The snare of the flesh...

Exodus 20:14 - [14] “You shall not commit adultery.”

 

Commandment number 7 has everything to do with preserving our neighbor’s purity and the purity of ourselves.  This makes sense to believers for Proverbs 27:17 tells us that as iron sharpens iron so we are to sharpen one another.

We look out for each other's best spiritual interest at all times.  The perverse and immoral behavior that we see applauded on television daily is not new to our generation.  Man has had a propensity for sexual immorality from the fall.  Peter Hammond – “The sexual revolution is revolting in more ways than one.  It is an uprising against God Himself.  It is a rebellion against His sovereign authority and a rejection of the Law of God.”  Why?  What are the implications on society if this were not a commandment?  And how does this protect and promote liberty?  Well, the world would like you to believe that promiscuity is a private matter that doesn’t hurt anyone besides those involved.  So you shouldn’t get involved in it because it doesn’t directly affect you.  However, this is patently false.  The reality is that everyone pays for the private sins of others.  Don’t think so? 

Let me give you some statistics…

From 1973-2011 there have been over 54.5 million abortions in the United States alone.  In 2012, there were 9 abortions performed every four minutes.  That’s 1 abortion for every 26 seconds.  That’s only surgical abortions folks.  Because every birth control pill contains an abortifacient element to it, the CDC estimates that we can safely add 14 million chemical abortions done per year in the US.  From 2009-2010 Planned Parenthood received over 487 million dollars in government grants.  Where do you think that money comes from?  You and me.  The abortion debate has nothing to do with women’s rights and everything to do with sexual freedom.  People want the gratification of sex with 0 responsibilities.  What other consequences come from sexual freedom?  How about the rampant spread of STDs, AIDS, and broken homes that come from infidelity by one or both spouses. Single parents raising their children because the man who fathered them doesn’t want to be a parent.

Any pastor or counselor will tell you that adultery destroys entire families… not just marriages.  So what does Scripture say about adultery elsewhere?     

We are to flee from all forms of sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20
Galatians 5:19 says that sexual immorality is a deed of the flesh, not a deed of the Spirit. 
Lust, which is the core of adultery, is not limited to the physical act of adultery nor is it restricted by age.  Given the age of internet integration that we live in, pornography addiction, which is adultery of the mind, is affecting more than just the 20-30 somethings.  A recent poll revealed that men between the ages of 55-70 who use their computer to surf the web have confessed to viewing pornographic material as often as once a week.  Women in the same age bracket confessed to having used online chat rooms to flirt with internet strangers.  Half of that group said that they seek out old boyfriends on facebook and have had emotional affairs with those old flames.

So don’t think you are immune just because you have passed a certain age… Satan doesn’t care what age the sinner is, he just cares that he tempts people to sin…Although adultery is specifically mentioned here, there is a principle laid down, that believers are expected to live pure and holy lives.  Adultery resides not in the physical, but rather in the mind.  The battle for purity and holiness begins with the mind, not the flesh.

Matthew 5:27-28 - [27] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ [28] But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus says that God sees lustful thoughts as adultery.  So for those who say they look but don’t touch, the Bible labels that person an adulterer.  It is a matter of purity.  By forbidding adultery God is protecting purity.  Purity both mentally, emotionally, and physically.

I showed you some statistics on murder, I would disgust you with further stats about STDs or grieve you with stats on divorce and such… but rather than that let me give you three reasons for obeying this law as it relates to promoting Christian liberty and see if that doesn’t provide a sufficient answer to our understanding.

1.) Obeying this protects purity

It is advantageous to be pure.  We are image-bearers of God.  God is pure and thus we are to be pure as well. Matthew 5:8 - [8] “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Now, obviously sins has marred that image, but that doesn’t change the fact that we were created to be pure.  There is a speed limit on I-20 of 60mph.  I’ve hardly been on it once where people were obeying that law, should we remove all speed limits just because the majority break them?  Of course not!

Purity of heart consists of dedication to god.  At the core of the Gospel is the fact that we need to be cleansed and made pure from our sin.  So severe is the grime of our sin on our body and soul that it takes the blood of Christ to wash it off.  Pursuing purity is another way of saying that we are to pursue holiness.  After all, holiness is perfect purity.

