Seiferts respond to Priest

To the editor:

First we would like to say we do not hate anyone, nor does any other Christian we know. Yes, we do not agree with any lifestyles that God has told us are unacceptable and wrong.

When the church says “everyone is welcome,” that’s what it means. We do not judge the person, we accept them. We do not accept the sin. As Jesus told the woman in the courtyard who was to be stoned for her sins, “Go. Sin no more,” (John 8:11).

Yes, we are sinners. We are all sinners and come short of the Glory of God. We go to church because we are sinners. There wouldn’t be any reason for us to be in church if we were perfect. Jesus accepted the people who were unacceptable to religious authorities of his day, but he did not say anywhere to accept or love the sin (1 Timothy 1:8-11).

When Mr. Priest wrote about Sodom and Gomorrah, he was putting his own interpretation of the story. Nowhere in Genesis does it say the cities were destroyed for being inhospitable. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for sinfulness.

Mr. Priest also mentioned Ezekiel 16:48-50 to make his point about Sodom and Gomorrah when in reality it enforces the fact that the two cities were destroyed because of sin and what God called an abomination.

Mr. Priest was right when he stated God created “male and female” 30 years ago. The Bible is very clear on relationships. The only relationship sanctioned by God is between a man and a woman (1 Corinthians 7:2).

Nowhere in the Bible does it talk about a husband and a husband or a wife and a wife. Those are the relationships God calls an abomination and depraved acts (Leviticus 18-22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:24-28).

Yes, we agree we are to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves,” but we are not to accept or love the sin.

From 1 John 2:17: The world is passing away and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. We will continue to stand up for our Heavenly Father.

Chuck and Gloria Seifert

Rural Marion