making the right noises. Which reminds me of this:
ReplyDelete"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgement day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'" (Mat 7: 21-23)
And:
"Be aware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves." (Mat 7:15)
We must be alert to such false prophets.