Cursed at the door

Days after Christmas I went door-knocking for Bible studies in Houston, TX. It was part of an evangelistic outreach organized by Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC). About 2,500 Adventists volunteered afternoon outreach. I knew we would have a good day and that Satan was angry with us when my partner and I had the worst experience we ever had knocking on a door.

            “Hi, my name is Anh,” I said with a smile. “I'm with Generation of Youth for Christ.”

            “Hail Satan,” the man replied.

            “Excuse me?” I said, not understanding.

            “Hail Satan,” he said. “I'm a Satanist.”

            I didn't skip a beat.

            “Okay,” I said. “Would you like a Bible study?”

            The self-proclaimed Satanist then directed an expletive at me.

            In times past I would have gotten indignant and angry. But hours earlier I had prayed that I would be able to impart Christ's love to all I met. Looking upon this man, a lost sheep that needed to return to the Master's fold I felt nothing but concern and pity for him.

            “May I pray for you?” I gently said.

            Again he hurled an angry expletive at me.

            “May I leave you this tract?” I said, holding forth literature on God's love.

            He responded with a third expletive, nearly getting his spittle on me.

            “Have a good day,” I said tenderly.

            The man swore and cursed me before saying, “Get off my lawn!”

            I walked away and he continued swearing at me. At no time was I anything other than calm. I really felt sorry for the man and I didn't get angry. I know it was God helping me see the man the way heaven does.

            A friend later told me that she had a similar experience with her brother who was an avowed atheist. She said that Satan often stirs up anger in those who have taken a stand against God when they are given an opportunity to receive light, love and truth.

            Despite that experience with the so-called Satanist my partner and I got three people signed up for Bible studies and prayed with several others who accepted religious tracts. It was an immense blessing for everyone involved.

            Someone recently showed me 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.” I know that if I had reacted to that man in any other way than love it would have been a poor reflection on Christ. I don't want to take His name in vain by being a poor ambassador for God.

            Here is wise counsel from Desire of Ages pages 441 and 442, respectively:

            “We ourselves are erring and need Christ's pity and forgiveness, and just as we wish Him to deal with us, He bids us deal with one another...You are acting as the ambassadors of heaven, and the issues of your work are for eternity.”

This is Part 2 of Wrestling Match, read Part 1 here.

My mind is in a daze. Like being suddenly awakened from a dreamless slumber.

I try getting my bearings…

After a wasted morning spent playing on my computer instead of seeking God, my mind feels cloudy. Sitting across from me is a 55-year-old looking man. Silver hair and glasses balanced on the bridge of his nose. Before him is an open Bible and it almost feels like he can read me like an open book. In fact, he think he can.

“I’m Brother Dan,” he says. “I’m a prophet.”

Wow. What do you say to someone who introduces himself like that?

“Hi, I’m Anh,” I say, trying not to look rattled.

“Prophet is the best way I can describe myself,” Dan says, gesturing with open hands, palms toward the ceiling. “That’s what I am and I’m not ashamed of it.”

I look at my Bible student Donna and her face gives no inkling of what she thinks of Dan’s statement. Donna knows Dan from her neighborhood. He takes his dog for walks every morning. It just so happened that this morning they stopped and chatted about the Bible studies they’ve been having.

“Donna was telling me how much she enjoyed your Bible studies,” Dan said to me. “I just had to come and she invited me.”

Please God, I say silently, forgive me for not spending time with you, for not properly preparing. For Donna’s sake, give me the words you want spoken now.

“Let’s open our Bibles to the book of Mark,” I say. Dan smiles…or is it a smirk? It isn’t disarming. He quickly flips to Mark.

This isn’t going to be easy…

Wrestling Match

It's one of those mornings where my thoughts are a jumbled mess. No good since the first thing I need to do is spend time with God. I try praying, praising, and reading the Bible. Nothing is sticking. The only thing going through my mind:

sadlkj43...bills....98rdf sajj93q48u carf...hungry...8q9v3mv89awe u08...errands need running...cuwN4R WLIEA C9843QN 9QXWUEM 9832 CDJKXNNUQOIYR 983PJDC N8 9C2AJEWA8V 3AC4WUND 9C8UY3W CSXOJ C8EWU E9N X32 98EWJ X832RUN 98EW 83.

