The Holiness of Christ - Isaiah, A Picture of Salvation (part 2)

"Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.


I. A Quick Review, from the previous post.

In Isaiah's encounter with the God in the Sixth chapter , we have so far seen

• The sovereignty of God, as He sits on an exalted throne
• The majesty of God, in the train that fills the temple
• The unapproachable glory and transcendence of God, in the covered feet and faces of his seraphim.
• The Holiness of God, and the fullness of His glory in Proclamation of his angels. Also in the the Holy name of Him who sat upon that throne.
• And finally, the reaction of a sinful man as as the pronounced an oracle of doom upon himself, self condemned in the Presence of a Holy God...

II. Isaiah, a picture of Salvation..

Notice that When Isaiah stood in the presence of The Holy one he was extremely conscious of his sin. The condition of a persons heart is shown by his speech.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

-Jeremiah 17:9

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh
- Matthew 12:34

Isaiah knew his heart was wicked, by the very words that proceeded from his mouth, As he Stood in the court of the temple, terrified at the presence of God, a seraphim was sent to the to obtain a fiery coal from the alter. Then, holding the flaming hot coal in it's hand the Angel moved toward Isaiah. The prophet stood, wrecked in sheer terror , and motionless, as the burning hot coal touched his lips. Was the coal not a symbolic act of purification? or perhaps it was a taste of the judgment that would fall upon his people? Either way, one can only imagine the pain he must have felt, as the angel proclaimed "This coal has touched thy lips, your iniquities have been removed and your sin purged. If you were to look to the Hebrew, you would see that the word for "Purged" is Kaphar, and the word kaphar means "atoned."
The Lord of Hosts atoned for, and removed the sins of Isaiah, and as placing the coal upon his lips became a symbol of the purification of his speech, we see God preparing Isaiah for the ministry.
Notice something Also. when Isaiah stood in the presence of God, it was not until after the purging of his sins that the Lord spoke.

"Whom Shall I send, and who will go for Us?"

It is a truth. If you have not been reconciled to God through the Death of his son, If you have not received the Atonement, provided by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you have no relationship with the God, and have no business preaching His Word.

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
-Isaiah 59: 1-2
and
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Psalm66:18

God does not take pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm5:4) and sin separates God from man. He hides His face, and has no fellowship with them. The unredeemed are called "children of the devil" (1 John 3:10) and, before they can become a Child Of God, they must call upon the only one who can mediate between them and the Heavenly Father, The Lord Jesus Christ.

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"
-1 Timothy 2:5

Just as Isaiah stood in the presence of God's Holiness, and saw himself condemned, One who is to come to God MUST realize he is a sinner. No one who stands before God is righteous. (Romans 3:10-13) Isaiah would write later in this very book that all our righteousness is a filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6). How many Christ followers, having never heard the true gospel, have piled high the filthy rags of dead works, thinking that they have been accepted in "The community of faith," yet never repenting of their sins. Instead of coming to Christ with a sorrowful heart for violating His holiness, they gather teachers who butcher the Word of God to justify their iniquity. (2 Timothy 4: 3-4) They have deluded themselves into believing that God, in his love for everyone, will not condemn, and that he will not judge anyone for their sins.

“Through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world ... The whole world. ... In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me ... When Jesus forgave those who nailed him to the cross they were no longer in his debt, nor mine” (William P. Young- The Shack pp. 192, 225).

What a sad day it will be when the people stand before their God of love, with offerings of many wonderful works done in his name, and they hear:

"I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."- Matthew 7:23

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment, Yet we see so little preaching of sin in the pulpit...and even less conviction is seen in the lives of the people who claim to be Children of God. When we are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and we see ourselves sinners before a Holy God, what can we do but realize we are condemned, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) Yet because preachers fail to warn people of the impending judgment, rank open sin goes unconfessed and unforgiven...The call for repentance has been changed to a call of acceptance and tolerance...yet Jesus Christ has made it clear:

'I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish"- Luke 13:3

Isaiah stood before God, guilty and Hopeless but God chose to show him mercy. This act of mercy is available to anyone who will repent and come to Christ. "For as the wages of Sin is death, the GIFT OF GOD is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23)

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,"

and

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:4, 5- 9, 10

We once again see the pattern. Those who are saved are created for the purpose of doing good works. First God saves, and then God sends...He purged Isaiah of his sins and then He asked
for a messenger. Isaiah said, "Here am I, send me." Notice he did not say, "Here I am," as that would be a statement of location. God already knew where Isaiah was... He said, "Here am I." Isaiah was offering himself to God. A living sacrifice, for as tradition has it, Isaiah was martyred...
God calls all of his Children to be living sacrifices. Holy and acceptable unto Him. (Romans 12:1) it is your spiritual worship, and your reasonable service...We are responsible for preaching and exposing error (2 Timothy 4:1-3) as God has no fellowship with false prophets and teachers.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

(2Peter2:1-3)

Next- The Holiness of Christ- Jesus is the Lord of Hosts

The Holiness of Christ - The LORD of Hosts (part 1)

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." -Isaiah 6: 1-5


In my walk with God I have heard many sermons on His holiness, and in practically every one this passage, or parts of it were quoted. Much of what you read may be a repeat of what I have learned From such Great men of God as R.C. Sproul, and Jerry Bridges, and S.L.Johnson, whose sermons and books on God's Holiness are of necessity for anyone who desires to Learn of the truths of this divine Attribute of God.

In the prior studies on the attribute of God's Holiness I have only briefly mentioned this passage, because I feel that some great truths, concerning The Lord Jesus Christ can be gleaned from this vision of Isaiah... truths that are lost in our present culture of Play- doh Christianity... I will not spend a serious amount of time ranting about the Christ of the post modern/ liberal / Emergent Culture, as the illustration to the right pretty much sums up how "So called Christianity" views it's savior today. No, this time I would like to dive straight into the Word of God itself and glean the truths concerning our precious savior. Truths that fall unseen before the spiritually blind as they cling to a false idol of their own making.

