Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: REED / READ (02/23/23)
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TITLE: The Dubious Read of Reeds | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
02/28/23 -
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Sin takes believers out of fellowship with God (4). The wall between them, keeps them out of fellowship.
With each passing day that the wall remains, the higher and wider this wall becomes. It can reach a point that one can no longer
see, hear, or have any interest in Who or what is on the other side!
This wall promotes a disinterest in hearing the Gospel Message that would save the unbeliever, and a disinterest in Bible Doctrine that would edify the believer.
There are serious consequences in store for believers (5) and unbelievers (6) who choose to allow the wall between them and God to remain.
Believers who live with unconfessed and unforsaken sin are subject to the Heb. 12: 6 discipline while here on Earth, and the loss of some of the 1Cor. 3: 14 rewards they could have otherwise received in Heaven.
For the unbeliever, the sin of disbelief will cause him or her to spend all of eternity in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (7).
Embracing the type of sexual sins committed by heterosexuals and homosexuals has swept across the United States like a rolling tidal wave, leaving much havoc and destruction in its wake.
Heterosexual fornication (sex outside of marriage) has become the “norm” for many (8), and homosexual activity and relationships have received widespread acceptance in social, political, and even religious circles.
Apostate (9) local assemblies would be wise to replace their multi-colored door displays with a marquee sign that reads, “All sinners are welcome here; sin, is not.”
Granted, God accepts us just as we are at the moment of salvation, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences (10) for post salvation sin.
The rejection of what the Bible has to say about sexual immorality by groups within the Christian Community-at-large, contributes to the promotion of the LGBTQ position.
A diagnostic meter is not going to serve its purpose if it does not display an accurate reading, or if it’s accurate reading is not understood and applied by its user.
Likewise, one must get an accurate read of Scripture, in order to benefit by it.
Like unstable reeds swaying back and forth in the wind, weak teachers sway back and forth between accurate and false doctrine to accommodate popular trends.
There is nothing new about sinful heterosexual or homosexual activity. It goes back to the very ancient world.
There is disagreement among scientists as to what causes some to have a desire to embrace sexual sin, but generally point to genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors as being major contributors.
Science would have us believe that those drawn to such things are predisposed to having such desires, and have no choice in the matter.
Scripture (11) teaches that the temptation to engage in sin, comes from a strong desire to satisfy the wants of the fallen nature within us. The same fallen nature that leads some to lie or to steal, is the same nature that leads others to embrace sexual sin.
Scripture dismisses the “no choice” argument.
Scripture (12) lists homosexuality being among the many sins that the Christians in ancient Corinth had once embraced, but repented, and were set free (13).
The point being, they had chosen to embrace it, and later chose to forsake it.
Believers in fear of what might happen to the people or to the relationships that they have with family members and friends by confronting them with what God has to say about heterosexual and homosexual sin, should consider their own accountability (14).
Jesus set the gentleness (15) example. He did not pull any punches when addressing sin. But He also provided solutions, and words of comforting hope to those involved.
As Christ’s ambassadors (16), we are not here to judge anyone, but we are here to share God’s message with those who choose the consequential path of sexual immorality.
Ambassadors are not to be like reeds swaying in the wind, giving in to the pressure around them.
God’s message to the LGBTQ community is the same message that He has for everyone else!
Simply put, whatever the Bible identifies as sin, is to be (acknowledged) confessed (17), and forsaken.
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(1) James 2: 10 (2) 1John 1: 9 (3) JOHN 8: 11 (4) Habakkuk 1: 13/1John 1: 3/2cor. 13: 4 (5) 1 Cor. 13: 15 (6) Rev. 20: 15 (7) Rev. 20: 15 (8) Matt. 7: 13 (9) 1Tim. 4: 1/2Tim.4: 3 (10) 1Cor. 3: 14/Rev. 2/Rev. 3 (11) James 1: 14 (12) 1Cor. 6: 9 (13). 1Cor. 6: 11/John 8: 32 (14) Luke 14: 26/Ezekiel 33: 6) (15) 1Pet. 3: 15 NASB (16) 2Cor. 5: 20 (17) 1John 1: 9
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