Greetings! Here are a few of my searchings today.
I'm sitting here wondering exactly what BIBLE Jimmy Carter was studying????????????!!!!!!!!!!
Even Joel Olsteen - who has made a name for himself as a positive and uplifting minister who focuses in on life’s pleasantries - acknowledges that the Bible clearly teaches that homosexuality is a sin!
In family discussions, we have often talked about this question. Does God "categorize" sin? Is all sin equal in God's eyes? For me to understand the WHOLE counsel of God's Word (rather than just a portion of it), I often must look at an issue from more than one vantage point - studying as much Scripture as I can find on any particular issue, looking not only at verses that use a specific word, but also Scripture that gives a principle to be applied. (For example, I find several verses that use the actual word, "hospitality," but I also find Scripture that gives a principle to be applied to hospitality - such as Ephesians 6:7 or Colossians 3:23.)
When I search through the Word, I find that God's opinion on sin could accurately be interpreted as: Whenever we do what WE want to do, rather than what God tells us to do ... that is sin. (Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. In 1 John 3:4, “sin is the transgression of the law." Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.)
One of the main Greek words translated as "sin" in our English Bibles is defined as, "missing the mark, doing wrong, wandering from the law of God" (http://www.blueletterbible.
However (and this is a BIG however), this same Word of God does, indeed, "categorize" (for lack of a better word) sin. God, Himself, out of ALL the ways that mankind chooses to go our own way, has given us a list of sins that He says are an "abomination." For His own reasons, in His sovereignty, omniscience, and justice, He highlights these sins, using this word, "abomination." Strong's concordance tells us this Hebrew word translated as "abomination" means: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable. A look at Webster's Dictionary shows us this English word means: worthy of or causing disgust or hatred : detestable. That helps me to see that when I want to know what is "abominable" to God, I can expand my search to those things that He says He "hates," as well as those things He says are "abominable." Doing a blueletterbible.org search for those two words yields quite a list of sins that God highlights in some way - above all other sin.
Other places where God seems to focus on certain sins, more so than others, would included such Scripture as 1 Cor 6:9,10; Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 1:28-32; and 1 Timothy 3:2-5. Why does God not include other sins (examples we could all think of) in these lists? I do not know. I believe His reasons might include the type of consequences these particular sins cause, and the numbers of other people affected by them.
So how do I apply this whole study to my own life? As I thought and prayed my way through all of this today, three things came to my heart and mind.
1) God hates sin, of all kinds, because sin made the cross necessary. As such, I must hate sin, also. To the extent that I do, indeed, hate sin (evil), I will stay away from it! No one has to force me to stay away from caviar. I hate the very THOUGHT of it. (I googled "the most disgusting foods" and caviar didn't even make the list! Really?!) Eating caviar - or any of those disgusting things that did make the list - would be, to me, quite gross and disgusting. It takes no great show of willpower for me to stay away from them. Why? Because I hate them. I hate even the thought of them. This truth, applied to my spiritual life, is helpful in examining myself (which is commanded). When I have the integrity and courage of heart to look at it honestly, it is quite sobering and compelling.
2) Because of application #1, I must run in the opposite direction from anything I know to be sin. If I do not, I will suffer the consequences. As I pondered this, a familiar saying came to mind. Sin will always take me farther than I want to go, cost me more than I want to pay, and keep me longer than I want to stay.
3) There are certain sins that should have an even greater "electric fence" about them than "all sin, in general - " because of what GOD'S WORD says about them. Those sins, discussed above, must be especially loathsome to me - whether or not I understand the reasons God has highlighted them. (Notice the above reads, "Those sins...must be loathsome to me," not the sinner committing the sin.)
The sin of disobedience to parents - a sin often considered as rather minor in comparison - appears in one of God's "lists." Again, perhaps it's because of the continuing consequences of that sin, as it then carries over into other major areas of life - our relationship with our Heavenly Father, employment, marriage, etc - and wreaks havoc, destruction, and pain.
If there is a sin, or sins, that I honestly can't claim to hate, then I must cry out with David (Psalm 51:10), "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!" In and of myself, I can't even WANT the right things! And with Paul, "Oh, wretched man that I am!" But then comes the precious chapter of Romans 8!
The sin of disobedience to parents - a sin often considered as rather minor in comparison - appears in one of God's "lists." Again, perhaps it's because of the continuing consequences of that sin, as it then carries over into other major areas of life - our relationship with our Heavenly Father, employment, marriage, etc - and wreaks havoc, destruction, and pain.
If there is a sin, or sins, that I honestly can't claim to hate, then I must cry out with David (Psalm 51:10), "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!" In and of myself, I can't even WANT the right things! And with Paul, "Oh, wretched man that I am!" But then comes the precious chapter of Romans 8!
Well, I'm out of time and energy.
With you in the journey,
just a pilgrim
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