Comments on: Bishop of Montreal approves same-sex blessing liturgy

By: stuck in Toronto

stuck in Toronto — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:52:00 +0000

His Tongue in Cheek is only valid if He is Jewish – I hesitate to use the word orthodox to describe him.

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:21:57 +0000

She’s an Orthodox Jew? I didn’t realize that.

By: Henry Troup

Henry Troup — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:56:16 +0000

The shellfish argument applies to Dr. Laura only because she cited being an orthodox Jew – it’s quite off-topic for Christians, for the reasons everyone else has raised. Given that she airs her show live five days a week, he’s got her rather firmly on his point #3.

By: John K

John K — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:38:27 +0000

Steve,

…live my life as who I am. If that is not pleasing unto God then there is nothing I can do. I am who I am.

This is rather sad, because Jesus, the one we profess to follow, calls us, if we would follow him, to deny ourselves. (eg; Matthew 16:24). It has been said that God loves us enough to accept us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.

By: stuck in Toronto

stuck in Toronto — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:18:23 +0000

One last thing Steve and it is so often not included when we find ourselves in conflict with the old testament. Jesus Came to us, taught us and died for our sins. The purpose of this most extraordinary happening in all of human history was to reconcile us to the Father. The point is that prior to this humanity was not, and had no way to be in complete harmony with the creator.
It is my opinion that with the introduction of Love by our Lord Jesus and our obedience, the gates of the Garden of Eden and or of the Kingdom of Heaven are now wide open.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:46:49 +0000

God blessed Jacob in spite of his sins, not because of them. Not everything in the bible is a positive example.

I am what I am as well. Thank God in His mercy, he has changed what I am, over the years. If you think parts of who you are aren’t pleasing to God (and who other than Jesus shouldn’t think that?), the thing to do is to give those parts of you over to Jesus and ask for His healing. He always answers those sorts of prayers (although not always in the way we want – remember Paul and his “thorn in the flesh”).

By: Steve Sahagian

Steve Sahagian — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:21:38 +0000

Stuck in Toronto and John K , St Paul is right that by the law we are dead in our sins and it is through Jesus Christ that we are free of the law and saved by grace, praise and glory be to His name. It all becomes very confusing when we completely ignore certain aspects of the law but hold rigidly too others. I feel that I cannot win by trying to live by the law (or any aspect of it) and just must live my life as who I am. If that is not pleasing unto God then there is nothing I can do. I am who I am. I always remember Jacob and Esau. Jacob covered his arms with wool and presented himself to his father to steal Esau’s birth right and God blessed this? That was out and out fraud and God condoned this action? I do not know what I could do to please Him as I do not know what He thinks or where he is coming from. I can only work out my salvation through Jesus Christ with fear and trembling and hope for the best. Thank you for your insight and responses!!

By: John K

John K — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:13:31 +0000

Steve,
Read and understand Acts 15; re: the Jeruslaem council. It addresses directly whether gentile believers are required to follow the law of Moses. You will notice that all laws concerning sexual morality still apply, but others don’t.

By: stuck in Toronto

stuck in Toronto — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:09:20 +0000

Hey Steve much of what you say is true and your lonliness is palpitable. But much if not all that is going on in these “days” is designed for the purpose of turning our eyes away from Jesus. The result is we begin looking for Him and that dear brother is our downfall. He is and always has been in you.
We are not under the Law. The law has been “completed” in Jesus Christ. you are advised to seek Him not in the law but in the Gospel and in the Body. the Body is pure but many of the branches are in turmoil and as you remember the wheat grows with the weeds until the time of the pruning.

You said “but that does not change the fact that God rested on the Sabbath day which was a Saturday. Are you sure about this?
God did not rest on Saturday – He rested on the seventh day, as the commandment says 6 days shalt thou labour but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD.

Perhaps St. Paul can explain it better

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If you do feel alone please ask for my e-mail and perhaps we can explore together!

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:31:37 +0000

As Anglicans, the 39 Articles are part of our beliefs. If they contradicted the bible, we should, of course, rethink them, but they don’t.