I think you get the picture. I can't be still.

After 15 minutes, I'm like forget it. I'm going to surf the web...yeah that sounds good. Then play some computer games...sounds even better! I spend the next couple of hours surfing and blowing things up. Ha ha...fun fun.

Now it's time for soul winning...anyone sense trouble here?

My Bible student Donna calls and says someone will be joining us for Bible study today. Fine with me...the more the merrier. In the back of my mind I get a nagging, uneasy feeling. That I didn't do something important. Forget it, I say to myself. I got this. I drive up to Donna's house.

The moment I walk through the door my heart sinks. Sitting at Donna's dining room table I see a 55-year-old man. He's got silver hair, glasses balanced on the tip of his nose. He's evaluating me like a hawk before it snatches his prey.

Holy Spirit is telling me RED ALERT! Right now I wish I had a proper devotion this morning.

"I'm Brother Dan," the man says, extending his hand towards me. "I'm a prophet."

Uninvited Guests

Hands on their guns, the police interrupted my Bible study in the living room of a dank apartment in the projects.

My Bible open and eyes wide, I didn't move a muscle on the couch as an officer looked me in the eye while his hand held his weapon in its holster. Another two officers crept past him and started searching the apartment. He glanced at me, dressed in a tie and slacks, Bible in hand and judged that I wasn't a threat. He shifted his glare at my Bible student Christine.

"Where's your brother?" he asked, an edge in his voice.

"I don't know," Christine said. "He don't live here."

"You gonna talk?" he barked, holding out a black and white copied photo of a man in a prison uniform. "Is he here?"

"He don't live here," Christine said. "I haven't seen him."

"You gonna talk?" he repeated.

"I don't know where he at," she said in a quiet voice. "I haven't seen him in a long time."

After a couple of minutes the other officers came back in the living room. Satisfied that the brother wasn't there they left.

"What was that about?" I said. Finally moving now that the threat of being shot was over.

Yesterday, there had been a shooting outside the apartment, Christine said. An argument and fisticuffs broke out between two women, perhaps fighting over a man. Someone fired a gun in the air to break up the fracas. A day later the police were rounding up the usual suspects. She really hadn't seen her brother in a while. But it wasn't uncommon for the police to show up unannounced, looking for someone.

"They do it all the time," she said.

I'm always on edge when I visit Christine. It's one of the most dangerous housing projects in downtown Augusta. I've been there during police raids and other crime busts. Hard to fathom that colporteurs canvassed this area with nothing more for protection than a bag of books and a guardian angel. Praise God they were faithful in coming. They're the ones that found Christine and signed her up for Bible studies.

I always park as close as possible to Christine's apartment, right outside the entrance. But I didn't that day because four rough looking teenagers were milling around, strutting with an animalistic intensity. Like lions on the prowl.

I parked my Honda Accord in the next lot. Waited until they looked distracted and I silently crept in the front door. After the police came and the Bible study concluded, I walked outside and saw officers arresting the four teenagers.



I looked away and quickly walked by, avoiding the sidewalk and cutting across the lawn. One by one the teenagers were forced into a waiting squad car, idling where I normally park my Honda.



One of the teenagers protested.

"Officer, I didn't do anything," he said as he began nodding his head in a direction of a woman. "My mother's right over there."

From the safety of my car I took a photo with my cell phone.

"I didn't do anything," he said as they closed the car door on him.

Not Doing Enough for Salvation

Watching less TV and reading the Bible more was my 60-year-old friend's plan for obtaining salvation.

"I hope I'm ready when Jesus comes," Donna said while sitting across from me at her dining room table. "I just don't think I do enough."

"You mean you don't think you're always saved?" I asked.

"I don't know if I am," she said. "I watch too much TV, I have a temper when it comes to my sons, and I know I could spend more time with God."

This coming from a woman who prays daily, attends church every Sunday, participates in two weekly Bible studies, and always completes the Bible lessons I leave with her each week.

I shared with her Luke 23:39-43, an account that describes how a criminal dying on a cross next to Jesus realized he was a sinner, feared God, and gave his life to Christ.

