Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 2/3/2007

Question
Dear Pastor Don,

Thank you for the clerification. I am not clear about the UMC in USA but for me I disagree with approval of homosexual minister. In Malaysia, I don't think that United Methodist Church approves homosexual minister. By the way,
in your opinion, is Methodist far away from what the Bible teaches? In Malaysia, Methodist is very active.

Oh ya, you can visit my church website www.klwmc.org.my

Regards,
TAN GUODONG
MSN : guodong1987@hotmail.com


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-----Question-----
Pastor Don,

Thanks for the answers that you have provided me. I have another question. Some people may have condemned certain denominations. I am under United Methodist Church. As you are a pastor concerned, is the Methodist doing something on the right track of doctrine? Or should I drop off from this denomination and follow a denomination which is doing things close to the Bible?

Thank you.

Best wishes,
TAN GUODONG
WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
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-----Question-----
Dear Pastor Don,

I would like to ask you, is it sinful for a christian male to masturbate just for his own pleasure(for ejaculation purpose) without lusting and without woman at all?
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Hi Tan GD,

Thanks for this question.  Many young people ask me this same kind of question every week.  The Bible does not use the specific term of masturbation.  We do have a Bible term "Fornication" from the Greek word "pornea".  It is translated to mean any kind of sex outside the bonds of marriage.  Whether or not you think about a woman, the orgasm is sexual in nature and is outside of marriage.

1 Corinthians 6:18
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.


 Evidence points to the fact that masturbation is addictive and progressive.  While you do not need to think of sexual things now, you will later, then porn, then other things.  Masturbation is a sexual bondage.

John 8:34
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,  Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I strongly suggest that you confess that and start to break free from its hold on your life.

1 Corinthians 6:12
... but I will not be brought under the power of any.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don
-----Answer-----
Hi Tan,

Thanks for this question.  I will try to do better with this answer than I apparently did with my last one  :)

I am a Baptist because I believe that the Baptist distinctives are closest to what the Bible teaches.  I am not extremely familiar with all Methodists, but there are some things that cause me some concern.

1.  It is my understanding that traditional Methodist and Weslyian theology teaches that one can lose his salvation.  I believe that since salvation is by Grace through faith, and not of works, that it is impossible to lose salvation once you have it.

Philippians 1:6
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

2.  It is also my understanding at least in the USA that the UMC has approved of homosexual ministers.  This may not be the case where you are, but I believe that it is the case here.

Leviticus 18:22
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 1:26-27
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

It is up to you to search the scriptures and compare them with what your denomination or even your particular local church teaches.  If your church does not agree with the scriptures, find one that does.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don

Answer
Hi Tan,

Thank you for this follow up question.  I visited your church web site.  It seems that your church is much more Bible centered than many Methodist churches I know in the USA.  Although I would not use the modern translations that they do, the sermons seem to be generally Biblically based.  I could not find a statenment of faith... but in general it seems to be OK.  I am sure that there are points that I would not completely agree, or I would be a Methodist not a Baptist.  You asked if your church was far away from the Bible... it does not appear to me that it is.  It is up to you to continue to search the scriptures and make sure that every message that you hear squares up with what the Bible teaches.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don