1 Peter 1:16 - [16] …it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

The dominant reason for su to pursue holiness and purity is because God is pure and holy and as Christians we are in relationship with Him.  We are to be holy because the Holy One has identified Himself with us in a work of His glorious grace.  Matthew Henry said that the calling of a sinner to salvation is a “powerful engagement to holiness”.  Obviously, obviously sexual purity is not the only area that we are to pursue holiness in.  But is there any other sin that can so adversely affect your body and life and the bodies and lives of others as lust and fornication?

2.) Obeying this protects the sanctity of marriage.

Why is that so important?  Let me give you a reason from Ephesians 5.  Ephesians 5:1-6 - Paul sets up there how it is that we are to “walk in love”.  That, he equates to being “imitators of God”.  We are to walk as Christ walked.  What did Christ do?  Verse 1 says that He loved us and gave Himself up for us as a sacrifice and offering to God.  How would that look in my life?  Well, we might say with Christ that we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross… or with Paul that we are to die to self or Ephesians 5:22-33

Adultery, the sin of adultery, directly undermines not only the purity of marriage relationships but it also distorts the Gospel.  Our marriages are to be a living illustration of the Gospel.  The wife is to submit to her husband as to the Lord; in other words, in like manner.  That submission points at honoring them from a principle of love for them; because God has ordained the husband to be the head of the wife.  As the church is to submit to the headship of Christ, so wives submit to their husbands.  You see the Gospel illustrated here?  Likewise, husbands are to love their wives.  Love then should be seen as a choice and not an emotional feeling.  How are husbands to love their wives?  As Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her!  Did Christ or will Christ ever abandon the church?  NO!  Did Christ or will Christ ever link Himself up emotionally, mentally, or physically with another bride?  NO!  Adultery, be it through the physical act, or a lust of the mind or even through flirting… damages the purity of marriage which damages the purity of the Gospel that we preach.  God designed marriage to be a union between one man and one woman that is not to be defiled by a failure for the wife to submit, or a failure for the husband to love, or divorce or any sort of infidelity.  Why?  Because Christ will not defile His relationship to His Father or us with a failure to submit to the Father, or a failure to love us, nor will He divorce us, nor introduce any sort of impurity to us.

3.) Obeying this shows practical evidence of the new birth

Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God.  Pursuing holiness is marking sin in our life and putting it to death by the Spirit.  It is agreeing with God’s Word.  Loving what He loves and hating what He hates. 1 John 2:6; John 14:15

We must pursue purity in all areas because it most proves that we are born again children of God.  We must pursue holiness because our comfort and assurance depends on it.  “We cannot be too often reminded of this.  We are sadly apt to forget that there is a close connection between sin and sorrow, holiness and happiness, sanctification and consolation.  God has so wisely ordered it that our well-being and our well-doing are linked together.” – JC Ryle

Is there a greater comfort in this life than knowing we are secure in Christ?  I know of no such comfort!  And that is how observing this law is liberating for the believer, because as we are pursuing purity … pursuing holiness; particularly in this area of sexual purity of mind and body.  As we do that, we have a clear conscience before God, assured by the Holy Spirit.  1 John 3:21; Romans 13:5

So here do we go from here?  If you aren’t pursuing holiness, Christian, resolve afresh to chase hard after a holy life.  Or we might say, a Spirit-led life.  A life abiding in Christ.  John 15:4-5.  Abide in Christ, believer, Jesus said that if you abide in Him and Him in you that you will bear much fruit.  That will be fruit of holiness I assure you!

Do you want to attain holiness?  Are you lost?  Do you need Christ?  I assure you that if you are lost, then you certainly DO need Christ!  Along with a deep conviction of our sin comes a deep desire to be cleansed of it; that is true repentance.  Come to Christ, be forgiven and cleansed of all sin and be made holy in His sight by His blood.

Abortion

I have been greatly encouraged to see how wide-spread the 180 Movie has become so quickly!  At the time of writing this blog, the online version of the film on YouTube had just over 1.5 million views!  Incredible!

