Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. - 1 Cor. 7:17-24 KJV
posted by Markus at 8:21 AM
10 Comments:
Hi, I haven't been by your blog in awhile. I'm glad to see you're posting.
I'm not so glad to see the uncharitable comments of some others.
It astounds me that some Laestadians would feel so threatened by your blog. Certainly you are free to express whatever you'd like. Any mature person realizes that you can speak for yourself as a Laestadian without speaking for anyone else.
Then again, having grown up Laestadian, I am not astounded. Most of us were gripped by such a spirit of fear that anything different was threatening. The rest were so in love with telling others how to live and lording it over others with their puffed up self-righteousness that they wouldn't want to see anyone thinking for themselves.
Ugh. This comment is starting to sound like more heat than light, so I think I'll take my own advice and shut up for awhile.
Marcus, here's a high-five for keeping your dignity and calm throughout this storm of dissaproval and general nastiness. In being candid, in being yourself, you have broken a silent contract -- "the don't ask, don't tell" contract -- that keeps gays invisible in our society, especially in the church. There are some who would have you hide, as if you were a blemish on the body of Christ. You know differently. They don't, yet.
They caution you about "worldly" advice. Perhaps they mean well. But all advice, no matter the source, should be weighed against your own conscience. YOUR conscience. YOU have God written up on your heart.
Marcus, I suspect you are more robust than the average bear, with a solid sense of self-esteem and Blessed Assurance. That will serve you well. Nonetheless, I hope you are surrounding yourself with people who see Christ in you. Take care.
Alexandra, by claiming to speak for the Spirit with such certainty you blaspheme the Spirit, which is the one unforgiveable sin according to your Bible. See you in hell.
You obviously have no concept of sexual orientation, where one could have natural attractions to the same sex, even though (as I believe our blogger has stated here) one does not act on them.
Our blogger is saying that he does not do any of the things you torture Scripture to say are wrong. So even under your sick twisted understanding he has done no wrong. He's just saying that this is how he naturally is. You are distorting the Bible to make it say that merely by being this way he is not a Christian.
Well here's right back at ya, baby. The Bible says that we will know Christians by their love. I see nothing but hate coming from you, Alexandra, so until you show us otherwise I am forced to conclude that you work for Satan.
Oh, Alexandra. My heart breaks for you, because what you call love doesn't shine like love. It shines like pride.
Jesus was a rabbi; he knew scripture. So did the Pharisees. So do you. But what did Jesus emphasize? And they? And you?
Jesus didn't speak at all about homosexuality. Study his words. May He be your model, not Paul.
God's peace.
Alexandra, I still see no evidence that you are a Christian at all. Try reading St. Paul sometime, he'll give you the job description:
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known
For what it's worth, I have read all of Markus' writings here, and have found nothing in what he has written that suggests to me that he is gay, except that he claims to be.
I don't see that having an attraction to persons of the same sex makes a person any more or less of a sinner or less deserving of grace than the man who has lust for women or hatred for another or muderous thoughts. We are all sinners in the same state, and we all have the same opportunity for grace. When you (assuming you are a man) have desires for a woman, does that make you a rapist? When you harbor a grudge against your neighbor, does that make you a murderer? When you go look to an actor or sports star for inspiration, does that make you an idol worshipper? If your answer to these is "no," then your answer to when you have lustful thoughts for other men, does that make you gay? must be "no."
It is when you let the flesh control the spirit, when you act on or cling to these thoughts and intents of the heart that you become separated from God. We must turn toward Christ and believe in the saving power of His work on the cross, and in so doing we turn away from any strength in sinful desires.
Is Markus really gay? I'm not convinced that he is. The sin that he feels in his flesh just happens to be different than the sins that you and I feel in our flesh.
Il Coro, I think you are conflating lust and attraction, and I think it is worthwhile to draw a distinction between the two.
Just being attracted to someone, either of the opposite or the same sex is not lust. It is natural, and healthy.
Another way to look at what you're saying is to flip it around. I was a good Laestadian who followed all the rules. Because of this I didn't have sex until I was married --in my late 20s. Does that mean that I was not really heterosexual until I was in my late 20s? I don't think so! ;-)
It makes more sense to say that I was heterosexual all along because I had an attraction to the opposite sex --just like it makes sense for Markus to say that he's gay even if he isn't currently having sex with people of the same sex.
"Just being attracted to someone, either of the opposite or the same sex is not lust. It is natural, and healthy."
Agreed.
I have a desire to smoke a cigar. Does that make me a smoker? (BTW, I have never used any tobacco products, ever. I might celebrate my 90th birthday with a big, fat cigar. It might kill me, but maybe the wait will have been worth it!)
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Markus, When I found your site, it brought tears to my eyes, why would this type of site be connected to the LLC, I pray that God would open your eyes and help to remain believing!!! Much love-
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