Isaiah chapter 6

In this portion of scripture we see The prophet of Isaiah's vision in the sanctuary of Solomon's temple, There is no specific time mentioned except it was in the year that Uzziah died, that being 757 B.C. Uzziah was an example of a good king who made the mistake of violating the holiness of God. After living a life pleasing in the sight of God, and accomplishing much for the kingdom of Judah, Uzziah sought, in his pride to put himself in a place where God did not intend him to be. He wanted to burn incense in the sanctuary of the LORD, a privilege that The Lord set aside solely for the Levites. As eighty-one priests went into the sanctuary to resist him, and warn him to leave , God smote Uzziah, in his pride and anger, with leprosy. Uzziah was thrust out of the Temple and lived the rest of his life quarantined, until he died...
It was this in this year that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prophet of God, saw the glorious vision as it appeared to him. How rich the wonderful truths are found in this passage .

I. A Vision of God

Isaiah's vision is a wellspring of great truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. His deity, His sovereignty, and His holiness are all seen clearly in this passage of Scripture, in addition, we will see the theological truth on the doctrine of a Christophany. But before we come to those truths, lets start with a detailed study of Isaiah's encounter with The Lord Of Hosts.

A) The Throne
In verse one we see that Isaiah saw The Lord, and in this vision He was sitting on a throne.
Throughout the Bible a throne is a symbol of authority for the person who sits on it. It denotes kingship, and sovereignty. Notice that this throne that Isaiah saw was "high and lifted up"... it did not touch the earth, it was suspended in the air... it was not just an earthly throne, it was a heavenly throne, he saw it for what it was, the exalted throne of God.

B) The Train
Perhaps you have seen a Hollywood movie where a king was passing through his court, and his long cape draped behind him, carried by servants. Or maybe you have seen a bride at a wedding, who during the ceremony walked with a flowing train of her dress trailing behind her.. Symbolically, the longer the train, the more majestic the person wearing it...Isaiah noticed that the train of The Lord's robe , that part which hung down from The Lord's throne, filled the temple..., a testimony to his majesty of The Lord...The Lord who is Sovereign, Exalted and Majestic.

C) The Seraphim
Isaiah also saw above the Throne a number of creatures that he identified as "Seraphim"
These creatures stood above the throne. How powerful must they have been to be so close in proximity to the face of The Lord. Powerful beings indeed when you consider that man can not, even for the slightest moment, glance upon God's face. (Exodus 33:20)
The sseraphim are fiery creatures...Their name is taken from the word meaning "burning." (Heb. "saraph") Some Consider this to refer to their color, being that of copper, (Strong's) yet I believe that they were literal fiery creatures, standing in attendance of God on His Throne.

" And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." -Hebrews 1:7, Psalm 104:4

Now each of these flaming creatures had Six wings, and each set of wings had a specific purpose.
The first set mentioned covered the angels face... perhaps to veil him from the Glory of God. As close as they were and as powerful as they must have been to stand in His presence, they still had to veil themselves from direct contact with The Lords Face.
The second set mentioned covered their feet...a form of reverence..

"And he [GOD] said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground". - Exodus 3:5

Feet... Why would the seraph have to cover their feet? Do feet symbolize a connection to creation?
Moses standing in the presence of God's holiness was commanded to remove his shoes. As lso was Joshua (Joshua5:15.) It seems whenever man encounters the presence of holiness, he is told to remove his shoes. It is considered by many to be a sign of reverence to the holy, such as one would remove his hat when entering the church, yet I feel that there could be a deeper meaning. Perhaps, by wearing shoes in the presence of holiness, a connection is broken of man from the ground... and in that sense, the separation is considered to be an exaltation... a lifting up of man from the earth that he came from...Mans connection to the ground is a symbol of his being a creature...
Is it possible that this is why the seraphim's feet were hidden? Maybe feet, being symbols of a created being, were to be hidden when they weren't connected to the creation... In other words The seraphim when lifted up with the throne of God, were required to hide their connection to the creation...that being their feet...
I am sure that muddied the water up a little... but the third set were for the purpose of transportation... they flew with 'em...simple e'nuff...

D) The Proclamation of the Angels.
As Isaiah goes further in describing the vision of God, he comes to hear the voice of the seraphim as they stand above the Throne of God, he is not clear how many serephim were there, maybe the fact that he did not give a specific number, shows that there were more than he could count in the short time before he succumbed to his encounter with God, or perhaps it is possible that their message was more important than the number of those proclaiming it. None the less their proclamation, refereed to by theologians as the "Trihagion" (Thrice holy) reveals several truths concerning He who sits on the throne
God is Holy- Bible truth reveals the one attribute that describes everything that God is and does, is His Holiness. Notice that the seraphim pronounce him Holy, Holy, Holy. It is common knowledge that when a Jewish man sought to emphasize something important, in both writing and speech, he would repeat a phrase. He would use repetition like we use bold letters, italics, and ALL CAPS.
Jesus Christ throughout the gospels would show emphasis on the truth of His teachings by using the words "Truly, truly I say unto you." the repetition of the word "truly" showed the importance of what He had to say.
Now notice that seraphim did not just proclaim that God was Holy, they proclaimed he was Holy, Holy, Holy. Few things
in the Bible are repeated to the third degree, and of God's Attributes, only his Holiness is given such emphasis... nowhere do we find any other attribute or emotion (love) being elevated to such great importance... In addition this repetition of the word Holy, also proclaims the "triune" nature of God, for all the members of the Godhead are Holy... (Matthew 1:18, John17:11, Acts 4:27).
If you look back to the beginning of the text, notice that Isaiah said that he saw the Lord...notice the word Lord in the English, the way it is written (Capital "L", lower case "ord")
This is the English translation of the Hebrew word "Adonay." this is the word chosen by the Jewish people, in speech,when referring to God, as opposed to His personal name. This was done for fear of blasphemy. the Jews took great pains to keep from blaspheming His holy name. The seraphim on the other hand had no problem using God's personal name when proclaiming his holiness...
They called him "Yehweh of the hosts" or Jehovah of the armies ...in English the letters for LORD , are all uppercase. This name and title refers to the fact that God is the sovereign over the armies of heavenly angels, as well as the armies of Israel. Jehovah Sabaoath, is Holy, Holy, Holy! And the Whole earth is full of His Glory.

