“professing to be wise, they became fools” ephesians 4:17-21

““Professing to be wise, Professing to be wise, they became fools”they became fools”

Ephesians 4:17-21Ephesians 4:17-21

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Heard Recently…Heard Recently…

Self-proclaimed Bible expert:Self-proclaimed Bible expert: ““Jesus is Jesus is notnot God” God” (Bible Go-to (Bible Go-to Guy)Guy)

Rector of All Saints Episcopal Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena CA:Church in Pasadena CA:

““Being gay is a gift from God.” Being gay is a gift from God.” (Rev. Ed Bacon on Oprah Show)(Rev. Ed Bacon on Oprah Show)

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““Jesus is Jesus is notnot God” God”(Foolishness)(Foolishness)

He is Eternal God,He is Eternal God, John 1:1John 1:1

In the beginning,In the beginning, Gen. 1:1, Gen. 1:1, 2626

““I AM”,I AM”, Jno. 8:52-59 (Exo. Jno. 8:52-59 (Exo. 3:14)3:14)

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He is Creator,He is Creator, John 1:3, 10John 1:3, 10All things made through HimAll things made through Him

DenialDenial: “Jesus did not create the : “Jesus did not create the world. The world was created world. The world was created throughthrough Him. That’s a Him. That’s a difference.” difference.” (Bible Go-to Guy)(Bible Go-to Guy)

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He is Creator,He is Creator, John 1:3, 10John 1:3, 10All things made through HimAll things made through Him

ThroughThrough (dia):(dia): “A primary “A primary preposition denoting the channel preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or applications, local, causal or occasional).” occasional).” ThayerThayer

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He is Creator,He is Creator, John 1:3, 10John 1:3, 10Source and means of creationSource and means of creation

SourceSource (Jno. 1:10; Rev. 3:14)(Jno. 1:10; Rev. 3:14)

MeansMeans (Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16)(Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16)en – en – “prep. denoting (fixed) “prep. denoting (fixed) position”position”

Creative God applied to Jesus,Creative God applied to Jesus, Psa. 102:24-25…Heb. 1:10Psa. 102:24-25…Heb. 1:10

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He is Immanuel,He is Immanuel, Matt. 1:22-23 Matt. 1:22-23 (Isa. 7:14) (Isa. 7:14)Child / Son,Child / Son, Isaiah 9:6Isaiah 9:6

Mighty God, Mighty God, cf. Hebrews 1:8-10cf. Hebrews 1:8-10

To deny the deity of Jesus is To deny the deity of Jesus is to deny He is the Christ and to deny He is the Christ and to dishonor the Father, to dishonor the Father, John 20:28-31; 5:18, 23John 20:28-31; 5:18, 23

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““Being gay is a gift Being gay is a gift from God” from God” (Foolishness)(Foolishness)

Bible says God’s gifts Bible says God’s gifts include…include…

Life and its proper purpose, Life and its proper purpose, Eccl. 12:13Eccl. 12:13Sexuality and its moral place, Sexuality and its moral place, Gen. 1:27; 1 Cor. 7:2Gen. 1:27; 1 Cor. 7:2

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““Being gay is a gift from Being gay is a gift from God…but our culture God…but our culture doesn’t understand that. doesn’t understand that. And consequently, the And consequently, the culture sends messages culture sends messages that you ought to isolate. that you ought to isolate. And isolation is the And isolation is the antithesis of what all antithesis of what all of us need.” of us need.”

Rev. Ed Bacon All Saints

Episcopal Church (Pasadena CA)


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““Being gay is a gift Being gay is a gift from God” from God” ((Foolishness)Foolishness)

Bible says…Bible says…Abomination and divine wrath, Abomination and divine wrath, Lev. 20:13Lev. 20:13Vile passions…against nature, Vile passions…against nature, Rom. 1:24-27Rom. 1:24-27Shall not inherit the kingdom Shall not inherit the kingdom of God, of God, 1 Cor. 6:9, 111 Cor. 6:9, 11Under divine wrath, Under divine wrath, Jude 7Jude 7Repent! Repent! Acts 17:30Acts 17:30

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SpiritualitySpiritualityBacon defines spirituality as a Bacon defines spirituality as a meaningful connection with world:meaningful connection with world:

““It is about our being It is about our being connected connected with one another and with one another and connected connected with the cosmos,” he with the cosmos,” he says. “It is says. “It is the process of being the process of being healed, healed, forgiven, empowered to forgiven, empowered to go into go into the world, to be fully the world, to be fully alive.” alive.”

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Bible says…Bible says…Spirituality is being submissive Spirituality is being submissive to the law of God, to the law of God, Romans 8:5-11Romans 8:5-11

Rejects the lusts of the flesh and Rejects the lusts of the flesh and is led by the Spirit of God, is led by the Spirit of God, Galatians 5:16-26 (3:2)Galatians 5:16-26 (3:2)

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SpiritualitySpiritualityBacon says full, unconditional Bacon says full, unconditional love is the essence of spirituality:love is the essence of spirituality:

““It’s that experience of love It’s that experience of love that connects you with that connects you with everyone, everyone, connects you with connects you with your past, your past, connects you with connects you with your future, your future, gives you hope and gives you hope and excitement excitement about going into the about going into the next day, next day, going into the next going into the next moment.”moment.”

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Bible says…Bible says…Love is a decision of the will Love is a decision of the will that conforms to the will of God, that conforms to the will of God, John 14:15John 14:15

Love always seeks the good of Love always seeks the good of others first, others first, 1 John 4:10-111 John 4:10-11

““Professing to be wise, Professing to be wise, they became fools”they became fools”

•Many deceivers, Many deceivers, 2 John 72 John 7•Do not be deceived or Do not be deceived or

shaken in your faith, shaken in your faith, Matt. Matt. 24:424:4

“professing to be wise, they became fools” ephesians 4:17-21

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