Aber mit der Heimat
geht man immer herum,
durch die Welt,
dort und dort
Peter Handke
No one could describe
the Word of the Father;
but when He took flesh from you, O Theotokos,
He consented to be described, and restored the fallen image to its former beauty.
We confess and proclaim our salvation in word and image.
Kontakion of the Triumph of Orthodoxy
That was an excellent talk on sin.
Incidentally, there are many cultures where, like two men holding hands, two men sleeping in one bed does not imply homosexuality.
Indeed, one will be taken and the other will remain – is consistent with all of Christ’s telling us that in the end, some will find their way to heaven’s glorious shores – whereas others will face eternal damnation. The wheat shall be separated from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, AND the way will be narrow, not wide (contrary to what many churches lead people to believe).
But the primary additional requirement, in addition to recognizing Christ as Lord, is to fully and truly repent of our sins. We must truly be sorry for our sins, and wish with all our hearts to not reengage in them. Repent! is the first word of Christ’s ministry on earth (and of John the Baptist’s too).
Christ dies for our sins, but we must repent of them. Through true repentance we are converted more and more into a Christ-like being. That is the whole of God’s purpose with us.
Brand