E) The reaction of Isaiah.
We can properly assume that the writing of Isaiah's encounter with God was well after the fact, as when it actually happened, the time between His eyes seeing the throne, and his reaction concerning his spiritual status was at best mere seconds. It took Isaiah not long at all to realize Whose presence he was standing in, and how rotten he was as he stood before God, in His Holiness...His first reaction was to pronounce doom on himself.
Notice the word "WOE"- This word in the Hebrew is a extreme passionate cry of despair. Perhaps you have heard a Jewish person loudly exclaim "Oy Veh ish meir" in a time of distress...That person is saying "WOE IS ME". Now for the prophet, the exclamation of " woe" has a more significant meaning and it is found in the concept of the oracle...
The "oracle" is a single word that often prefaces a prophetic utterance. In the Bible it comes in two forms, the first is an oracle of Weal, or welfare... and the second is an oracle of WOE, or doom. The Lord Jesus used both of these in his speeches. In the beatitudes He used the oracle of weal in the form of the word "Blessed." -(Matthew 5:3-11) In His open condemnation of the scribes and pharisees, He proceeded each rebuke with an oracle of "Woe." (Matthew 23: 13-33) Understanding the impact of the oracle of woe shows the severity of God's judgment on those who receive it.
And it is with this we can understand how Isaiah felt, as he pronounced doom upon himself... "WOE is me for I am undone". Isaiah proclaimed himself dead, cut off, destroyed in the presence of The LORD... Why? What was the FIRST thing that came to mind as he struggled function in Gods presence? "For I am a man of unclean lips". It was his foul mouth...Perhaps he knew that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34) Perhaps he knew his heart was wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9) He saw himself condemned because of his mouth. He stood self condemned in the presence of God.

"For mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts " -verse 5

Who did Isaiah see sitting on the throne? Isaiah saw the KING. He saw JEHOVAH SABAOTH

But though he [Jesus] had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. -John 12:37-41

Isaiah saw JESUS CHRIST!

THE HOLINESS OF CHRIST - Isaiah, A Picture of Salvation (Part 2)...coming soon

God's Defining Attribute. Pt.2- Holiness

I. The Holiness of God

"There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. "-I Samuel 2:2

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"- Exodus 15: 11

When making a case for the Holiness of God we must first consider the facts.

1) The holiness of God, unlike his love, is a constant. as you will soon see, it is ever present in every thing He is and does.

2) Holiness is the one adjective that is most used to describe God throughout the Bible.

3) Man, created in the image of God, received the ability to express every emotion common with God, even when corrupted by the fall... Man has never been transcendentally holy. Only God is Holy in his very nature..

II. Holiness defined

1) Holiness: Heb: qôdesh-BDB Definition: 1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
- Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew definitions

2)Holiness: Grk: G40 -ἅγιος- hagios- hag'-ee-os From ἅγος, hagos (an awful thing) compare G53, [H2282]; sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.- Strong's Notes

Holiness by definition is best defined as transcendence, that which is apart, or separate from everything else.
Concerning God it refers to His separation, or his apartness from his creation. In the Greek, holy is shown to mean separate, sacred , morally pure...Blameless.... Personally I think a good definition is Transcendent Perfection in being..
Our God is Holy, His Holiness is what completely separates Him from His Creation. And as you will see man does everything he can to separate himself from God's Holiness.
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III. Holiness Of God.... FINALLY!
When dealing Honestly with the Holiness of our Sovereign Lord we must, automatically see the corruptness in our own hearts. A true glimpse of the His Holiness causes an honest man to shrink in shame and terror. A careful look into the lives of the apostles and prophets shows the results of true encounters with God, in his holiness. Ezekiel who after seeing a vision of God, fell upon his face, and had to be lifted up by the Spirit. (Eze 1:28) Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, considered himself broken and stumbling, like a pitiful drunk in the presence of Holiness. (Jer 23:9) Peter also, stood astonished in the presence of The Lord Jesus, asked him to depart, because He[Peter] was a sinful man, (Lk5:8) and who could forget Poor Isaiah, struggling to keep his sanity in Gods Holy presence, because of his filthy mouth. (Isa 6)

Perhaps this is why The Holiness of God is avoided like the plague. In our age of "Jesus is my homeboy" and "God is my Copilot," we have replaced The Holy God with a a nice Loving god of Play-doh, which we can mold to fit our sinful ways. So corrupt we have become that we have reduced God to the "Old man Upstairs." Jesus has become a major marketing gimmick where anything from worldly music, or poorly written literature, to clothing, and even common of trinkets can be sanctified, simply by adding "Jesus" to it. Instead of being transformed, we seek to conform to this world and all the garbage in it. Rank sin is now overlooked as the "seeker sensitive/social acceptance gospel" brings wicked, unrepentant men and women into positions of authority in our church.... Holiness and sin are seldom mentioned in the pulpit, as the apostates and liberals daily push the envelope of decency further toward the God of this world... Yet the Bible still commands...

