Nice, but insidious–Part II

Of all the places where the value of morality should rise above the pretentions of outward behavior is The Church.

I have the least respect for churches and priests who grant communion to those individuals who are known to be involved in continuing and unrepentant sin.

I have the greatest respect for churches and priests who refuse communion to such individuals.

Individuals who are given a wink and a nod are often the most popular, hold the highest positions, and are the largest contributors to the church. Sometimes not.  Sometimes they are given a pass out of a misplaced compassion, or just an outright failure of church leaders to maintain Biblical standards – usually because of a low view of Scripture. 

These leaders exhibit a liberal tolerance that make Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses appear more orthodox than their supposed “orthodox” liberal mainline church.

This indifference to the ongoing, unrepentant immoral practices of church teachers, leaders or recipients of the Eucharist demeans the sacrament and blasphemes the God represented.   The “niceness” or the “wealth” of or “compassion” toward the unrepentant sinner ought not to be the highest standard for eligibility of these blessings or positions.  The entire premise of Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran and other church services is repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and the taking of the blood and body of Christ (transsubstantiated or symbolic) to fortify us to become more Christ like.  

Without the repentance, the very first step, there should be no participation with Christ.

A further problem arises when the Church no longer believes that certain behaviors are sin.  Some churches don’t believe that the continuing practice of homosexuality is sin or that homosexual union is sin.  Or, as I recently experienced at a local Episcopal Church, their belief is that individuals are free to believe whatever they want to believe about the Eucharist, and I suppose, about what sin really is.  Sin can be whatever the individual wants it to be – or not.  The church no longer has reliable, definable doctrine; all doctrine lies with the individual however far his definition of morality falls from traditional Scriptural morality.  This is like the heart patient in line at the cafeteria who chooses a full helping of cholesterol in lieu of the green beans while his family depends on his continued health for their well-being.  

These churches undermine the credibility of the entirety of Scripture with this gross reinterpretation of hundreds of years of faith and practice.

This is an insidious practice of "faith."

Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered! - only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 7:8-11