I am thankful for all those who have viewed the film in its entirety.  Even those who have rejected the messages contained within it.  Abortion is an epidemic in this country.  It is an epidemic in this world.  For some reason we turn a blind eye to the intentional genocide of the human race through the practice of abortion.

Of course it is likely that most ignore it because they just don't want to think about the horrors of it.  It's the same reason we turn away from the television commercials about starving and homeless children.  We just don't want to admit to the reality of the horror we allow to go on in our own backyard known as abortion.  Maybe we figure if it is out of sight it is out of mind.

It is no secret how I feel about it.  There have been several posts prior to this one about this issue.

You may feel that you can't do anything on your own to chance things.  But that's not entirely true.  God often works through those the world considers nobodies to accomplish His purpose.  That fact is evidenced by the 1.5 million views and the thousands more than have viewed it as a result of having been handed a DVD copy or shown the movie at a church.

Abortion is murder.  Let me say that again clearly.  Abortion is murder.  It is a vile practice and it is a sad indictment against any community who places such a low value on the sanctity of human life.

Please, my Christian brethren, I'm calling on you to give a voice to the thousands of humans murdered every day in this country in the name of "choice".  Speak out about abortion.  The 180 Movie is a fantastic resource.  Compelling, honest, and easy to spread to others.  Ray and his team don't seek to force anyone to change their mind about abortion, but they do set out to accomplish two things.  1.) Educate people on the reality of abortion by factual evidence and a sobering comparison  2.) to spread the eternal life giving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Both purposes are overwhelmingly accomplished in this film.

Please, spread the word... please view this important documentary.  And do it now!

Previous posts:
Modern Day Molech Worship
God's grace in saving a life
Showing 180 to our church

Showing the 180 Movie to our church - Part 1

Last night I showed the 180 Movie to our church.  I will be posting some video responses below of people who volunteered to share their reaction after viewing.  There were times when jaws were wide open watching the film, there were tears as the pictures of the Holocaust were shown.  Nearly all of them admitted that they had never correlated the two events together. 

Our prayer is that this will serve to help our church be more vocal about the Gospel primarily so that those who are in favor of abortion will come to know Christ (if they are in fact not born again) and see abortion as the vile sin that it is.

What strikes me about the two atrocities, that being the Holocaust of the Jews and Abortion, is that it was people who were already born who were being murdered in Germany.  So they had a voice, you could see pictures of them emaciated and starving.  With abortion, the children can't make a sound, no one cares to watch the sonogram in 3D that shows their face grimace with pain as the process begins.

I once wrote that abortion is nothing more than modern day Molech worship.  How true... how true... the only difference is that we don't worship the false god of Molech when we murder a child, we are worshiping the god of self.

Next week we will be showing this video to our students and praying for their reaction.  Many of them who will view it are unconverted.  My pastoral prayer is that God use this video next week to finally break their hearts over their sin and draw them unto Himself.  At the same time, I pray that as the future voters of this country this would help them to discern between a good political candidate and a bad one.

Sometimes the liberal left accuses evangelicals of being "single issue voters" because we discount a candidate who is pro-choice.  That is a bit of a straw man argument because most of us certainly consider more than simply their abortion stance, however, life and the protection of it is more important to me than tax structure or foreign and domestic policy for sure.  How can you expect ANY candidate to make wise decisions that affect the protection of the American people when they have already showed a lack of concern for the sanctity of human life to begin with?  If they see an unborn child as disposable, imagine how they view other life... just a thought...

Now, having said all that, I want to be clear.  If you are reading this and you have had an abortion.  I am not condemning you.  There is forgiveness available to you from God even for that sin.  If you are feeling guilt over having had an abortion, I know that you likely feel like you can't be forgiven for something so awful.  But you can.  God will forgive you.  If you will ask Him to forgive you He will.  Here's the thing though, you (and everyone else in this world) need forgiveness for more than just the singular sin of abortion.  Oh no, we need forgiveness from God for ALL our sin.

I do not want to isolate the sin of abortion as if it is unforgivable and everything else is forgivable.  That's not true.  There is forgiveness for you not just for abortion, but for the lies you've told, the things you've stolen, the hate in your heart towards others, the lust in your heart that you've acted on... He is a good and kind God and even now He bids you come to Christ that you might be saved!