..."Be ye holy; for I am holy."- I Peter 1:16

IV. God is Holy

1) God is holy in his character:

"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel"- Psalm 22:3

"Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are."- John 17:11

David in his beautiful psalm of Messianic prophecy, proclaimed that God is Holy. God is Holy in his very character. Throughout the Bible He is called Holy. Even the Lord Jesus Christ, mere hours before he was to fulfill the prophecies in David's psalm, lifted his voice to the heavens, using a name so reverent, that it appears only once in the entire bible...Holy Father...Holy father... Not the pope, or any man... No one but God, Our Heavenly Father, should ever be addressed by that name...

2) God's name is Holy

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.- Luke 1:49

There are two ways one might look at this, each with equal merit, For in the Bible, The word "name" not only refers to personal address, it also refers to the title of the person addressed.
Our savior was given the name Jesus as a personal name, (Matthew 1:25) but He also had names which were titles, describing who he was (Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 9:6). So as we look at this small part of Mary's song of Praise, let us realize that:

• God's name is Holy... In personal address. The devout Jew, for fear of blasphemy, will not utter the sacred name of God, The very Name which is so sacred too him is replaced by the title "Adonay" being interpreted, "The Lord". It is also said that when His name was written scribes would clean their pens before, and after the sacred name was put to parchment...Taking the name of the Lord in vein was a sin that the Jewish people went to great lengths to avoid...Even Jesus Himself, in giving the example of How to pray, started with an exclamation of Praise to God in his very nature. He proclaimed, before anything else, that His Father's name be regarded as Holy. (Matthew 6:9). God's Name is holy.

• Holy is His name in title...Mary being a devout lady, knowing the actual name of God, pronounced Holy also as his title, acknowledging His holiness in choosing her as the mother of our Savior. God's name is Holy, and God is holy..

3) God's Works are Holy

The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.- Psalm 145:17

As seen clearly in the previous posts, you can show that not all of God's works are motivated by love, But Holiness Is found in everything he does. His love is Holy, His mercy is Holy, His wrath is a Holy wrath, and He is holy in his justice.. You can not separate God from his holiness, for in doing so, He would cease to Be God... God is holy in his works...

4) God swears by his Holiness

In His promises- "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me."- (Psalm 89:35)

And in His judgment- "The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks."- (Amos 4:2)

When God swears by the one thing that is absolutely inherent in His very nature, it's a done deal...period.

So much more can be written about God's holiness, and so much more has, by men of far greater renown than I, however I would like to end this with one last thing.

5) The beauty of God is his holiness.

"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in beauty of holiness.- 1Chronicles 16:29

"Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."- Psalm 29:2

God command's us to be holy, as He is Holy. and we are told to worship him in the beauty of holiness. Please read carefully this passage in First Peter

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.- I Peter 1:13-16

Twice we see the holiness of God Proclaimed in these verses, Look with your eyes. Read it aloud, and let it sink into your ears... We, who name Jesus Christ as our savior, are to be HOLY... not conforming ourselves after the lusts we were supposed to leave behind. No longer is it enough to spend six days filling our hearts and minds with the FILTH of Hollywood and the music industry, But now, using the excuse of "relevance," that very garbage is being dragged into the "worship" service... on the Lord's Day! Shame, and woe on the preacher who is so bereft of the Holy Spirit of God that the should gather sermon material from "Star Wars" or "I Love Lucy" or any other trash pulled from the screens of that godless industry.... Shame and Woe to the so-called worship leaders who Blast out secular garbage, or "Jesus or my boyfriend" music in the Service, like some drunken bar band! and those shallow repetitive choruses that have all the spiritual depth of a thimble full of water! You will give an account to God for your sin...Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness, for Christ has no concord with Belial, and light had no communion with darkness! (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18) We are COMMANDED to come out from among them and Be separate! Mark my words, we will all give an account, not only those who do it, but also those who sit on their "seats of Do nothing" and allow it to happen...

And How do I end this... for in pointing the finger at everyone else I must acknowledge that I am no better. In the mirror of God's Holiness, I am just as guilty, of allowing my soul to be spoon fed by the God of this world. And If you are Honest with yourself, before God, you will feel the same way... be honest...

I said at the beginning, that when we are dealing with the holiness of our sovereign Lord, we must see the corruptness of our own heart. Sin, in our hearts and lives, is the reason
we avoid the subject and the study of God's Holiness... No one is more blind to the truth than he who refuses to see.. But for those who do, praise God, in his mercy, that He gives us this precious promise.

"If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth, But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship, one with another, And the BLOOD of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sins."- I John 1:6-7.

Praise the Lord for his mercy....

Part three- The Holiness of Jesus Christ...
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God's Defining Attribute. Pt.1- Love

The defining attribute of God. The one quality of God that defines His very nature. The one characteristic of Our Lord that is inherent in everything that He is...and does.
Why do we seek to pigeon-hole God into a single quality? Is not the Lord of creation glorious and perfect in all attributes and emotions? For years this very subject has been a matter of debate, and entire theologies have been formed around this very concept..but why? Perhaps as finite human creatures , not being able to comprehend the nature of an Infinite being, we seek to grasp something concrete, something in which we can "Sum up" the entirety of God's eternal attributes with one convenient word, and in doing so have a ready answer the the question "Who (or what) is God?" Perhaps in our choice of a defining attribute we seek to emphasize what we consider the more pleasant aspect of God, as opposed to something which would require us to deal with our own personal shortcomings... namely, our sin.

How do we determine what single attribute can describe God? Before answering, we should consider the following:

1) The defining Attribute of God should be a constant. It has to be a something that does not change in the Nature of God. A characteristic that is consistent in absolutely everything He has done, or will do.

2) An Emotion? Up until now you might have noticed that I have mentioned little of emotions.
While Emotions have been used to describe nature of God, only one, that being "love" has been, and still is, used to describe God's ontological being.

