For some reason I just really do not think that Paul would of tolerated "Gay's"
IN the church.
Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church(ESV heading)
5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges [2] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Now...is there some sort of "secret formula" in the above scripture that would lead us to believe that the sexually immoral should be welcomed IN and AMONG the Chruch...just because they are not believers?
If sodomite "believers" are NOT welcome, according to Paul...Then surely sodomite "un-believers" are NOT welcome.
Think about it. Imagine a Church that kicks out a believer in Jesus Christ who is sexually immoral...YET....welcomes an unbeliever who is grossly more immoral.
These people are in the WORLD not
in the church. That's why Paul says it would be impossible not to associate with them
in the world.
We are also to avoid even the appearance of evil. Imagine two gay men walking in and out of your church every week holding hands...That would be a scandalous evil that should be avoided.
Note: The above is not about church membership...It is about those who are welcome IN the church, and the fellowship of the saints during the weekly observance of the Lord's supper...The sexual immoral, in this case Sodomites, are clearly NOT welcome IN the Church.
Question for you who would welcome "gay's" in your church week in and week out: Do you have communion services ever? Do your purge out the leaven, and kick out the evil person, as Paul say's, before you all partake?
(or do you answer "no...rather...we just don't let the "gays" eat the little cracker, or drink the little cup of wine"....

)
Note: God saves the wickedest and vileist of sinners, like myself...but he does so by the gospel which is preached IN the world to every creature under heaven. Get off your lazy butt, and go preach the gospel (I AM TALKING TO EVERYONE...this is what we should all be doing)** to the sexually immoral if that is what you want to do...but bringing them into the church is not permitted, as far as I can tell from tota scriptura.
Agan..the OPer was asking for our thoughts..that is mine. I'm open to being corrected if a biblical argument can be given.
**That is motivational language..not an insult.