Without forgiveness of sins you will spend eternity in Hell, not because you failed to trust in Christ, but because you died in your sins and therefore are accountable to pay for your own sin.  God so loved this world that He sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, to live a perfect life free from sin even though He was tempted, then He died on a cruel Roman cross where He endured the physical pain and scorn of the cross and death but He also took the full wrath of God for the sins of all those who would repent and trust in His Name.

So that you do not have to spend eternity in Hell.  So that you CAN have eternal life!  Christ paid the fine!  Turn from your sin (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ today and God will forgive you and grant you eternal life!

God's grace in saving a life...

I post a great deal of videos and other links and such to pro-life materials.  Trying to educate people and get the word out to them that God creates life and that abortion is most definitely murder.  As a result of course I receive, as many of you do who've taken up this mantle as well, many angry criticisms to my inbox complaining that I have no right to say such and that I am anti-women's rights and a bunch of other non-sense.

Well, as many of you know, there are times when you just feel like you absolutely want to just give up.  You feel like nothing you are doing is accomplishing anything and you are just spinning your wheels.

I've been there, then one day about 2 years ago I received an email from a young lady I had known several years prior but had since lost contact.  To give you some background, she was a teenager when I had last been around her, some of her friends attended youth group at the church where I was youth pastor and she didn't come there regularly (she had a different church home) but she had come to a few of the discipleship events we had done. So I knew her as an acquaintance.

Here is the email.

"I wanted to share something with you that really touched me. I recently found out i was pregnant and am only 19. I was not planning on having a baby or even making that a part of my life. I had college and to much fun on my hands or so i thought to be bringing a baby into the world. My parents have raised me in church and I know abortion is wrong but i also knew it was my choice. I thought very hard and actually considered abortion and cried many nights over what to do. Ive been noticing you publishing things on facebook about abortion here lately and watched the video you published today, i really believe that was meant for me from God..to show me what i need to do and follow him. God works wonders and i wanted to share what you and God have helped me with without you even knowing."

I haven't heard much from her in the last year or so, but I do know that she DID give birth to a happy, healthy baby boy and they are doing very well.

So the encouragement to you brethren is to keep fighting the good fight.  Keep proclaiming truth, keep proclaiming the Gospel, and keep doing so in love.

Every time I think about that child I can't help but be humbled at how God used what I thought was not accomplishing anything at all to save a life.  By God's grace, that child is alive and that mother avoided that sin and I am humbled and honored that God would use me and allow me to have any part of that at all.

If you are feeling that what you are doing is pointless... don't give up... press deeper into the grace of Christ and lean more upon His understanding.  His grace is sufficient.  His Word, His truth, will NOT return void without accomplishing what He sends it to do.

If you have a similar story, I'd love to hear it.  Feel free to post it in the comments section below!

Soli Deo Gloria,
j

How do we call ourselves a "civilized" people and yet allow this?

How can we claim to be so much more advanced than previous generations gone by and yet we allow the slaughter of over 4,000 babies per day in the United States alone.  May God have mercy on those who are committing these atrocities and may He Sovereignly choose to draw them unto repentance that they might repent of their sin, not just this but all their sin, and be forgiven by His matchless grace.  Placing their faith in Jesus Christ and hoping in Him alone for salvation.

Here me closely.  Abortion is murder.  Make no mistake.  However, if you have had an abortion... or you are the "doctor" (and I use that term loosely) who has performed an abortion, or the nurse that has aided one... or whatever your role... God will still forgive you.  You cannot out sin God's saving Hand.  Turn to Him this day and be forgiven.  He will forgive you not only for this, for this sin is not the only weight around your neck, but all your sin (1 John 1:9).  Jesus died to take the wrath of God for all your sin.  He is a sufficient and efficient Savior!

Trust Him today.  And to the Believers... rise up and proclaim the Gospel boldly in your communities.  The answer to the problem of rampant abortions is not going to be found in new legislation or hate campaigns... the only way lives and hearts will change is if God saves these individuals... God has called Christians to preach the unadjusted pure Gospel to the lost and dying world.  Let's get on it Christians, preach the Gospel to all that God might send a revival to our nation through the salvation of many!