The problem with this is that emotions are not a constant. In order for an emotion to define everything that God is, it Should be consistent in everything he does.. For Love to be considered the preeminent attribute of God, every thought, every word, and every action must be permeated with that emotion, every time He moves to express himself. And Therein lies the problem. Not every act committed by God is an expression of his love.
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I. The Wrath of God (See previous blog)

There is no way to reconcile the love of God with the the final judgment, which is described as pure, unmixed wrath-Revelation 14:9-10.

II. Esau.

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."- Romans 9: 13

The Greek word for "hated" leaves no doubt of God's feelings toward the brother of Jacob.

1) HATED-G3404-μισέω- "miseō" -Thayer Definition: 1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest 2) to be hated, detested Part of Speech: verb

Paul in his Epistle makes a reference to Esau that is traced back to Malachi 1:3 .

"And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. "- Malachi 1:3

The Hebrew confirms what was translated in the Greek:

2) Hated-H8130- śânê' -saw-nay'-A primitive root; to hate (personally): - enemy, foe, (be) hate (-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.

NOTE: The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) in Malachi 1:3 shows the same Greek word for "hated" as the New Testament Greek text cited in Romans 9:13 (Gr- Miseo)

The Biblical text makes it quite clear... You can not reconcile the "all encompassing" love of God with his hatred of Esau.

The Bible says God is love. (I John 4:8 and 16) and of all the emotions that are expressed by God, perhaps it is the greatest. But it is an emotion in which even God has a limit. The belief that God can not act apart from love, which is a popular notion among the church today is false, as is seen in the previous texts. Knowing this, you must ask yourself, Can Love Be God's Defining attribute? Would it not be more proper to consider God's Holiness as His supreme attribute? I personally believe yes, and in the next post, we will examine why...
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Penal Substitution, and The Love of God.

A few weeks ago I examined a few verses showing the depravity of man, culling truth from many New Testament promises that exclaimed the before/ after effects of redemption. A comprehensive list of 45 characteristics shown the status of the unredeemed man Before God. Anyone with eyes that can see, would realize that the picture of the unredeemed in the New Testament is bleak and hopeless before a Holy God.
It was my original intention to continue the study by examining what the Old Testament says about the sinner standing before God. What follows was to be the groundwork for the next post... however God in his providence, had lead me to chase another rabbit, and in doing so Establish a truth that has become a problem in much of what is called Christianity today.
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I. God's primary attribute- LOVE?

"Do you believe that God does anything that is not motivated by love? 'Cause love is his ontological character, it's his being." -Paul Young, author of "The Shack" from an interview with Pastor Kendal Adams.

The defining attribute of God has always been a debate among theologians throughout the ages, and in this day and age, when the "seeker sensitive/ social acceptance gospel" message is puked up by another salvo of liberal clergy and theologians, the love of God has become so all encompassing, that it overshadows and even eliminates any of his other attributes. Case in point, Mr. Young, who is a spokesman for emergent Christianity.
Young, like all others of his theological persuasion, see God as being so loving that EVERY act he preforms is motivated by this emotion, even at the expence of his other attributes. Those who hold to this have to twist major portions of scripture to promote their views. Improper exegesis is all to common among people who hold this position, as seen in his [Young's] book, which is awash with the false doctrine of "Universal Atonement."
However, Paul Young does asks a valid question. Does God Do Anything that is not motivated by Love? After all...

... "God is Love"-I John 4: 8- (intentionally wrested from it's context...)


In Answering this one question, we can see whether God's Love is His "very being", His "ontological nature," as Paul would have it. We can disprove this by simply finding one instance of God doing something that is not motivated by His love...

II. The Wine of God's Wrath

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb"-Revelation 14:10

I want to avoid going into the nature and duration of God's punishment, and just concentrate on the metaphor that describes God's anger. It is called The wine of the Wrath of God, poured into the cup of his indignation.
The Greek words which are translated "wrath" and "indignation," testify to the emotional status of God at the time of Judgment.

Wrath- Grk. -Thumos: passion, angry, heat, anger forthwith boiling up and soon subsiding again

Indignation-Grk.- Orgay:- movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but especially anger- Thayer"s Lexicon of New Testament Greek

God's judgment is described as a cup of His violent anger, filled with His boiling wrath. This wine of God's intense anger is poured out "Without mixture" as it forced upon those who are being judged...

A little study into the history of wine Shows that throughout the Bible, it was a common beverage, used for various purposes. It was mixed with water to control the strength, and it was mixed with spices to add flavor, and also for medicinal purposes.

God's wrath and indignation are emotions in the above text, that have no mixture. There is no other emotion added to water down God's wrath... There is no other emotion to make the cup of His fierce anger more palatable.... There is no other emotion, to deaden the pain and anguish that will be experienced by the pitiful souls who are so foolish as to refuse the precious free gift of God!

Could this not be the very Cup that Jesus Christ, in His anguish, took upon himself to Drink, as he succumbed to His Fathers will, in the Garden of Gethsemane?

"Father , if thou be willing take this CUP from me, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done"- Luke 22:42

It was this very Cup that our precious savior, in His absolute love for us, drank deeply from as His bloody, bruised, and beaten body was nailed to a filthy cross. As the sin of every man who would Come to God was laid upon Him, Our precious savior took upon himself the fullness of God's undiluted wrath. He took upon himself OUR sin and He endured the wrath that WE deserved, even refusing the medicinal wine, mixed with myrrh, given him to dull the horrible pain of his crucifixion- Mark 15: 23 . As He hung upon the cross, wounded for OUR transgressions, and Crushed for OUR iniquities, The divine prophecy was fulfilled...God saw the travail of Christs soul, and was SATISFIED. -Isaiah 53:11 How Great the love of the Lord Jesus Christ for enduring the punishment we deserve!

Who would have the unmitigated gall to deny the penal substitutionary death of Christ? Who would have the absolute audacity to deny the love that Jesus Christ expressed in giving his very life for the lost???

