"Conservatives On The Defensive!"

[betsy]

But it is not for any of us to forgive. It is God's.

I don't want to get into a scriptural argument, but these are Jesus' words.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times saying ‘I repent’, forgive him. Luke 17:3-4

So also my heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. Matthew 18:35

But how can I forgive someone who had done nothing against me?

Homosexuality is not something done against me. It is between the gay and God.

I am merely explaining that believing and following the teachings of our faith does not mean I hate the sinner personally. Stating and reminding about it being a sin in our faith is a form of "rebuking", don't you think so? Anymore stronger than that and I could be facing the hate-crime law.

[sharkman]

No, I think rebuking is for a different circumstance. On the gay issue, we are just standing up for the truth, being the salt of the earth, so to speak. Maybe it's correcting. I think rebuking is for deeper spiritual matters or maybe one Christian to another who knows better.

But I agree about forgiving. We can not forgive someone of their sin. Only God can do that. But we are to forgive a transgression.