From: Holly McLean
PRIESTHOOD STATEMENT FOR YOUR BRANCH
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Yesterday a wonderful woman in the restoration called me and said that every person is given a passion from God to work for Him if they ask for it. I have had a passion to help moms learn how to teach and train their children to behave. This has been something I have been working on for years, as some of you know. This will continue.
But, when I had an encounter with a priesthood man that awakened me to the depths to which the LGBT ideology is invading our church and priesthood, a new passion went deep into my heart. As you also know if you are receiving this email, I have sent out a few messages talking about this issue and asking my brothers and sisters who are willing to take part -- To stand up and fight against these ideologies as to not allow them to infiltrate our church.
This isn't just something that is happening in one of the groups that currently divide us. There are PH in the CRE, JCRB, Remnant and other groups that are deceived about or even involved in some of these moral sins. And, with the world the way it is going, they are beginning to more and more openly show their support of them.
Here is a specific thing you can do. Below is a statement to begin the process of our priesthood taking a stand, leading and guiding our youth, and reestablishing long held truths of the creation of God, marriage, morality and the sanctity of life. There is no copyright on this statement. Feel free to edit, add to, reorganize, etc as you or the priesthood in your branch see fit.
The question is, are the priesthood in your branch going to hide from this battle? Or are they willing to stand up and proclaim the truth? And if they will not stand up and proclaim the truth, what does that say about the view of morality they hold? That would be something to ask the priesthood in your branch. Yes, that will likely be uncomfortable. But, is a battle comfortable?
Unfortunately, I could not send this message with an attachment as this email group doesn't have the technical capability of doing that. So, you can copy and paste from here and add to your word program to edit and print, or send out to the priesthood so they will have ability to discuss it at their next meeting at your request.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at holly4candles@hotmail.com
May we be diligent and courageous,
Holly McLean
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRIESTHOOD STATEMENT ON MORALITY, MARRIAGE & THE SANCTITY OF LIFE
_____________________________ RESTORATION BRANCH STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE & SEXUAL MORALITY
As priesthood of the restored gospel and ______________________________ Restoration Branch, it is our duty and privilege to serve the members of Christ’s church. We understand that we have a responsibility to call the saints to repentance and to teach the truth regardless of the world and its destructive influences surrounding them on all sides.
Because of the destructive ideologies that are permeating our culture, we believe it is imperative that the church stand for righteousness and be a beacon of hope to those who have become confused about God’s plan for men and women, marriage, the sanctity of life and sexual morality.
Therefore, we, the priesthood of _____________________________________ Restoration Branch, wish to make a statement of belief to clarify our position, practice and give guidance to the members and especially the youth on what we believe to be God’s will in these matters.
MARRIAGE
We declare that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman. Marriage was established by God and was intended for the purpose of procreation, raising up children and is intended to be a lifelong bond and covenant.
The growing acceptance and practice of same-sex unions, (i.e., men with men, and women with women), is sinful and contrary to God's divine plan for family life and procreation.
_______________________________________
Restoration Branch will have no part in, nor look with any approval whatsoever upon the union, marriage, bonding, or any other similar identifiable process, whether civil or religious, of individuals of the same sex.
Any priesthood member found to be supportive of, giving credence to, or in any way involved with, such a union is not in a position to qualify to practice in their priesthood calling until they have come to terms with the truth in these matters and repented. They should not be used in any capacity in the ministry unless and until then.
PREMARITAL & EXTRAMARITAL SEX
Scripture clearly teaches that sexual relationships outside the bonds of marriage (defined as a covenant between one man and one woman) is contrary to the will of God.
Cohabitation outside these bounds has been accepted in the world as have many sins and destructive ideologies.
It is the position of ________________________________
Restoration Branch that sexual intercourse and sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e. fornication and adultery) is sinful, causes spiritual harm to the individuals involved and destroys families. We want to help and give counsel to members who have fallen into this sin, call them to repentance, and work with them to make changes needed to bring them into the will of God.
Any priesthood man who would support, give credence to, promote or participate in this sin would stand in need of repentance and would not qualify to be used in any capacity in the ministry unless and until repentance has been shown.
