# 38: Henry on Repentance

“Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it.”

#11: A Couple of Words

A couple of words would have made all the difference in the 100 revs statement.

If they had put in a couple of phrases like:

former,
struggling with,
repenting from.

Their statement would have been fine if they could have said something like:

As ministers of various churches and denominations we recognise that the churches we belong to, and the church in general, have not been places of welcome for people struggling with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) issues.

Indeed the church has often been profoundly unloving toward former members of the GLBT community.

You see, I'm not saying the church doesn't have any rednecks in it. I'm not saying the church has always been sensitive on this issue. And I do want the church to welcome people who struggle with homosexuality (much as it welcomes gossips, adulterers and thieves who are genuinely struggling toward godliness).

But as long as people remain committed to a homosexual lifestyle, or remain part of a homosexual community, or insist on calling evil good, then what has the church to offer but correction.

# 6: Condemning, Condoning or Calling (John 8:11)

Jesus said,

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

John 8:11.

Many cite Jesus' interaction with the woman caught in adultery and her accusers and then point nasty judgemental fingers at the modern conservatives and say, "See, Jesus didn't condemn." But that only holds true if you stop there and make sure you don't finish the verse.

Does Jesus condemn those in sin? No. Does Jesus Condone those in sin? No.

Jesus calls them out of sin.

Go now and leave your life of sin.