I ran across the attached article entitled “Why Do Parents of Gay Children Change Their Theological Minds,” (link: https://www.equip.org/article/why-do-parents-of-gay-children-change-their-theological-minds/) and it brought to mind recent comments in our church that times have changed when it comes to a biblically-based church policy.
The sad reality is many people who say they are believers let their experience and emotions trump Scripture. Their definition of sin changes to accommodate the circumstances when biblical sin comes home to roost in their nest. Folks who allow their experience and emotions to change their theology have a low view of Scripture. Under certain circumstances the Ten Commandments become the “Ten Suggestions.”
This article also brought to my mind three 2020 articles about what I coined as the “theological hexagon” which identifies six sources of a person’s theology; namely, Scripture, reason, tradition, general revelation, experience, and emotion. The links to these articles are Introduction to the Theological Hexagon | Steve Belsheim, Discussion of Sources 1-3 of the Theological Hexagon | Steve Belsheim, and https://stevebelsheim.com/?p=210 (sources 4-6). Scripture should be THE SOURCE of a person’s theology, but so often one or more of the other five sources, i.e., reason, tradition, general revelation, experience, and emotion, come into play. When that happens, the result is not good.
HOW GOD CAN SAVE YOU?
If someone is reading this post and is unsure of their salvation, please read below.
God’s Plan of Salvation
In the beginning, God, who is holy, created the entire universe. As a part of His creative actions, He made humans in His image to know Him. For a while, everything was right between God and our ancestors, Adam and Eve. But Adam sinned, and his sin was passed down to all of humankind whereby we became separated from God. Nothing we could do on our own could bridge that separation so that without God’s intervention, hell would be our eternal destination.
Fortunately for us, in His great love and mercy God provided humankind with the only means of salvation, which is through Jesus Christ who is God’s only unique Son. While retaining His deity, God the Son became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever repent and trust in Him for their salvation. Jesus rose from the dead, showing that God the Father accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us has been exhausted. He now calls us to repent of our sins and trust alone in what Christ did to save us.
If we repent of our sins and completely trust in Christ alone that He died for our sins and rose to life from the dead, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.
Scripture References: Genesis 1:1, 27, 31; Habakkuk 1:13; Genesis 2:7, 18, 21-25; Genesis 3:1-7, 23-24; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:19-20, 23; 5:17-19; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 John 4:10; John 3:16-18; Mark 1:15; Romans 1:4; 4:25; John 3:5-8; 1 Peter 1:3.
“Sinner’s Prayer”
Lord, Jesus Christ, the only unique Son of God, thank You for Your free gift of eternal life. I know I’m a sinner who cannot save myself no matter what I do, and I deserve to spend eternity in hell. But, I know that because You loved me so much, You voluntarily died on the cross for me taking my sins upon Yourself, and You physically bodily rose from the grave showing that Your sacrificial death was sufficient payment to give me eternal life in Heaven. I now repent of my sins and trust alone in what You did for my eternal salvation. Please take control of my life as I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You so much for saving me. I am now Yours forever! (Scripture references: John 1:1-4, 11-14; John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21-26; Isaiah 53:4-6; Mark 1:15; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 10:27-29).
COMMENTS
Please send me any comments to steve@stevebelsheim.com or use the comments feature of the blog.