Modern day Molech Worship

Leviticus 18:21 " 21'You shall not give any of your offspring (Q)to offer them to Molech, nor shall you (R)profane the name of your God; I am the LORD." (NASB)

So I am still working on the blog of the John 3:17-18 blog. But I've been incredibly busy lately and traveling and regret that I've not had the time to write as much as I would like to be.

My family and I have found a church that we are just loving. The people are awesome and the Pastor brings the Word of God each week unashamedly.

Today he preached about America. He talked about how great a nation it was but how history has shown that God raises up nations for His purposes.

Whatever those purposes may be. He mentioned that Rome was one of the greatest nations on the earth 1200 years ago and while it is still a beautiful place, it isn't quite the dominant power it once was. His point was that America should be called to repentance over her idol worship that is stealing away the worship of the One true God. It was an amazing sermon that really made me proud to be an American and at the same time fearful for the future of this great country.

One of his texts used today was out of Leviticus. Basically the entire chapter 18. As he read through the things that Israel was NOT to do I couldn't help but be struck by verse 21. It seemed to stand out to me because out of all the things which God commanded them not to do this verse identified a very specific practice/ false god that the children of Israel were to avoid.

It has been a while since I took a class on the pagan gods of the Bible so I went out to brush up on my history. Basically, Molech was a false deity to whom people sacrificed their children as a form of "worship". He was constructed of metal (picture above) and the base of the statue was left hollow. Inside the base a large fire was built. It would make the entire statue into an entire furnace. Then the children were placed in the arms of the statue which were open and resting in his lap. There they would burn to death while their parents and other people in the community danced and shouted around the idol.

My first reaction was probably the same as many of you. First I thought, those uncivilized monsters! How could they do this!

Then, as I thought on it the rest of today I began to wonder... are we really any different? Are we any better? The answer is a resounding no. True we may not build an altar to Molech in America and lay our children on it to die... but we are no better.

We have replaced the statue with a "dignified" medical building that we refer to as an abortion clinic. We no longer use fire to heat up the furnace at the base, but use fire and chemicals to sterilize the tools that will be used to bring death to the child in the womb. We don't lay our children on the lap of the idol, no do we have a "high priest of Molech" do it. We pay a "doctor"... a so called professional... to do it for us. The shouting and dancing and screaming done at the base of the idol, most likely to cover the sounds of the shrieking child, have been replaced with cries of "a woman's right to choose" and "tissue not human". Clearing our conscience and playing God as if we had any right to decide what life is brought into this world.

It was a gut check for me. Before we are quick to look at anyone else or any other group and declare ourselves more righteous than they, we ought to carefully look at ourselves in the God's mirror... the Law. Paul said in

Romans 3:19-20 (New American Standard Bible)

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the ^A)">(A)Law says, it speaks to ^B)">(B)those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and ^C)">(C)all the world may become accountable to God;

²⁰because ^D)">(D)by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for ^E)">(E)through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

So the Law stops us from justifying ourselves before God. In fact, the Bible says that we would not even KNOW sin BUT by the Law (Romans 7:7). Makes complete rational sense to me.
Satan is the great deceiver. Crafty and good at what he does. And getting better at deceiving as the end nears. Doesn't it stand to reason then that he would eventually replace one false god (Molech) for a false deity that we would less recognize? Namely... ourselves...

We, not only in the realm of abortion, have transgressed the Law of God. Offended the God who has given us the blessing of life. In doing so we all stand before Him guilty. Without Christ we have no hope of a verdict of not-guilty.

As a nation America, I believe, is in danger of becoming a nation such as is referred to in Romans 1. We are day by day creating idols. More and more blatantly we make them... even to the extent that there are televisions shows with the word "IDOL" in them. Justify them how you want, an idol is an idol... how much more plainly can we thumb our nose at God?
Believers, I am calling you to stand in the streets and call this nations people to repentance lest America, more so than already, is handed over to the wicked desires of her people. Warn the people of their impending court date before God and their desperate need for the forgiveness of the Savior Jesus Christ!

This is not an Anti-American blog post. Please don't misconstrue it. I consider myself blessed to have been born in America and want to see this country return to following God as it was founded so many years ago!
God, won't you please bless America by calling her back to You before she strays any further?