The Devil Can

The Devil can
“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”
                                                     William Shakespeare
One question I get asked from time to time as I teach an adult bible study is, “Can homosexuals get to heaven?”
Mark Hughes founding pastor of Church of the Rock in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada, writing in the Promise keepers magazine Seven, November-December 2014 tells of meeting an old friend who had been living in Winnipeg’s homosexual community for years the friend made the statement, “I guess your church would never welcome someone like me?” he replied “Of course we would, your homosexual sin is no worse than my heterosexual sin. The day you are not welcome, is the day no one is welcome.”
Sadly all to many people be they from the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trangendered, community) don’t feel comfortable going, especially to an Evangelical church. How sad.
Back in the nineties a high profile televangelist said God was going to kill all the homosexuals in North America within a few years. What garbage! And how wrong he was. The LGBT community has more rights today that ever before in North America.
Were that man to make such a prediction in old Testament times and found to be wrong he’d have been stoned. (Perhaps he was stoned? But we’ll never no.)
Now I am not a gay man, but I cringe when I hear the gay community coming under attack by preachers and individual Christians as if they have some special sin.
Those who call themselves Christians and are attacking the LGBT community or any community be it Islam, Hindu’s Buddhist or any other group are guilty of making them stumble and thus are sinning themselves.
The people who are being attacked see the attack especially if it’s on their faith or lifestyle as a personal attack. Thus it gets their guard up and shuts down all dialogue. Who wouldn’t someone doing it to me as a Christians would see me upset.
What those on the outside of the church need to understand are the words of Jesus who said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” 
                                                                                                           Matthew 7:21-23.
Christians are called to Love God, their neighbour and even their enemy.
The Apostle Paul defines true Christian love as,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  
                                                                                                      1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Fortunately there are many in the church today of whom I am one, that are calling out to all people whoever they are and offering the hand of friendship and fellowship.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.”
                                               Tony Campolo
As a Christian I believe I have the most important message anyone can take to the world. That of the love of Christ.
Jesus made very important statements
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
 John 3:16,17
The death of Jesus illustrates the choice we have. Luke records
"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                                    Luke 23:39-43  
We can either believe Jesus is who he say’s he is the one and only son of God who died for our sins. Confess our sins to him and ask Him into our hearts and lives or we can reject him.
It is something all people must do. No matter who they are pauper, prince, pastor or you.
Please think about it.