Re: Loose Lips’ articles about Bishop Alfred A. Owens Jr. (“Any Given Sunday,” 5/12; “Mayor Slams Bishop Owens,” 5/19): The goal of preaching is to bring men into a loving conformity to the law of God, and this in turn brings a clean conscience. Homosexuality is against the law of God, as are many sins. Instead of excuse-making or blame-shifting, the Bible advocates that you assume your responsibility and blame, confess your sins, and seek the wonderful forgiveness that can only be found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The word of God can cut you to the heart. On the great day of Pentecost, Peter told his audience they had “taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death” the Son of God (Acts 2:23). When these people realized that God had made this same Jesus both Lord and Christ, they were cut to the heart and asked what to do in order to be saved (Acts 2:36–38). Thank God they did not hear, “Y’all just stay the way you are.” Stephen preached a similar lesson before the Jewish council. His audience was also “cut to the heart” (Acts 7:54), but their guilt caused them to kill the messenger (Acts 7:55–58). How can any sinner hear, except a preacher be sent, no matter the sin? Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. Dogs, snakes, fox, and vipers…all terms found in the Gospel.

Clinton, Md.