The gospel of Christ Jesus is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes! After believing, we live by faith, knowing that there is more after this life. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) Not just life here on earth, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:28) But we can never lose sight of the fact that we are in a spiritual warfare. Satan is real, ...that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; (Revelations 12:9, 20:2) Jesus said, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44)
As opposed to Christ who came to give us the gospel of eternal life, Satan is a liar and a thief, and "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." (John 10:10) From the beginning when God put the man and then the woman in the garden of Eden, Satan's plan was to destroy man to try and stop God's plan. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. (I Timothy 2:4) And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:3) And Satan has been deceiving the whole world ever since. How? The same way he deceived Eve in the garden of Eden. By trying to convince people that if we disobey God, we won't suffer any consequences. Then the serpent [Satan] said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)
God wants us to live obedient lives, obedient to His Word, as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy. [Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7]” (I Peter 1:14-16) But Satan tempts us to believe that the things God instructs us not to do are the things that will "open our minds", "liberate us", "give us freedom", "make us happy", etc. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; (Genesis 3:6-7) And what did believing Satan's lie end up doing for them? ...and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7) They started trying to "cover up" their shame and guilt; they started blaming everyone but themselves for their mistakes; and they ended up being removed from the place where all their needs were provided for by God, and they had to work for everything they needed. (Genesis 3)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:18-21) This is what Eve and Adam did after they believed Satan's lies instead of choosing to obey God's Word, and this is what every human being has struggled with since.
Every single human being on the planet, who has ever lived, is living or ever will live knows there is a God, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. God does not "need" us to tell people He exists. He has taken care of that all by Himself. He put that truth in His creation. Remember, Christ had the apostles and disciples spread the gospel throughout the known world; And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16) But not everyone chose to believe. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:22-25)
Mankind, with out any regard for right or wrong, without the Word of God as the standard by which to live by and make moral decisions, when left to their own devices and desires, become the most immoral even amoral creatures God created. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. (Romans 1:26-27; Leviticus 18:22-25; Leviticus 20:13) How interesting that God had Paul explain about homosexuality and sodomy first. From the beginning, God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them,... (Genesis 1:27-28)
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said:“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:7, 18, 21-24)
A sexual relationship between one man and one woman who are married to each other was created by God, and this is the natural way that God intended for the world to be populated. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;... (Genesis 1:28) God created mankind to be fruitful and multiply naturally. But Satan wants to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. What better way to kill and destroy God's plan than to have mankind turn from the natural for what is against nature. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) But if we continue to choose to submit to the devil and resist God, then God will let us do whatever we want.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers [gossipers], backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning [lacking understanding], untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32; Leviticus 19-20)
We must remember that we ...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23) And if we continue living lives of disobedience to God's Word, we are receiving in ourselves the penalty of our error which is due, ...that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21) We have to be mindful and careful how we address sins in other people's lives, because we have all committed sin. Maybe most of us have not practiced homosexuality, but we're all guilty of at least one thing in the above list. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10) Paul will continue explaining this truth, so that none of us get proud, thinking we are better than someone else because we aren't committing the sin they're committing. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (II Corinthians 10:12) “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6, Proverbs 3:34; I Peter 5:5) AMEN!
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