Sin is not Godly; It is Unacceptable to God!

Sin is not Godly; Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit, God- the creator of heaven and earth is only able to forgive because He sent His son, so that by His stripes we are healed-saved. Without the blood of Jesus Christ being shed for us, there would be no salvation. We could not ever be or regain being in the presence of the Lord our God.

Man is not good. No goodness exists in us in this fallen world because of sin.

Sin is unacceptable to God. In the Old Testament, animal sacrifice was required- a blood sacrifice. Why blood? It was to represent the requirement that sin is so unacceptable to God that the only way that the penalty for sin was through blood- it represented the death of the sinner. Animal sacrifice was supposed to be horrible and we were to be repelled by it because God was too repelled by sin, because that is how God sees sin. A penalty had to be paid for God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness does not happen without a cost. Thus, in the times before Christ when man lived under the law, a blood sacrifice had to be given for the atonement of sin.

In the New Testament, God paid the cost Himself for our contemptible sin.  Though we live now under grace and not under the law Romans 6:14, we cannot consider that sin is just naughty behavior and not worthy of the extermination for every human alive. God had and has every right to sterilize the earth as it was the case after the fall of Adam and Eve. Sin is still unacceptable to God and because God wanted to show his love and mercy. He had a plan to deal with this horrible problem ‘corruption’ that doomed His creation ‘mankind and even the angels’. The plan was the death of Himself as a man in our place. To understand how merciful and loving God is, we have to understand how horrible sin is.

In our modern popular liberal-progressive ‘youth’ culture, relativist thinking leads people to say “They sin but I don’t, I am not a bad guy/girl.  I am good but other people make me out to be bad.” Christians in this culture think that being nice and doing good works, sharing etc can remove our sin. That is not true. No good works by man can remove sin. Again, to reiterate, Sin is not naughty behavior. It is absolutely the most serious thing we can imagine. We live in sin daily (in this fallen world) and because we live in this fallen world, cannot see ourselves engaged in sin daily but we are.  There is no hierarchy of sin. Harsh words, negligence, laziness, sexual immorality, envy, lust, greed, pride are all sins; even putting ourselves first, our children before other children, our needs before others... all sinful.

Bad things happen because we live in a world of sin. Sin is corruption; there is no good thing in it. As an illustration, imagine someone living in the poorest neighborhood and never knew anything else; they would think that is normal. Unless, they had something to compare it to, they would never know they live in squalor. When God gave Moses the law it showed us what we have to live up to. It was given to show that we are poor, naked and pathetic compared to God. Once we realize where we are (in this fallen sinful world), we know that we cannot do anything that will change that. Only God can change things, if you accept His sacrifice His mercy and love. He said He would forgive our sin and that the Father will no longer see you as sinful.  He redeems our body, He makes it free of sin and in the New Jerusalem we will be unable to sin, we will be like God and that is the only way to get eternal life.

Hell is a place to dump sin into, a disposal for sin. It is not a place to torture people. It is a deposit place for sin. If people do not take God free gift (Salvation) this price He paid for sin which is was His blood, they will be deposited into Hell. It is the second death. Sin does not belong nor can it co exist with God; good works cannot atone for sin. God’s righteousness is beyond any good works that man can do. The only way to the Father is through Jesus Christ. John 14:6

Dead to Sin Alive in Christ....Nothing but the Blood

Romans 6 Dead to Sin and Alive in Christ.
I asked my husband about the significance of blood in context of sin. Firstly, the Bible is clear that every person is alienated and separated from God because of our sin (Colossians 1:21). We are not good, not born good in this fallen world but born sinners. That means even the best of us are actually unable to approach God to offer worship or prayer. Because of our sins, we remain at a distance from Him.
But the Bible tells Christians to come boldly into God’s presence, “We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
It is because of the blood of Jesus Christ that we have the great privilege of pouring our hearts out to God (Psalm 62:8) casting our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7) and praying any time and any place in the power of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).  In addition to being able to enter into God’s presence through the blood of Christ, we are also forgiven of our sins.  Ephesians 1:7 says that, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”  Because of Christ’s shed blood, God is able to forgive us for our sins and give the punishment that we deserved to Christ. You see, there had to be a great price paid for sin. Jesus Christ paid that price.
Does that mean we can go on sinning? No, it means that we will likely sin again and again though we may not want to, we will. In Christ, sin will no longer be our master, we died to that; and, now we are able to come boldly into God's presence. Read all of Romans 6; especially, note Romans 6:14 "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." Because His blood, we are free to be in relationship with God. Sin is not our master, though we may still fall back we can choose not to sin and free of sin as we choose to be free in Christ.

