Search the scriptures? OK!

(continued from "New False Revelation Justifies Furthering Community of Christ Leadership's Radical Agenda") From Veazey's "Counsel to the Church":

"If the church more fully will understand and consistently apply these principles, questions arising about responsible human sexuality, gender identities, roles, and relationships; marriage; and other issues may be resolved according to God’s divine purposes. Be assured, nothing within these principles condones selfish, irresponsible, promiscuous, degrading, or abusive relationships.
Faced with difficult questions, many properly turn to scripture to find insight and inspiration. Search the scriptures for the Living Word that brings life, healing, and hope to all. Embrace and proclaim these liberating truths."

Even though I believe the overall document to be false, I hope people will actually do what this part of it says. For what do the Scriptures, in fact, say about issues of responsible human sexuality, gender identities, roles, relationships, marriage, divorce, fornication, adultery and homosexuality?

Well, first of all, there is the seventh commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery." The Bible also says that homosexual practices are an abomination worthy of the death penalty under the Mosaic law. Romans 1:26-27 confirms that the practices are still considered, "unseemly" in the New Testament. 1 Corintians 6:9 says that "neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind" (The NIV comes right out and says "homosexual offenders") will inherit the Kingdom.

Fornication is also forbidden in Scripture. Here is what Jesus had to say on the subject of marriage, divorce and gender identities:

KJV Matthew 19:3-9
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

As to gender identities, Esphesians 5, Colossians 3 and 1 Peter all three affirm that husbands are to be the leaders in the homes. Why doesn't the church teach this?

The vast majority of references take a very strict line about these issues. But lest any should fear that their situation is beyond hope, no study of these issues from the Bible could be complete without John chapter 8, where Jesus puts all these things into perspective:

KJV John 8:
1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Some Biblical scholars debate whether this particular passage was in the original documents. But that shouldn't be an issue for Reorganized Latter Day Saints because it's in the Inspired Version too as are all the above references. (If you find one I've missed, please let me know!) So Jesus Himself recognized that even though we shouldn't stone people, adultery is still sin. I think you could easily substitute anyone having committed any of the various forms of this type of sin for the woman caught in adultery. The church's message to them should not be utter condemnation but simply "Go, sin no more." This, of course, necessitates a recognition that the behavior in question is, in fact, sin.

So whence come the arising questions? From where do they arise? I'll tell you where - it's from the far left wing social agenda of the Community of Christ leadership who advocate keeping the church's policy on this out of the hands of the people and up to the World Church officers in order to create "a new community of tolerance" by which they mean, one which accepts openly homosexual individuals in the priesthood and justifies any form of sexuality whatsoever as long as it's regarded not on a basis of right and wrong but instead on the basis of whether it's "responsible" or "irresponsible." This is a standard with no scriptural support which different people will define in different ways, rendering it meaningless.

As Devon Park branch has recently experienced, the modern definition of the word, "tolerance" is actually, "A feeling of extreme (often violent) hatred toward anyone perceived to be intolerant." Liberty, charity and justice are the real virtues, of which the modern conception of "tolerance" is an impostor. Veazey's use of the word in a supposed revelation from god is designed to lull people into acceptance of a whole range of modern philosophical ideas which are totally incompatible with Biblical teaching.