If Paul was writing to the Church Today, particularly those who in communion with the ELCA. He would say this:
1 Corinthians 5:8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.
9 When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”
(OR REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THEM?)
2 Corinthians 6:14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:
“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Those who are members of the ELCA or are in communion with them need to hear what Paul the Apostle says and hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying. Unity, at what price?
4 comments:
Those who do not agree with the decision of the ELCA should separate themselves in some way or other. They can become independent congregations. After all, the Lord did not ordain "synods". only a fellowship group who believe in Christ and the Word of the Gospel. . there were congregations before there was a synod or 'church body".
Corinthians is wrong in its thinking. It prescribes judgementalism and shunning and segregation. We are told to judge our fellow human and separate ourself from them if they are found lacking in perfect character. How many an alcoholic who does not have thier addiction under controlled would be helped by this? How many an abusive husband or his abused wife would be helped by this? It is only by inclusion in society where there is a network of help and support that many troubles can be helped and most people that have a trouble of some sort of lovely contributing good people in all other areas. Certainly Corinthians would have you separate yourself from those with different religious views or no religion and the idea that these people are lead by the devil is simply wrong. Much is to be gained philosophically and intellectually and even morally from associating with those with different belief systems from your own. Some books of your bible should be thought through and soundly rejected as bad advice for living.
And many gay bashers would not be gay bashers if not for their church. The true righteous are the churches that do the right thing and give gays equal rights. This will be seen a JUST THE same as when religion was used to justify slavery and deny equal rights to women. Oh,wait, your church STILL wants to deny equal rights to women . . .
How can you say that Corinthians is "wrong" in it's thinking? The Apostles no doubt believed that it is important to care for the body of christ. I believe Jesus himself said. "If you sin with your eye, gouge it out... better to have lived with one eye than to have lived and sinned with both." Are we to ignore the scripture when we see fit? Are we to decide that the Holy Gospels are just to judgmental? I think not... Consider what you are saying. If we are to throw out the parts we don't like what then is the purpose of the Scripture? Inclusion how? By accepting the sin? No where in the Bible does it say "accept the sin". No, it says to "love the sinner", but hate the sin. We should not be condoning the actions of those who do not wish to hate the sins. Let them live their life as they see fit, but the idea that the church should condone such action is mistake.
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