"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and Exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; {they are} gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things." ~ Romans 1:20 - 2:2
According to the passage above, who is more wicked; the homosexual or the liar? Who is more deserving of God's wrath; the glutton or the murderer? Who is more shameful; the gossip or the prideful? Are they not held in the same regard of failing HIM WHO IS?
Shall the disobedient child escape God's just reward any quicker than he who shows no mercy to others? Will God let the troublemaker walk while caging the closed minded? Are not each of these worthy of the same punishment?
Will she who berates her children be held in esteem instead of him who does not keep his word. Will the lesbian be punished more sternly than the greedy woman who fails to help her fellow man in need? Does not each of these warrant God's promise of judgment in equal portions?
Each of us has a struggle and none of us is any "better" in the eyes of God for the type of sin we are given to. Lest any of us attempt to hold a prideful or scornful demeanor against another, let each of us remember that ALL sin is sin and there are NO greater or lesser sins before God.
I ask you, the next time you encounter an adulterer, confront a liar, discover a disobedient child, catch a thief or see my fat, gluttonous body waddling toward you, that you show each of them (us) mercy and that you show that same mercy to the rest of the sinners who surround us and return our gaze in the mirror.
"Godly" people railing against the sin of "ungodly" people; like that pot and the kettle, are avoiding the fact that we are all in the same boat, the human condition.
"For God so loved (all) the world, that He Gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him (anyone, anywhere, any time)shall not perish, but have eternal life." ~ John 3:16
Those of us who have found forgiveness in Jesus should be about the Father's business, sharing that treasure with others.
"and He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." ~ Luke 10:27 KJV
Great thoughts, Steve. Sin is sin. But God had a plan that included His Son. We are made righteous in Him... That is good news!
ReplyDeleteAmen!
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