Submitted By Bob Bowser
Pastor Ron Bowell of Crossroads Church here in Salina hit the ball out of the park with his editorial in the Journal. The long and short is that God saves people so his spirit can conform us to the image of Christ. Ron’s perception on this issue flies in the face of both ends of what I refer to as false gospel… preaching that teaches one must either change to become a Christian or that one can remain the same after being saved.
I thank God that he changed me. Who I was is not who he wanted me to be. I would have been of no use to him in Kingdom Work as I was.
The other end of the spectrum, as presented by the Methodist deceiver says it is okay to remain as you are because as the Bible says, “God is love.”
This is only a partial truth, an “easy-believism”.
The real Story of how God perceives sin is found in the following passage, and anyone who says the Bible fails to mention homosexuality simply cannot read English, here it is in full context from the King James Version:
“Romans 1: 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things whic! h are not convenient;”
Any question remaining?
As far as “easy-believism” goes, Billy Graham was asked by Larry King several years back if he could change anything about his ministry or message, what would it be? Pastor Graham replied, “I’d make it harder for people to get saved.”
Now any liberal can twist Mr. Graham’s words just like they can twist the Bible… but those of us who possess Holy Spirit can understand what he meant. Pastor Graham was reciting a prayer that he had that those who had come forward during his ministry would not turn out to be “seeds fell by the way side” or “among thorns” – Matthew 13.
Pastor Graham understood that Holy Spirit must be the one who effects change in a person’s Life, and that “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” – Philippians 1:6 God simply does not leave people where he finds them.
Pastor Ron also brought up the issue of Liberty.
As government has grown, our freedoms have diminished. Government has taken over our children through public education and now we have banned prayer and God from our public schools. And we wonder what is wrong with kids these days.
Businesses are told how they must treat employees and how they are to use their property, and NOW we see government attempting to tell churches how they must use their property.
Under the amended ordinance 13, if a church opens its doors to any public use, it must now open the doors to ALL public use no matter how the particular use might violate the congregation’s core principles of belief?
I know a whole slew of lawyers who work with the ACLJ who would love to tackle that one.
Is the City of Salina prepared for that?
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