"Now what did he do in his short, Christian life after coming to Jesus?" I asked. "What did he do to earn salvation?"

"Nothing," Donna said. "He died."

"The criminal on the cross was promised paradise with Jesus," I said. "Our salvation is not dependent on what we do. We don't need to be Jesus, we need to believe in Jesus."

Thoughts of Losing Jesus

A church member called me Sunday afternoon and she began crying.

For some time she had been having thoughts and more recently nightmares that she had lost her salvation.

"I can't even read the Bible without having these thoughts telling me I've lost Jesus," she said between sobs. "I have dreams where a voice tells me I've lost Him."

They began after she began taking anti-depressant medication, she said. However, when she stopped taking the pills the thoughts didn't leave with them.

I began praying with her, thanking God for his never-ending love and free gift of salvation. I asked God for his promised gift of wisdom in our lives.

I told the woman the of the story of the two criminals that hung with Jesus at his crucifixion. Both criminals were deserving of death, as all sinners are, but yet the profound difference between the two men was that one knew and admitted he was a sinner, feared God, and recognized Jesus as the savior.

"Remember me," the repentant criminal said to Jesus. "When you come in your kingdom."

"Truly I say to you today," Jesus replied. "You shall be with Me in Paradise."

In Acts 16:25-31, the Apostle Paul and Silas encounter a jailer who comes trembling to them asking them the simple question: What must I do to be saved?

They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Often in the Christian experience, we feel that something more must be added to our belief in Jesus, whether that be more good works, evangelistic effort, or piety so God will feel better about us and grant us salvation. But that is untrue.

Because when we look at the words of Jesus and the Holy Spirit-inspired words of Paul and Silas, all that matters is our belief and not performance. John 6:28-29 tells of a group of people asking Jesus what they needed in order to do God's work and Jesus gave a short reply.

"The work of God is this," Jesus said. "To believe in the one he has sent."

My friend on the phone stopped crying and began praising God.

"I'm a sinner," she said. "And I need and believe in Jesus."

"And," I said, before I began praying with her again. "Jesus will remember you in paradise."

Emergency

I was standing in the church foyer before the worship service when my 50-year-old friend Roland trudged towards me, taking ragged breaths.

"I'm having pain in my chest," he said.

I got him a chair and he sat down. I remembered him telling me he was scheduled for surgery later in November. A pacemaker would be installed.

"Let me call my doctor," he said. "Would you dial for me?"

I entered in the number and handed him my cell phone.

After a minute he gave back my phone.

"The doctor wants me to go to the ER," he said.

"I'll take you," I said.

I drove my Chevy Cobalt over to where he sat and helped him in my car, putting his seatbelt on for him as his hands struggled with it.

"If you don't mind hurrying..." he said.

I put my emergency lights on and floored it. I was carefully not to cut people off or do anything that might cause an accident. Whenever I saw a clear straightaway on the highway I would speed up to 85-90 mph. I figured if the police pulled me over I could show them my friend and ask for an escort to the ER.

"If you see an ambulance, see if you can flag them down," he said.

"'K," I said, eyes focused on the road as I flew past a semi-truck.

We arrived at the ER in record time. From our church to downtown Augusta, a trip that normally takes 25 minutes took about 13. The ER immediately admitted him and laid him on a bed in a small room. After a few minutes of examines by a nurse, paperwork, and blood samples the nurse looked over at Roland and said everything appeared normal now.

Roland's three daughters arrived and were relieved he was resting comfortably. Early in October they were with him when he spent a week in the hospital's heart unit, getting checked out. It had been a long stay and he didn't care for the hospital cafeteria.

"This time," his oldest daughter said with a smirk. "We're not sneaking you any food from Burger King."

The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

-Theodore Roethke, "The Waking"

Writer's Block

Since I left Southern last May, I've suffered an acute case of writer's block. Writing has always been a stiff struggle for me because I want to craft the perfect piece that makes people laugh out loud or cry with a torrent of tears.