ABORTION
We deplore the trend and advocacy, especially during recent decades, of the sinful practice of willfully induced abortions. An abortion is a grave sin and is the violent destruction of a valuable, innocent human life and a creation of God.
We further declare that abortions willfully induced for any cause other than that of protecting the physical life of the mother (such as ectopic pregnancies) are sinful and are equivalent to murder.
Priesthood and members alike should labor and counsel against abortion in all situations except where morally committed and competent medical authority recommend abortion as a means of saving the physical life of the mother (i.e. ectopic pregnancy). [Standing High Council of Reorganized Church, April 24, 1958)
A mother in crisis may need help, counseling and support for both her spiritual and physical needs and it is our intent to provide her direction and care to facilitate the protection and health of both her and her baby.
We further urge the Saints to exercise their right of citizenship and commitment to gospel principles to proclaim against the practice of abortion at every appropriate occasion.
Any priesthood man who would participate, give credence to, promote, or counsel someone to obtain an abortion is committing a grave sin in their advocacy for this evil practice and would stand in need of repentance. They would not be in a position to qualify in any capacity for ministry until they have shown repentance for this action.
TRANSGENDERISM
We affirm that all human beings are made in the image of God and are born male or female. This state of being is not a malleable state, but one that God has assigned to each person for a purpose to fulfill His will in their lives.
As is clearly written in scripture, the natural man is an enemy to God and without His saving grace, instruction, and adherence to His Word will become carnal, sinful and devilish. The modern day evil of transgenderism and the LGBT lifestyle has permeated our culture and has destroyed many lives.
We reject this ideology in its entirety as contrary to His will for all people, His church and especially His members and priesthood in the Restoration Branches.
If a priesthood member practices, gives credence to, adheres to, promotes, or in any way acknowledges this ideology as a part of God’s plan, that member would be teaching heretical theology and would be in need of repentance.
Anyone who does so would not be in a position to qualify to practice in their priesthood calling until they have come to terms with the truth in these matters and repented. They should not be used in any capacity in the ministry unless and until repentance has been shown.
HOMOSEXUALITY
We affirm in the strongest terms that the advocating of and engaging in any homosexual activity, or relationship, is sinful and contrary to the laws of God.
We therefore reconfirm former action by the Standing High Council of the Reorganized Church of October 18, 1962 as follows: "The concern of the Church in connection with the practice of homosexuality is to set up safeguards against it, to protect the innocent and unsuspecting against enticements to it, and to reclaim those who engage in it."
Any member found to be practicing or promoting homosexuality should be removed from any leadership position, thus avoiding opportunities for the involvement with others. They should also be given ministry and/or assisted in receiving appropriate counseling with a view to rehabilitation and repentance.
Priesthood found to be practicing, giving credence to, support of, or promoting homosexuality should not be used in any ministry capacity until they have turned from this evil ideology and repented. Promoting includes counseling others to continue in this practice or to participate in support of it in any way.
PORNOGRAPHY
We hereby acknowledge with grave concern the increasing acceptance of, and involvement in, the growing presence of pornography in society. We further declare it to be, in all its insidious forms, both spiritually and morally destructive to the human character and spirit.
As priesthood of ___________________________________ Restoration Branch, we will warn against it, and teach and continually strive to practice a saintly life free from the debasing effects of it.
FAMILY & FRIENDS
It is clear that there are many saints who have sadly found that a family member or close friend has been taken up in the kinds of sins addressed in this message.
In that case, it is our position that they work to bring that person to repentance through conversation, study, fasting and prayer, keeping communication open but not accepting this sin in their lives or supporting it in any way.
The goal is to be a light to them, calling them to a renewed relationship with God and to turn from these sins and toward a better life in Christ. We implore the saints not to participate in support of these sins, but instead call loved ones to repentance.
CONCLUSION
Our continual goal as priesthood is to serve the members, call all to repentance, and bring them into the joy of His will in the name of Jesus Christ. With the darkness of the world surrounding us in these last days, we want to be a beacon of light and truth and it is our prayer that this message will be received by the saints as a means to that end.
No comments:
Post a Comment