Painful, but necessary

From The Washington Post:

At least seven Virginia Episcopal parishes, opposed to the consecration of a gay bishop and the blessing of same-sex unions, have voted overwhelmingly to break from the U.S. church in a dramatic demonstration of widening rifts within the denomination.

Two of the congregations are among the state's largest and most historic: Truro Church in Fairfax City and The Falls Church in Falls Church, which have roots in the 1700s. Their leaders have been in the vanguard of a national effort to establish a conservative alternative to the Episcopal Church, the U.S. wing of the 77 million-member worldwide Anglican Communion.

[. . .]

The votes are fresh evidence of an increasingly bitter split within the U.S. Episcopal Church. Seven of its 111 dioceses have rejected the authority of Presiding U.S. Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, installed in November as the first woman to head an Anglican church. Schori supports V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man elected bishop of New Hampshire in 2003.

"I grew up in the Episcopal Church. I hope I don't cry when I talk about this," said a shaken Katrina Wagner, 37, an accountant and member of Truro's vestry, after the congregation's vote was announced. "But the issue is: Are we going to follow Scripture?"

That is exactly the question. Are you going to follow Scripture? If not then don't call yourself a "Church". There are all sorts of ways that a group of people who wish to do good in the world can combine to do that good without pretending to be a Christian religious organization.

The Christian Church exists for one purpose, the fulfillment of the Great Commission to spread the gospel (good news) of eternal salvation through faith in the sacrificial death and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians are told to "love God with all their heart, soul, mind and body" and that the only genuine way of demonstrating that love is in keeping His commandments.

If you "cherry-pick" the parts of the Bible which you like and delete or downplay the rest you are not worshiping God and following his Word. You are setting yourself up as the final judge of right and wrong and attempting to knock God off his throne and take his place.

Martin Luther said, "If I uphold and defend all parts of Scripture except those parts which the world and the Devil are currently attacking I have not confessed Christ no matter how loudly I have professed Christ".

Luther was correct. The modern Episcopal Church, save those congregations which withdraw, is no longer a Christian Church no matter how many crosses top their buildings, no matter how many beautiful stained glass windows they have and no matter how many bibles they place on their pulpits.

And as for the homosexuals who will be made to feel warm and loved and accepted and affirmed in the new Christless Episcopal "Church"? Those warm fuzzies will not help them in hell - which they will go to not because they are gay, but because they reject the Lord that IS in favor of a fantasy god who doesn't say anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.