I was able to write with regularity at Southern because I had to for my job in Southern's marketing department and as the school's opinion page editor of the Accent. In short, I did it for the money. Filthy lucre! But it killed me to write those boring, trite adverts for marketing, and those opinion pieces just to fill space in the Accent. I found that my creativity was replenished when I blogged. Blogging gave me a chance to cut loose without having to worry (too much) about style or substance (although I still want it to be perfect).

My favorite blogs always had to do with either making fun of my friends (especially Thomson, Christy, and Jeff) or some video that caught my attention on Youtube.

But after I left Southern, I started working as a Bible worker and I just didn't have time for anything else. When I did feel like blogging, again I found that pressure for publishing the perfect post and I have over two dozen blogs that are still in the draft stage.

Finally, at the behest of Thomson I've written this.

And for that, my many readers (i.e. all 2 or 3) may find themselves the subject of my poisonous pen.

Hope you're happy Thomson.

Yours Truly,

Anh

Kingdom of Men

Daniel 4:25

The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.

Daniel 5:21

The Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.

John 19:10-11

"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.

Plan of Salvation in Gen. 5

At Restoration 2007, Ivor Myers issued a friendly challenge of learning how redemption is spelled out through the genealogy of Adam.

Special thanks to E-sword, Behindthename.com, Strong’s Hebrew & Greek Dictionaries, and Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions.

Genesis 5: The plan of salvation as revealed through Adam’s line from Adam to Noah…

Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.

Adam=Red, ruddy, man

Seth = “compensation”, substituted

Enos=man in general (singly or collectively)

Cainan="possession", nest (figuratively chamber or dwelling)

Mahalaleel=praise of God

Jared=“descent”

Enoch= “dedicated”, initiated

Methuselah=man of a dart

Lamech= “powerful”, possibly means "to make low" in Hebrew

Noah = “rest”

A man was the compensation, substitution for (sinful) man in general­—His possession (redeemed by His blood)—(He was) the praise of God, He made His descent from heavenly glory to the redemptive task he was dedicated and initiated the final events in the plan of salvation as the man of dart, making Himself low in human flesh, entering into a powerful rest, allowing all to enter His rest today.

Rockin' in the Free World

by Neil Young



There's colors on the street
Red, white and blue
People shufflin' their feet
People sleepin' in their shoes


But there's a warnin' sign
on the road ahead
There's a lot of people sayin'
we'd be better off dead
Don't feel like Satan,
but I am to them
So I try to forget it,
any way I can.


Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.


I see a woman in the night
With a baby in her hand
Under an old street light
Near a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away,
and she's gone to get a hit
She hates her life,
and what she's done to it
There's one more kid
that will never go to school
Never get to fall in love,
never get to be cool.


Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.


We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand

We got department stores
and toilet paper
Got styrofoam boxes
for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people,
says keep hope alive
Got fuel to burn,
got roads to drive.


Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.

Wolves in Sheeps Clothing: Part 3

William Miller had no sympathy with those influences that led to fanaticism. He declared, with Luther, that every spirit should be tested by the word of God. "The devil," said Miller, "has great power over the minds of some at the present day. And how shall we know what manner of spirit they are of? The Bible answers: 'By their fruits ye shall know them.'. . . There are many spirits gone out into the world; and we are commanded to try the spirits. The spirit that does not cause us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, is not the Spirit of Christ. I am more and more convinced that Satan has much to do in these wild movements. . . . Many among us who pretend to be wholly sanctified, are following the traditions of men, and apparently are as ignorant of truth as others who make no such pretensions."--Bliss, pages 236, 237. "The spirit of error will lead us from the truth; and the Spirit of God will lead us into truth. But, say you, a man may be in an error, and think he has the truth. What then? We answer, The Spirit and word agree. If a man judges himself by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he must believe he has the truth; but if he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the whole tenor of God's law or Book, then let him walk carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil."--The Advent Herald and Signs of the Times Reporter, vol. 8, No. 23 (Jan. 15, 1845). "I have often obtained more evidence of inward piety from a kindling eye, a wet cheek, and a choked utterance, than from all the noise of Christendom."--Bliss, page 282. {GC 396.2}