Ironically the very ones who claim that God's love is his defining attribute... including Paul Young...

God's love is an emotion, it is not his defining attribute... You cannot reconcile the judgment of God on the unredeemed with his love, as His judgment is only pure undiluted wrath. - Revelation 14:10

Does God do anything that is not motivated by love? The answer is yes... But Praise be to our Most High and Loving God, that HE has provided a sacrifice, in his own son, and a Free Gift to those who will accept it.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not parish, but have everlasting life... John 3:16

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THIS will be continued in the next post: God's Defining Attribute...Holiness.
-SOLI DIO GLORIA!

The Universal Atonement Dilemma (As seen in a flow chart)

Sometimes a christian man gets to much time to think. It is Independence day, and I am , as with most holidays, spending it alone. Since my family has all grown and gone, I find myself in a situation that would depress many middle age men. Yet in my solitude, I can honestly say that I have my most enjoyable times, for it is at this time that I can lose myself in prayer, and contemplation on the things of God.
I can read, without distraction, play my recorders, without annoying, pray without interruption. and enjoy peaceful fellowship with my Father and the The Lord Jesus. It is my sincere hope that You who read this are having a Happy Fourth...
Now to the blog. (Double click the chart for a larger picture)
I have not always leaned to reformed theology. As an Independent Baptist, I was spooked with various pamphlets and articles on the Dangers of "Hyper Calvinism." At best I was a "2 point" Calvinist" With a slight lean to 3...Also as an Independent Baptist, I can't recall any clear and concise teachings on predestination.
One Day a dear Pentecostal brother of mine introduced me to R.C. Sproul. He Gave me a book as a gift, called, "The Holiness of God." From the First page of the book I was hooked. In the following months I purchased Several of his writings, and eventually came upon his book, "Essential Truths of the Christian Faith."
It was there that I hit a wall. I read the section of the book on predestination, and quickly realized that he was a "Calvinist." I continued to read his works, avoiding his views on predestination like the plague.
Yet something kept eating at me to investigate. So I set to do a topical study on predestination.
I bought Sproul's "Chosen By God, " and for a balanced view, "Chosen but free" by Norm Geisler.
Books and Bible in hand, with much prayer, I took to the study. By the time I was done, God's sovereignty won out over free will, and I jumped from a "2 to 3 point" Calvinist to a 4 pointer...
Still struggling with the Doctrine of Limited Atonement. There were so many scriptures that showed Christ dying for THE WORLD, and that ALL should come to repentance. I continued in what was to me a major struggle, that ended when was introduced to Pastor Jim McClarty.
To make what is already a long story short, Jim's teaching finally settled my dilemma. He not only was able to expound on all the "Questionable Scriptures", He used simple logic to draw the teaching of "Universal Atonement" to it's logical conclusion. Hence, after much notebook scribbling, software failing, and Microsoft Paint struggling, The above Flow chart. titled "The "Universal Atonement Dilemma." It started as a notebook doodle drawn while attending my little buddies t-ball game, and blossomed into this fine piece of artwork you see above..
And coming out on the heals of the "Emergent Flow Chart" posted in "Pyromaniacs"
this post seemed most timely... At least to me.

Dilemma-"A problem that seems to defy a satisfactory solution."

Could this more than describe the teaching of Universal Atonement? As You can see from the chart, there is no way to show that universal atonement, can be biblical. you are either forced to believe in universalism, or you must limit the atonement in a way that contrasts what is Clearly taught in God's Word.
In Closing, This meager artist rendering is not set in stone... If you can find a way to throw a wrench in the works, feel free to comment as always, but if you can't, a word study on the words "WORLD" and "All" might be of some help in answering this puzzle. If all else fails, there is a link in the sidebar to Grace Christian Assembly, the website where you can find the teachings if Pastor Jim McClarty. Humorous, Easy to understand, and Filled with Bible Scripture, his "Doctrines of Grace" sermon series is some of the best teaching on reformed theology I have seen to date...
In the near future , Lord Willing I will do a companion Flowchart on Limited Atonement...But for now, May the Lord Bless you... Happy 4th!

Tackling the Tough Issues pt.3- Sexual Immorality...

In an effort to complete this series, I would like to take some time to deal with the rest of the sexuality issue. I sometimes wonder if many of those Christians who speak out against the gay and lesbian crowed really have a right to lay judgment on them at all? So in this post I would like to deal with sexual immorality as a whole...
I would like to start by examining what standard God has set concerning the sexual relationship, but I would like to approach it from a different angle...

I picture a time way back in my childhood where I really wanted to go by myself to a movie theater. I was in the first grade, and the movie was "Kelly's Heroes" I only knew it was a war movie and that it had Clint Eastwood in it.. When I asked for my loving mother's permission, She simply told me "no". As my rebellious human nature manifested itself, I begged and pleaded and cried and whimpered, taxing my dear mother's patience to the breaking point. Finally gathering my anger and frustration into the formation of a single-word-spoiled-brat whine, I blurted out "WHY?!?!" My mother, never feeling that I should have a reasonable answer, simply held her temper and exclaimed..."Because I said So!" Have you had a similar experience? Is this perhaps how you feel about some of God's more tedious commandments?
There are many verses that openly condemn certain sexual practices, and it seems easy to rattle off those verses in a fashion that sparks the human nature into rebellion. Often God is thought of as a "Cosmic Killjoy" who finds no greater pleasure than to ruin anything gratifying in the life of his lowly creation... That is How many people feel, even among Christians. I know, I was one of 'em'. So, instead of just taking God's commands against sexual immorality and acknowledging His sovereignty, swallowing it like a bitter pill, I would like to play the spoiled brat, and Ask... WHY? Unlike the answer we often get from our parents, God has a reason why He he forbids us, and that reason is not just an issue of his sovereignty. Let's look in God's word for the answer...

