Dear Gino,

Thanks for your letter, and more importantly, for the civil tone you always keep when writing to people.

We probably do agree on many things, perhaps not on everything, but we are allowed to disagree on points. By your even handed response and tone when replying, it seems you most definitely understand this. Thank you.

I believe that sinners, even those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior…should make every effort to ‘stop’ their sin(s).

Let’s say someone is a thief. Should they make an effort to stop?

What about a liar?

What about an adulterer? (Here I’m not referring to the adulteress to whom Jesus personally spoke. I’m talking about cheaters ‘today’.)

Jesus said to be zealous and repent. What kind of repentance is it if people continue sinning. Can a person make a conscious effort to stop bearing false witness? Or to stop being covetous?

I can see by some of the reactions to my letter exactly *why* preachers today don’t even bother mentioning sin from the pulpit. No one would even show up…therefore no money in the collection plates.

Somehow some of these churches today have made their congregants confident of all being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, so they don’t need to do anything further about themselves or even think about sin, since it has nothing to do with them.

Is a liar indwelt by the Holy Spirit?

Is a thief indwelt by the Holy Spirit?

Is a covetous person indwelt by the Holy Spirit?

Is a boaster indwelt by the Holy Spirit?

Are any of these examples above sitting in churches today?

I believe that God and the Lamb decide exactly who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit….not man.

That is my belief and I am allowed to say it.

I would give scriptural evidence, but I have already done so in my previous posts.

Again, thanks for all your responses, and may God bless you.

YsiChrist,

Patty RP