Great Controversy pg. 396

Wolves in Sheeps Clothing: Part 2

The prince of evil contests every inch of ground over which God's people advance in their journey toward the heavenly city. In all the history of the church no reformation has been carried forward without encountering serious obstacles. Thus it was in Paul's day. Wherever the apostle raised up a church, there were some who professed to receive the faith, but who brought in heresies, that, if received, would eventually crowd out the love of the truth. Luther also suffered great perplexity and distress from the course of fanatical persons who claimed that God had spoken directly through them, and who therefore set their own ideas and opinions above the testimony of the Scriptures. Many who were lacking in faith and experience, but who had considerable self-sufficiency, and who loved to hear and tell some new thing, were beguiled by the pretensions of the new teachers, and they joined the agents of Satan in their work of tearing down what God had moved Luther to build up. And the Wesleys, and others who blessed the world by their influence and their faith, encountered at every step the wiles of Satan in pushing overzealous, unbalanced, and unsanctified ones into fanaticism of every grade.

Great Controversy pg. 396

Wolves in Sheeps Clothing: Part 1

Satan is "the accuser of the brethren," and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of the Lord's people, and to hold them up to notice, while their good deeds are passed by without a mention. He is always active when God is at work for the salvation of souls. When the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord, Satan comes also among them. In every revival he is ready to bring in those who are unsanctified in heart and unbalanced in mind. When these have accepted some points of truth, and gained a place with believers, he works through them to introduce theories that will deceive the unwary. No man is proved to be a true Christian because he is found in company with the children of God, even in the house of worship and around the table of the Lord. Satan is frequently there upon the most solemn occasions in the form of those whom he can use as his agents.

Great Controversy pg. 395-396

Liars...YUCK!

I hate lies and the lying liars that lie.

Collegedale Church: Worship Renewal

According the Collegedale Church's website...
"There is also deep concern for a group of students, up to as many as 1000, who apparently do not attend church services anywhere in the greater Collegedale area and need to feel invited to have a church home here on campus. With the realization that this is such an important period of decision-making in the lives of these students, the need to make room for them is glaring and deeply felt. A proposed plan was presented to the board, thoroughly examined and discussed, then voted. It calls for a change in the morning schedule for Sabbath School and worship service."

Here is the video of Pastor John Nixon explaining the change.

Pastor Nixon says the church will work with Campus Ministries' Spiritual Life Team in developing the student-led worship.

I remember Jeff Tatarchuk sharing with me a year ago about his idea of SEYC and BWC working with Collegedale Church.... I wonder how the two ideas will differ.

Your New Bible Workers Club President

After the SEYC Advisory Board meeting at Dr. Chung's palatial estate late last semester, we had to have a look around. It wasn't long before Stephanie Schliefer found a grand piano and filled the room with her playing and singing. Meanwhile, Eric Rose preserved Stephanie's performance and documented the decor and with his video camera. The rest of us ran around in our socks on the tiled floors, played ping pong, and curiously peaked around corners. Spacious rooms, beautiful paintings on every wall, and yes this wonderful sofa or whatever it's called that Ezequiel found.

Something about it begged us to not only have our picture taken on it, but to strike a classical pose as well. "You should use this on the cover of the Bible Workers Handbook," Zeke said jokingly. It might not make the cover of any handbook but it's here on my blog.

Of course Katie couldn't resist either...

Kristin Thomas: Full of Grace

I don't know what prompted this gem of a shot, but it's a good one. In the sanctuary after Sabbath worship at North River Church. All photos by Christy Kurtz.


Here's the unedited photo.


Kristin with Reyna Joy. This is the only photo I took.

I can't believe that so many wonderful friends are going their separate ways now that school is over. Sister Kristin, you'll be missed. God bless you and your medical mission work in Chad.

Opinion on Homosexuality

By Donn Leatherman

There is, at present, a lively discussion on campus about homosexuality, homosexual practice and the position of Scripture and church relative to these two phenomena. Much of this debate has apparently been engendered by a convocation program conducted last Tuesday evening. Since I did not attend the convocation, I cannot write about the specifics of what took place there. I trust then that my comments will be seen as a reflection on the issues and a contribution to the discussion rather than as an attempt to uphold or to refute anything said in that public meeting.

