THE POUND
PROCLAIMER
Volume V
August 2010
Number 6
Sing
to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day
to day. Psalms 96:2
SIN IS AN
ABOMINATION
It is obvious that humans do not observe sin in the same manner as does God. Oh, we speak of sin and proclaim that it is something we should not be doing. This is commendable so far as it goes. The subject of sin is a needful study for all of us, especially for those who do not have a proper grasp of its repugnance.
Once, a young boy was asked what the preacher had preached about. He responded by saying, “He preached about sin.” “Well,” the inquirer asked, “what did he say about sin?” The boy replied, “He was mostly against it.” It is sad to say, but this is the commentary for many sermons. The hearer will understand the preacher is ‘against’ sin, but will have no idea what the preacher is against or how vile sin is in the sight of God. I know preaching that identifies sin by name and proclaims God’s view of the despicableness of sin is not popular. Humankind wants to dress sin up, paint its face, give it a sweet smile and teach it manners that will make it popular with the masses. Having grown up around hogs, I know for a certainty that putting lipstick on a pig will make no difference. She will still be a pig!
God’s view of sin is the one that should concern us. Paul gives us insight into God’s repulsion with sin in the first chapter of Romans. Let us consider some of the things that Paul points out in this chapter.
Man believes he can deny the existence of God with impunity. The attitude is that one can believe in God if they desire or to not believe in God. In either case, it makes no difference. What is said about the sin of atheism/agnosticism? First, there is ample evidence that God exists and demands a moral standard by which humans must live. 19“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20) You may ask, “What is their sin?” 21“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:21-23) The rejection of God is not a sign of higher intellect. Those who deny God are denying the evidences in the creation. They claim to be wise but are fools who are on the same par with ignorant savages who worship images of man, animals and insects.
The natural result of denying God’s existence is to reject a moral standard that raises man above the actions of the brute beast. 26“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and 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. 28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:26-28) The sins of prostitution and homosexuality are contrary to nature. It matters not that some will tell us that prostitution is just a job like any other. It matters not that some will tell us that homosexuality is just another lifestyle. Prostitution and homosexuality are sins which come from a debased [depraved, defiled, perverse, corrupt] mind.
Not only do we find prostitution and homosexuality condemned in these passages but other acts that are just as despicable in God’s sight. 29“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless.” (Romans 1:29-31) The murder of innocent babies in the name of ‘women’s rights’ is not only murder but is also heartless. Desiring one’s way to the harm of others is ruthless. The continual desiring of ‘things’ which others possess is covetousness. This should help us to see that sin is more prevalent than we want to think.
The thing that should disturb us about sin is God’s reaction to it. 18“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. … 24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. … 32Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:18, 24-25, 32) The wrath of God is poured out upon all those who are guilty of sin. We know that in the end God will punish those who have rejected Him and His ways with eternal torment. There is, however, something said here that is just as disturbing. God will give up on humankind. He will allow humans to practice all manner of sin and while doing so, to think they are doing well. Notice also that those in this depraved state deserve to die. This is not to say that Christians are commissioned by God to go out and kill the infidel. NO a thousand times no, Christians are to convert the sinner by appealing to the higher ideals proclaimed by God. It is a war for the souls of men with each battle being a fight for the hearts of individuals.
Any and all sin
is repugnant to God. It behooves us all to recognize this and live our lives
accordingly.
The Editor’s
Page
Peter directed comments to Christians by writing, “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17-18)
The feel good religion is a lawless religion. This sounds strange to some. All of us want to feel better emotionally. The excess of products that promise to make us ‘feel’ better attest to this fact. This translates into a desire for the inspirational and uplifting side of religion to the neglect of character building religion.
The religion of Christ gives His followers the opportunity to make actual progress in the quality of their character. Christianity is not a guarantee that we will always ‘feel good’. Christians are people with emotional ups and downs. It is growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord that defines the Christian.
The question is not “How does my religion make me feel?” The question we should ask is, “Where does my religion place me in relation to God?” The examining and testing of ourselves should be a daily practice. How else can we evaluate our spiritual health? Constantly cozying up to a ‘you are ok, I am ok’ religious doctrine does nothing to bring about genuine growth.
The honest evaluation of self is a major step forward. However, it is not the cure for spiritual anemia. There must be the courage and the will to make changes where they are needed. Sermons, articles, and Christian friends can provoke us to repent, but change is an action completely under the control of the individual.
All will agree that there are areas wherein we need to improve. Sadly, like New Year’s resolutions, improvement falls by the wayside because of our propensity to fall backwards into old habits. For this reason, we don’t need to seek ‘good feels’ as much as we need renewed commitments toward spiritual growth. When we became Christians, we made promises to God. Spiritual progress comes from remembering those promises and remaking self on a daily basis.
The man who can come to God with his feelings and desires in check will become a man perfect in faith. The man who comes to God demanding that his feelings be soothed will be sorely disappointed. It is the one who comes with the weight of failures, unfulfilled dreams, forsaken, and dejected, who will find refuge. Consider the following as an illustration of this thought. When David hid in a cave while fleeing from king Saul, he cried out to God, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalms 57:1)
Like David, we
must understand that our relation to God is the answer to life’s problems. To
obtain the answer, we must grow in grace and knowledge.
WORKING FOR THE
MASTER
BE THANKFUL PILGRIM!
Thankfulness is one of those neglected Bible subjects. I don’t mean that we are unaware of thankfulness being in the Bible. We just don’t give it the kind of thought we should. Being thankful is extremely important to a faithful Christian life.
The Old Testament hero, King David, understood the importance of being thankful toward God. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalms 118:1) This statement is found several times in the Psalms, thus indicating the prominent place David gave to giving thanks to God for His steadfast love.
Ingratitude is a plague upon society. When men leave off the gentle virtue of being thankful, they degenerate into selfish children who think that they should receive anything and everything they desire. Like a two year old, they see something and say, “I want it, NOW!” If they do not get ‘it,’ they become sullen and bemoan their miserable life. However, if they do get ‘it,’ they revel in their new gift without ever being grateful to the giver.
As Christians,
we must not be as those who are unthankful. “And
let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in
one body. And be thankful. ... And
whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians
Not only should we learn the lesson of being thankful, but we should learn the lesson of being thankful for the correct things. Again, like spoiled children, we become overwhelmed with disappointment simply because we fail to get what we want.
Too many religious people think of God as the genie in the bottle. They expect to be granted the fulfillment of their every wish. They should learn a lesson from Job. “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:9-10) Are we thankful when evil comes our way? James says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” (James 1:2). To be filled with resentment, anger and remorse because life is not the way you think it ought to be, identifies you as a thankless person.
So what, if we
do not have the fine house we want. Jesus didn’t even have a house (Luke
When you pillow
your head tonight, will you be thankful for the day which God has given you?
Even if it was a day filled with many kinds of trials? Be thankful Pilgrim; be
thankful for the proper things, for godliness with contentment is gain (1 Timothy 6:6).
THE LAST WORD
SENTENCE SERMONS
“No man is happy unless he thinks he is.”
“Wisdom is often nearer when we stoop than when we soar.”
“A simple smile has face value in any land.”
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WHAT MUST
I DO
Hear: Rom
Believe: Heb 11:6
Repent: Lk 13:5; Ac 17:30
Confess: Matt
Be Baptized: Ac
TO BE
SAVED?
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FAMILY
MATTERS
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a page where you can download a program. The program is a weekly so there will
be a new program uploaded each week. We also keep the sermons updated as well.
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The Pound church web site = www.poundchurchofchrist.org/
WALKING BY FAITH
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The Pound Proclaimer
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Editor: Glen Young
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