Monday, June 30, 2008

Another Response to the GAFCON Communique ...

... this one from the Gospel According to Matthew appointed for Independence Day:

Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

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Jesus, it seems, had some pretty strong opinions about those who only wanted to greet those "on the inside," to love only those who loved them back and to be in communion only with those who agreed with them. In fact, Jesus had a WHOLE lot more to say about those who draw a circle to keep people out than he did about those who find the love of their life is a person of the same gender. (In fact, he preached about the former at every opportunity and mentioned the latter exactly the sum total of never, not once, zilch, zip, nada, squat.) And yet, what the Gafcon bunch has just spent the better part of week and several millions of dollars to come up with is a statement that does precisely that.

No wonder Jesus wept.

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2 comments:

cangunner said...

What? you have changed your mind from your "whatever" initial response? Make up your mind sister. Jesus calls us out of our sins not to revel in them which is why he says to the lady caught in the act...go and sin no more.

SUSAN RUSSELL said...

cangunner ... thanks for taking time to comment