Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A Divergent Culture

What is trending on Facebook; "Why do most churches focus on Homosexuality when adultery made God's Top Ten List."

To answer this question let's look at the confusion in this statement compared to what God's word says about it.   First is the flawed disbelief that if God did not say it clearly and explicitly in his Ten Commandments then it is not required of us to obey.  This statement assumes that the whole word of God from Genesis to Revelation is just a work of fiction and the only thing that really maters is what you want to believe.  Bible believing and practicing churches believe in the whole inerrancy of scripture and should never cater to a popular culture of acceptance when it is clearly spoken out against in the word of  God.  1 Corinthians 6:9 speaks against homosexuality Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  Notice that adultery is mentioned before homosexuality in Paul's statement to the Corinthians.  Paul the author singles out homosexuality which is a form of adultery among the Corinthians during this time in the Apostolic Church.   It is clear that there is nothing new or hip about the sin of Homosexuality.  The only difference between then and now is a diluted moral value in our culture similar to one described in Sodom and Gomorrah.  It was a sin back then and during Paul's time and will continue to be a filthy dirty sin during our time.  

To be gay and proud of it is a cultural war chant of those who think it is hip and new.  It has grown strong in popularity due in part to us Christians lacking holy zeal to rebuke it with love and respect through God's word. Homosexuality, pornography, drunkenness, lewd comments. perverse talk are all forms of Adultery.  If you do not believe me then read God's word.  He did not leave it out of the ten commandments He expressively put it in there.  These sins and those not mention here are at the core of violating God's seventh commandment.  Leviticus 18:20-23 explains plainly the sin of adultery, and homosexuality right in the ten commandments.  And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor's wife and so make yourself unclean with her........You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. The sin here is the desire to be unclean to demoralize God's creation through perverse and deviate acts contrary to the word of God.

Today's culture thinks that there are human rights in homosexuality that can be claimed here.  On what moral basis do they claim that? First let us look at what a "right" is.  The New Webster's Dictionary defines a right as: to that which one is morally and legally entitled. If we are to address what is moral then we only have to look at what God's word says. He tells his chosen people to go in and cleanse the land of the Canaanites uncleanliness for it has defiled the land.  God is referring to the sexual immorality they practice and his warning to the Israelites to cleanse the land before inhabiting it.  The outcome was to their own demise later by not following God's word.  We would do well to listen to God's warning for his chosen people.

 To our shame we have allowed the Supreme Courts recent ruling of legalizing same sex marriages.  Let us be clear and sound the the trumpet of battle, or draw a line in the sand as Jesus did with false pharisees of his time.  It is time for this nation to repent and it would take the prayerful action of many Christians to get on their knees and ask God to change the moral virtues of the people for it to change this nation's hedonistic direction.

 

Monday, December 8, 2014

Glory to God

A Sharing of Faith

Mission Statement:  Glorifying God in his word, testimonials of faith, real stories of faith in Christ Jesus.


This is my first ever attempt to talk about faith in Jesus Christ. The influence he has on my past as well as my daily life now.  I ask if you have any stories to share them by posting them! Let us celebrate his love for us by sharing our faith together.

Statement of Faith   I am sinner justly deserving God's wrath upon my sinful soul, being called by his word to a saving faith, dying unto sin daily, in assurance of my lord Savior Christ Jesus.  He being perfect were as I could not be, has gone before me in death and resurrection to bring me in hope on that final day, blameless to the Almighty Father and to enjoy his glorious presence praising his name forever and ever amen.

Week One:

The Glory of God

This one aim which is taught to be the chief end of man: "To glorify God and to enjoy him forever!" is found in the shorter catechisms.  A beautiful and simple statement that could sum up the role of us as Christians and is the theme of God's Word through out the bible.  This is the chief end of man "to glorify God and enjoy him forever!"  We find this many times in the bible.  God is a jealous God and will not share His Glory with another.  Just look at the Psalms where David who was after the heart of God ascribes praises to God's giving emphasis on His Glory. References Psalms 50:23, 86:9. Or we see in Exodus 24; 9-17 the language of the bible describe the physical appearance of God and the image describe by his words giving him glory. Or how in Acts 7:55 Stephen, the martyred saint of Christ Jesus, in his final moments of prayer for those who were killing him, was transformed in the presence of God's Glory.  This is certain that the God of Creation the Great I Am will have his glory for his purpose.  If we are to Glorify Him and enjoy Him forever we had better listen to his word on how we are to do this.

We should never deny that God has for us a life of glorifying Him as Christians.  Whether we acknowledge His influence or shake our prideful, fool hearty fist at him and do everything to hide from Him.  But if we have that notion then we are the hamsters running around in circles.  God is a jealous God and will not share his glory nor set aside his purpose for your wants and desires.  Instead He is a Holy Father who is just in allowing you to wailer in your sins, so that His purposes in your selfish life would be manifested to His Glory.  Just look at the warning God gives us an example with the hard heart of Pharaoh of Egypt. He would not see God's own manifested Glory (the seven plagues) displayed before him.  But God used the stubborn Pharaoh to Glorify God and not Pharaoh's desires and wants.  Or take the story of Jonah and the stubborn heart he had for God's purpose.  God would be glorified in the end and Jonah left frustrated that the city was spared.  Moreover we are fools if we think God the creator of all things can be brought to our level by our terms. We need to exam ourselves and see if we have been foolish in our hearts on who God is and how we are to worship and enjoy him in all His Glory.

I have always wrestled with God on this.   I have often not glorified Him and enjoyed Him!  Too many times in my life which has known not a day without his word, I have been seeking my own glory or seeking to share with someone else's glory.  But I have vainly sought after the worldly pleasures experiencing many times the deserts of my lifeless faith.  The sinful ambition would have left my heart callused and spiritually dead, if it was not for Christ Jesus which has put on my heart to repent and strive to die unto those sins.

Questions & Reflections:

  1. Do you struggle to glorify God?
  2. Have you wrestled with God's direction in your life?  
  3. Are you frustrated with God and where he is directing your path?