Today’s Verse and Thought
“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”(Jude 1:4)
From yesterday- “There are many things coming against us [Christians] from outside the church, but the most disturbing to me is what is going on inside.”
(source)
Taking a stand on sin, not on politics
You and I are in a hot spiritual war zone and our enemy has been given an open door invitation to attack us by the very people who are supposed to protect us. Some of our “Shepherds” are actually wolves who are openly promoting sin as acceptable and normal.
If we take a stand on “sin” in the church, we must use the Scriptures to define what sin actually is. Otherwise, we become reliant on our current culture’s definition of what constitutes “good” and “evil.”
Outside the Church, is a different matter
Our culture will flow along freely with whatever the accepted norms are at the time. As long as there is an agreement among the masses, cultural norms are determined. In a democratic country it’s by majority. Democracy allows a 51% majority.
Today people don’t typically sacrifice children in altar fires (at least not openly). Most people would probably agree that this is not only reprehensible, but illegal. There was a time in antiquity, however, where this was a common practice. It was the culture’s way of appeasing the pagan gods.
It wasn’t until the Law was given to Moses that God’s people were strictly prevented from participating in this act. The Hebrews had lived in a pagan culture for hundreds of years and had adopted many of its ways.
“There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer…”(Deuteronomy 18:10).
Apart from the Law of Moses, people thought it was what their gods wanted that determined their cultural practices. Given the fact that demonic spirit beings were (and still are) behind these pagan entities, it’s understandable that this might be desired. They love death and destruction.
God’s people were given the Laws and Commandments so that they would know how to live righteously. Today, the Church is no longer “under the Law” because Jesus fulfilled it. We are under the Law of Grace, not the Law of Sin and Death. This means by grace we are no longer under the curse that holds the penalty of death.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”(Galatian 3:13)
Jesus became cursed so that He could redeem us from the penalty of an eternal death - the penalty of the curse.
Grace does not excuse us from right living. In fact, His statement about the Law is that love fulfills all the requirements.
“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”(Romans 13:10)
This is one reason it is imperative that we rightfully understand the meaning of the word “love” from a Biblical viewpoint. Because love is our goal. All of us who belong to Christ are to live a life motivated by God’s love. This is foundational to our faith.
It’s time to close the door
“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!”(Romans 6:15)
A powerful tool of persuasion is the manipulation of word definitions. For instance, as we discuss “love” should we understand it in the context of what God means? Or do we look to the people in our culture?
“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”(Galatians 5:14)
John 1:4-8 tells us that “God is love.” The very essence of God is agape (love) defined in the original Greek as brotherly love, affection, good will, and benevolence.
Today we may hear a saying that “love is love.” This has refocused the concept in some of our churches and has basically equalized all love, and today it is most often used to primarily support a sexual proclivity.
If all love is equal, doesn’t it stand to reason that we must accept all expressions of “love” by that definition? If all manners of love are equal, why do we fire pastors who have affairs?
If all love is simply a result of “how we were born”, why do we restrict it in way? If all love is equal, why would we restrict it to humans only?
Or why do we restrict it by age? Or by gender? Why would any kind of “love” then be immoral?
Are we confusing sexual desires with love?
When we start to use human definitions and arguments for God’s commands, it quickly becomes a slippery slope. For instance, today a person will be sentenced to jail time if they are sexually involved with a minor.
But the reality is, there are many people that claim to “be born” with an attraction to minors. There’s even an organization that promotes the Minor Attracted Person.
“MAP is an acronym for "Minor Attracted Person." It is a clinical term that appears to have been first popularized by B4U Act, an organization of therapists and researchers who wish to provide mental health services to people who are sexually attracted to minors in order to prevent illegal activity, and is an umbrella term that encompasses pedophilia (attraction to pre-pubescent children), hebephilia (attraction to pubescent adolescents) and ephebophilia (attraction to mid-late adolescents). (source)
The Bible is explicit in it’s definition of what constitutes “immorality” (Porneia).
Promoting Sin in the Church
“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”(Romans 1:26-27)
All sin - greed, lust, anger, theft, jealousy, hatred, unforgiveness, pride, deception, sexual immorality, and the like - are equal as far as the penalty, according to Scriptures.
“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”(James 2:10)
Apart from Christ, we all stand condemned. It matters not if we are one of the nicest people on the planet, we are guilty and are under the penalty which is eternal death if we don’t believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are condemned.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”(John 14:1)
Sin is in all of us. Not one of us is without. Promoting sin as good, however, isn’t Godly. There is no sin that should be promoted as acceptable.
The acceptance of LGBTQ individuals, particularly in the context of same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBTQ clergy, remains one of the most divisive issues in the Church. Our culture has embraced it. And today our churches are trying to be progressive, inclusive, and relevant. Our argument in this matter isn’t with our culture but with God.
While some Christian denominations, such as the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the United Church of Christ (UCC), have embraced full acceptance, others, especially conservative evangelical churches, continue to hold traditional views on marriage and sexuality, interpreting the Bible as prohibitive of same-sex relationships.
Debates over biblical authority and interpretation continue to stir controversy in many church communities and this is the genesis of confusion. The literal versus figurative interpretation of Scripture is at the heart of many theological divides, particularly in evangelical circles.
Issues like the age of the Earth, the role of women, the treatment of LGBTQ individuals, and the problem of evil are often framed as questions of how the Bible is to be read and understood. Some argue for a more "progressive" or "liberal" approach to Scripture, while others defend a "conservative" or "traditional" reading, which often leads to tensions within congregations and denominations.
The landscape of American Christianity is marked by these ongoing and complex debates, which often cut across denominational lines.
Some churches seek to “evolve” with the times, others strive to preserve traditional interpretations and practices. The result is a highly fragmented religious community in which questions of doctrine, ethics, and social responsibility are deeply interwoven with the political and cultural divisions today.
As a person who wants to live a righteous life, and promote truth, we must first ask what foundation do we stand on? All people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. All people need to be loved. As a Christian, it’s up to each of us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. You answer to God. He is your judge and you are His servant. Whatever you chose to believe will be judged by God, not your friends.
“…and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”(2 Thessalonians 2:10)
We must love everyone in truth. But we also first must know what is true. Churches may change their doctrine based on cultural relevancy, but that won’t stand as an accepted argument against a God who is 100% truth and justice.
It’s easy to pick apart sins and take a stand against one while we may be guilty of others (and may be able to hide it). But when we begin teaching that sin is “good,” or teach “truth” because it’s progressive or relevant to our day - but against God’s Word - we are in trouble.
To be continued…
Today’s Question
Verses to Explore
“For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.”(Romans 2:12)
“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’”(Galatians 3:10)
“He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.” (Psalms 145:19)
“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”(Matthew 24:12)
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”(Matthew 9:36)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.”(John 10:1)
Today’s Prayer
Father my prayer today is that you help all of us to see clearly what you want us to do. We want to be loving, but we have severe confusion in the church today as to what that means. Your Church is in trouble and we need your judgement. Help us to not allow our desire to be nice to people to destroy your truth, no matter how difficult it is to embrace. And I pray for all of us. We all struggle with sin. There is not one of us who is exempt. I thank you for your grace and salvation. I thank you for helping each of us to know what you want from us. Give us courage to stand against sin in our own lives and in the Church. Help us to live righteous, not inclusive. Your Word includes all of us already. Your love is true. May all honor and glory be yours. Amen❤️
