Our church is beginning talks of leaving the ELCA to join the LCMC. I am really torn on this.
I consider myself quite liberal. I have no problem with homosexuals. I have no problem if one is called to be a pastor. I firmly believe that being a homosexual is genetic, like your eye color. You have absolutely no control over it. Who are we to say that a person can’t be a pastor just because of their sexual orientation?
I may ruffle a few feathers here as well, but I feel we need to take into consideration the times/circumstances for when the Bible was written. The main truths will always hold true. However, there are parts that I disagree with. Take a look at the old testament and some of the laws they had. Jesus came along and threw many of them out. It is 2000 years later. Why not take a look at some of the “laws” and consider the times that they were written in? In these two beliefs I find myself aligning more with the ELCA vs the LCMC. The LCMC is very scripture based.
The problems I am having with the ELCA is the way missions are being carried out, changing the Lord’s prayer, and Jesus was resuscitated and not resurrected. After further investigation, the Lord’s prayer isn’t being changed. The ELCA church is offering a few different prayers that are gender neutral/more inclusive to the churches. I still don’t like it though. Jesus gave us the Lord’s prayer. We shouldn’t need to “fix” it at all.
In high school, I would have been classified as a “Jesus freak”. I look back now I can see how much I may have turned people off. While I was a part of CEF, I believed that people needed to make a decision to follow Jesus in order to be saved. However, the more I think about it, I have a hard time coming to grips with a God that is supposed to be so loving damning people to hell because they don’t believe in Him, when they never had a chance to even hear about Him. I figure if people have heard the gospel and still choose not to follow God, then that is their choice. However, if someone has never even heard of God, how can God punish them?
The ECLA does not believe that there is prophecy in the Bible. I disagree with the ELCA on this one. I firmly believe that there were prophets. God chose people to come before Jesus to spread the word. I don’t understand how the church can deny this.
I am so confused with all this. I wish there was an easy answer, but there isn’t. I don’t want to just leave the church either. However, I don’t want to be guilty by association with the church either. Lots of prayer is required on this one.