1. The Standard God Set
From the very beginning, God had a standard for the proper relationship between a couple...it is found in the first two chapters of Genesis..

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"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth"- (Genesis 1:27-28)
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.---And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof - And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto 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 shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:18, 22-24)

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In the creation account (Genesis 1) God Created man in his own image and likeness, both male and female. This day is fleshed out into more detail in chapter two. God in the 6th day created man, and planted a garden for him to tend, with everything he could ever want or need to sustain his life. Yet as He placed Adam in the garden God realized that it was NOT GOOD for him to be alone. Perhaps As God set him to the task of naming all the animals of His creation, Adam saw the relationship between the male and female of each species. and noticing there was not a helper for him, longed for companionship himself (v. 20) God already aware of his need, anesthetized Adam and removed from him that part from which he formed woman. (V.22) One can only imagine the response of Adam when he saw the beautiful creature God set before him, When he said:

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: She shall be called woman."

And from this beginning, from the mutual love that Adam and Eve had for each other, the first marriage covenant was formed

2. The Marriage Covenant

Now before we move on I would like to examine the marriage covenant at the start by making a few observations

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" Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (v 24)

Obviously, it was God's intention for this relationship from the very beginning to have one man and one woman. Yet throughout history, everything from multiple wives and concubines to divorces and alternate lifestyles, man in his sinful nature has sought to pervert Gods plan in any way that he sees fit. This has carried on even to the present day. Even in Christ's time the pharisees seeking to question Jesus concerning divorce were answered with the following statement:

"For the hardness of your heart he [Moses] wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."(Mark 10 5-9)

Jesus Christ himself, (who incidentally, was present with/as God in the time of Adam) stated the terms for marriage straight out of the Writings of Moses, Only with a little addition.. GOD joins them together... Marriage is a covenant of one man and one woman joined together by God. A bond that is not meant to be broken by man...

• The TWO shall become ONE flesh

I think that oftentimes we fail to grasp the significance of this. When man leaves his mother and father, and woman as well, God joins them as one flesh. Two distinct beings joined not spiritually, and not mentally, but as one BODY. Mentally and spiritually distinct, but the physical nature of each is joined, and they are no longer two bodies, but ONE.
Now the physical nature of man is important to recognize here, for this reason:

"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature" Romans 1:26

I would like to set aside the obvious meaning of the passage to grab a small nugget of truth that's important here... Man has a natural use... God has provided man and woman with a body whose various parts are made for a specific function, and the use of these parts for anything other than their intended purpose is considered "against nature', I think you can see where I am heading here.... and if not let me make it clear.
The Natural union of two individuals can only be accomplished in a relationship between a male and a female. I believe that this natural use in it's greatest scene is what is meant by the two becoming one flesh...

3. Summing It Up

So taking what we have learned, how can we apply this to a reason for why God does not look favorably on certain sexual practices?
For sexual union to be blessed by God it must meet the following criteria...

• It must be an act which does not violate the natural use of the person's body

Referring back to Romans 1:26, anything contrary to the natural use is called a "vile affection"

• this can only be accomplished in a union between a man and a woman

Stretch your brain here, think about it as two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle...

• and this only within the covenant of marriage

Is that all? (as if that weren't enough) no... there is one more thing and it is something that is found back in the beginning of our text

• "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth," (Genesis1:28)

It is generally thought that the only commandment given to Adam and Eve was to not eat of the tree in the center of the garden. However many seem to overlook this verse and in doing so we overlook an important point. The natural union between a man and a woman, always allows for the possibility of procreation...
In summation, let us gather everything into a single doctrinal statement, and with that we will actually have a standard to measure the sexual union, and a reason why God condemns certain sexual practices.

God's Standard: The sexual union must be an expression of love between a male and a female within the covenant of marriage, that does not violate the natural use of the body, and has the end result of the possibility of procreation...

4.Self Application

Now The hard questions: Is what you find sexually gratifying falling within the parameters of what God has set in his standard? If not, do you have a right to judge others who are in the same position, no matter how serious you consider their sin compared to yours? Anything that is a violation of the standard set by God is a sin. Without getting any more graphic I challenge you to examine whether you conform to God's word in this area, especially if you intend to lay judgment on others

Here, to the best of my ability, are the answers concerning the tough issue of sexual immorality and, as always, you can feel free to disagree, but I am convinced that this is what The Bible says concerning the sexual issue. Feel free to dialogue with me if you disagree... Chao till we meet again...

Tackling the Tough Issues-Homosexuality

Homosexuality is a big issue in the country today, Gay man and lesbians are pushing for rights they feel they deserve, The right to adopt children, to be married, to be treated with dignity, and respect. Major hot topic issues, that should be dealt with with grace and tact. I live in a community where homosexuality is prominent. I have had gay and lesbian friends, even had a lesbian room mate for a few. They have always been friendly and courteous to me. I have never had an issue with any of them.