It seems to me that there are two factors which have obscured the discussion of this issue for some time. The first of these arises from a lack of clarity in definitions, the second from imprecision in our views of the role of Scripture. In order to make my own comments clear, I will first address these issues.

What is homosexuality? The term is used ambiguously to refer either to a mental or psychological orientation or to a set of behaviors. Some people will use "homosexuality" to refer to a drive in a person which causes that person to be sexually attracted to members of the same sex; men to men or women to women. Others use the term to refer to sexual practices which involve two persons of the same sex. Obviously, there is a connection between these two, but they are not inextricable. Some people who do not normally feel attracted to persons of the same sex may, in some circumstances, engage in sexual acts with a person of the same sex. Others, who do feel such an attraction, may abstain. In order to avoid the ambiguity of this term, I will refer to "homosexual orientation" and "homosexual behavior/activity" to identify these two related but distinct phenomena.

Imprecision regarding the role of Scripture also clouds this discussion. In speaking of the Bible, we may sometimes refer to what it says on an issue, sometimes to the principles which seem to lie behind the text and sometimes to our understanding of its implications an applicability to our own situation. We may also privilege some parts of Scripture or some ideas from Scripture above others. Here I will take the plain sense of Scripture as an authoritative expression of the will of God and will base my assertions about its applicability on consideration of its statements in their context in the canon.

The Bible touches only lightly on the question of homosexual orientation, with only a single clause in Romans 1:27 mentioning attraction of men to men, there regarded more as a consequence of sin than as a sin per se. On the other hand, homosexual behavior is somewhat more widely discussed, though not as widely as (for example) greed or violence. The passages which relate to this issue are Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-28; I Corinthians 6:9 and I Timothy 1:10. The first two of these identify the act of sexual relations between men as an abomination. The passage from Romans describes homosexual and lesbian practices as examples of the problems which fall on the world as a result of the rejection of God. The last two texts identify those who engage in homosexual practices as one of the groups who are doing things "contrary to sound teaching," who are therefore excluded from the kingdom of God. There are other passages of Scripture which may contribute to this discussion less directly, such as the story of creation in Genesis 1 and 2, but I will confine my remarks here to the five texts which actually refer to homosexual activity.

The two texts in Leviticus state a reason why homosexual behavior is not to be tolerated among the Israelites. It is because these actions are "abominations" to the Lord. The latter of these two texts identifies homosexual activity as a capital offense. There are many other sins of a cultic nature mentioned in Leviticus which may result in "defilement" (meaning that a person who is thus "defiled" is not permitted to enter the sanctuary) but few of them are call "abominations" punishable by death. Homosexual practice, then, is regarded as something far more severe than cultic defilement. We too, must regard it as a grave sin, even if we do not impose capital penalties for it (or for idolatry, adultery and several other sins which merited the death penalty in ancient Israel).

As mentioned above, the passage in Romans treats homosexual practice as one of the various negative consequences which follow from the rejection of God. In this context it is associated with "a debased mind" which does "what ought not to be done" and is placed together with being "filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. . . . envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness" and with people who "are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless." The passage explicitly states that these are the sorts of things that can be expected of people who depart from God, and it clearly implies that these things will not be done by those who are faithful to God. The other two New Testament passages also locate homosexual practice in lists of sins. The terms used to identify homosexual practice are used widely enough in non-Christian literature for us to be quite certain about their meaning.

All of these passages present homosexual behavior as objectionable and forbidden. But none of them can be taken as a condemnation of homosexual orientation. No one is excluded from God's kingdom because he or she experiences same-sex attraction. The focus of Scripture is on homosexual acts. In this light, we must see homosexual activity as a sin like any other sin. Temptations come to all of us. Some are tempted in one way, some in another. The fact that we are tempted does not exclude us from God's kingdom. In fact, in the same passage in Corinthians 6 where Paul says homosexual activity excludes one from God's kingdom, he goes on to say, just two verses later, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11) Clearly, those who experience same-sex attraction but who turn away from homosexual practice may be as fully a part of God's kingdom (and of the church) as any other sinner saved by grace. Further, those who practice homosexuality are as much loved by Christ as any other sinners and they ought to be just as much the objects of our love and concern.

Donn W. Leatherman

School of Religion

Southern Adventist University