The scandal of exclusivity

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I find Maurice Tomlinson's letter published in The Gleaner on September 18, 2018, to be riddled with contradictions and misconceptions.

There are hundreds of thousands of believers all over the world who have chosen to turn from a life of evil to no longer live as fornicators and homosexuals but to instead live holy lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The truth is, "No one who is born of God knowingly and habitually practises sin. Because God's seed remains in him, he cannot habitually live a life characterised by sin, because he is born of God and longs to please him. ( 1 John 3:9 AMP). Repentance from sin is the only way we can be saved. Though we may struggle with sin, our lives can no longer be characterised by it. If it is, it is logical to ask ourselves if we are really saved.

WEAK ARGUMENT

Holding a position contrary to the Word, Mr Tomlinson, while boasting of his marriage to another man, calls himself a "gay Christian" of an "inclusive Christianity". This argument holds no water. Why? Because sin, from its entrance into the world, separated us from God. That is why Jesus died to wipe away our sin, a loving and most necessary intervention.

He died because sinners will be excluded from the Kingdom of God if they do not repent, because God is holy. So He made a way through Jesus, that each person can turn from evil and be declared holy!

Christianity has been exclusive from conception, it is only for people who decide to turn from evil. Hear the words of Jesus in Luke 13:3 regarding some men who died suddenly: "Unless you repent, you, too, will all perish."

In the face of this scandal of exclusivity, Tomlinson should either repent of his sins before a loving God or be content with the ultimate reward for sin, i.e., complete and utter exclusion from a just God. I would much rather he did the former.

DANIEL THOMAS

President, Love March

Movement