So it really grieves me when I see blanket condemnation of Gays and lesbians, from certain of those who are of the faith. Beating them in the head with the Bible, having a total disregard for the love of Christ, and driving them further from the opportunity to experience the saving Grace of God.
On the other hand, there are those who claim to be of the faith, who seek to embrace them in their lost condition, Showing them an acceptance of their lifestyle, in the love of God, and not warning them what the Bible actually says. They openly say that the Bible is not clear, or what the Bible does say is buried in a historical context of the given passages... They fail to deal with the gays and lesbians honestly, tickling their ears' and depriving them of the true message of love and grace that God offers them.
What does the Bible say about the issue of homosexuality? I am a christian, and although it has not been asked of me yet, This question will eventually have to be answered, especially in light of the fact that homosexuality is becoming more prevalent in our culture at a very fast rate.
I am Conservative in my faith. I believe the Bible is the Spiritual and moral standard, which with, to the best of my ability, I am to govern my life... So as Martin Luther once said, "My mind is constrained by the Word of God." In all issues of life it is my Duty to seek the mind of God, by careful study and application of His Holy Word. Please hear me out as I hopefully, with Grace and love, show what the Bible says concerning this issue of homosexuality. This is sparse overview, and for the sake of space and sanity, I omitted some references that did not have to do with the subject at hand.
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Beginning with Creation of man.
When God created Adam, He looked down on him and said "It is not good that man should dwell alone, I will make a helper for him" (Genesis 2)
The helper, was called woman. God established this relationship from the beginning, a relationship that consists of one man, and one woman. Adam and Eve. this was a relationship blessed by God, and He set the man and the woman on a course that would continue throughout the generations.
"Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1). In this relationship God also established the covenant of marriage. "Therefore man shall leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh"(Genesis 2).
So we see here from the beginning, God has established his plan for the covenant of marriage, and the purpose for sexual union, in which procreation is the end result. (remember this we will refer back to it.)
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The Fall
I do not feel I need to go in to detail about the fall of man, lets just say that That Adam and Eve biffed it. As a result The generations that followed, all spiritually separated from God, proceed to do that which was right in their own eyes, "Do as God says" changed to "Do what thou wilt." Man spread throughout all the earth, Erected great cities, Worshiped Idols created by their own hands or in their own minds. They totally abandoned their creator. The Apostle Paul commented on this in his epistle to the Romans.
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Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1: 21-32)

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Now, before you start to cry that this is ripped out of it's historical or cultural context, let me say this.
Paul is not just talking about the culture of the Roman Empire. He said that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against ALL unrighteousness and ungodliness of men. (Romans 1:18)
The historical context is established in this verse. ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
Looking at the text we see that because they refused to acknowledge their creator, He gave them up to uncleanness, to dishonor their own bodies. Vile affections, Where women and men changed the natural use to that which is against nature. The Bible says there is a natural use for your body, that natural use was established in the beginning, before the fall of man. It is one woman one man, in the covenant of marriage with the end result of the possibility of procreation. anything we do that violates God's original plan, is considered against nature...but we will deal with that more later
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Sodom and Gomorrah
The unrighteousness of Sodom and Gomorrah was so rotten that God chose to destroy the cities and the people therein. (Genesis 13:13) Two angels made the journey to Sodom where they met Lot, who brought them in to his house to protect them from the corruption of the people of the city.
Then all the men and boys of the city surrounded the house and demanded that Lot send the ANGLES out that they may know them.... and you know the rest of the story, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and years later. the word "Sodomy" came to mean the sexual act.which is preferred by those of a alternate sexual orientation...(Genesis 19)
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God chooses a people
Out of all the nations and kindreds and tongues God Chose Abraham and his linage through Issac and Jacob to set apart unto himself a people from which the Messiah would eventually come. These people, known as Hebrews, migrated to Egypt, endured years of servitude, took part in an
Exodus and wandered in the Wilderness of Sinai for forty years. During this time God gave his prophet Moses a series of commandments to keep. First there was only ten, and, guess what, The Hebrews Biffed it..Next Moses, received of God numerous other commandments to give to the people. These are recorded throughout the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy. among those commandments, concerning our subject God told his people.

- "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination"-Leviticus 18:22
and
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."- Leviticus 20:13

Now lets look at the cultural context. This is what God required of the Israelites, (Hebrews). they were Chosen by Him to be set apart and holy. The rest of humanity continued in the path described by Paul in Romans 1. This continued until the time of Christ.
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Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate in human flesh.
As we examine the four gospels we find that Jesus Christ is strangely silent concerning the issue of homosexuality, However, Jesus did say that more mercy would be shown the city of Sodom, (as grievous as their sin was), than the cities that reject Him or His disciples. but as for the act of homosexuality itself, he is silent.
In It's Cultural context, the Jews were still under the Old Testament covenant, and the issue of homosexuality among the people was still a capitol offense. Jesus originally was sent only to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel," So homosexuality was not an issue among the people. He was not sent to deal with the Gentiles, where homosexuality was prominent in the Roman and Greek culture. God was still dealing with his chosen people, hence the curious silence of Jesus on the subject.
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The Church.
During The ministry of Jesus Christ he proclaimed that there were other sheep, not of this fold (The Jews) that would hear His voice and and follow him, (John 10:16) this was accomplished in the formation of the church. In Acts chapter two The Holy Spirit came into the upper room and the followers of Christ were filled with the the Power of God, and they spoke in other tongues.. Later the Apostle Paul was called as an apostle to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:15). Paul would be dealing with people, who unlike the Jews, were well familiar with homosexuality in their culture.. This is reflected in the epistles that Paul wrote to the churches
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God"- (I Corinthians 6:9) and Romans 1: 21-32 (previously sited,)
He also committed this to Timothy, Leader of the church of Ephesus. (I Timothy 1:9-10). It can be logically assumed that if it was not appropriate in these churches, that God's disapproval of homosexuality is universal. If you were to be one of God's chosen, practicing homosexuality, or any other sexual sin was defiantly on the "don't list."
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In Conclusion
The Bible is more than clear regarding the issue of homosexuality, It was not part of God's plan for covenant or sexual union from the beginning, nor does he approve of it among His chosen people in either the Old or New testament. It is, according to the Bible, an abomination and a sin.
If this is offensive I apologize, but it is God's word, and it would be unloving of me not to tell you the truth. To the best of my ability I did not fail to give you the whole council of God concerning this issue, and in my next blog I will deal with those Christians who: 1. have no right to judge you, and 2. Those who are outright lying to you in the name of Christian love and finally my opinion not only on homosexuality, but my opinion on sexual immorality in general... until then..Chao!