The Wife of Noble Character

Proverbs 31: 10-28
The wife of noble character. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. she brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands, bringing her food from afar. She gets while its is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. she sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends er hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine lined and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her.

I have written about this before and I struggle with its interpretation. I respect God's social hierarchy in that I am under the authority of my husband. Yet, in the above proverb, it seems that a wife is expected of much regarding her household and necessary decisions to run it. It seems that the husband gains as he steps out of her way, her jurisdiction. She has much responsibility and authority over herself, her children and her household. She builds it up, she works toward its constant improvement. She knows what she is expected to do everyday without being told. Where is her husband, he is with the elders at the gate. He is making political decisions and business deals as well as ordering organization of the city... he is the superintendent along with other men over the households as a wider group, a society.  While his and each household has its noble wife.

Living with an Exuberant Soul and Reining it In

Living with an exuberant soul, as in being too enthusiastic about what God's word says for us is true! When I was born again I became incredibly enthusiastic. That means I felt I had to run out and tell the world what was wrong with it and what could/can be done about it. I still feel that way. However, I realize under the very good guidance of my husband, that I should rein in my exuberance. Some people just are ready to believe that the world we live in is a fallen world and that just by believing in Jesus Christ, we can overcome it. It is almost too incredible to think that all we have to do is repent= rethink. What? How? Firstly, we worry too much about what will be and how to make things last, we worry about how we will manage to hang on to those things which we think are so important and even precious to us. What does living with an exuberant soul have to do with that? It has everything to do with our worrying. In my exuberance, I did not realize just how much people are caught up in this world; as this is a fallen world made corrupt by a popular youth and money culture as its apex. People thus look at me like I am crazy when I tell them, live with an exuberant soul which actually means living enthusiastically in God's word and trusting in that which thus allows us to rest in the Lord. They are thinking, "yeah, right and what does God care if we are going to lose our house while resting." For women, I think (being one myself) this is difficult. We are by God's will made to be nurturers, our values oriented toward family and community. When those two important values appear to be in jeopardy, we want to respond immediately. We fail to turn to our husbands which is God's social hierarchy. We take up the task of making things right, not consulting our husbands nor God. I too have failed in this. This is living with an exuberant soul. It is valuable to rein it in. I often wonder what the world would be less corrupt if women had a better relationship with the Lord God. The best story from the Bible to illustrate when reining in an exuberant soul should have been the practice of the woman who possessed it goes back a long way. I would firstly point to Abraham and Sarah, considering that Sarah went into panic mode and told Abraham to sleep with Hagar. I would also point to Isaac and Rebekah, a godly woman who played a cruel joke on her husband so that her favorite son would get the blessing. These two women were godly women with an exuberant soul. They did not ask God for direction and if they had and did not receive direction as they had wanted to hear, they should have turned to their husbands. Living with an exuberant soul comes with great responsibility, knowing when to rein it in and rest in the Lord. 

Faith Gives Substance to Hope... Healing

Interesting sermon this Sunday by Dr Erwin Lutzer of Moody Bible in Chicago. His sermon was "Children of an Awesome God!"
Pastor Lutzer told the congregation that it is tough to be optimistic when trudging through life’s tough times. Some people try to grin and bear it; others crack under the pressure. But the Christian can have a perspective that makes enduring troubles possible, a perspective of a future glory that makes our present suffering infinitesimal in comparison. Many of us think of tough times as usually being about financial situations; and why not when money and greed is the greater plague today. Besides that, we also face illness which creates tough times. We are told by Paul (in his life situation, he was blind and then could see) and can read for ourselves the healing that Jesus did during his time on earth. Healing is ours as we are alive in Christ Jesus. Yet, many people want healing when they want it = NOW and if they are not healed immediately, they think that God does not exist or does not love them and many think that suffering would not exist if God truly existed. Suffering exists not because God wants us to suffer but He allows us to suffer to remind us that this world is not our true eternal home. God allows healing for the same reason... to encourage us so that we do not lose faith. The promise of healing is ours. In this fallen world, God decides in order to glorify Himself.  Does that mean God is judgmental of believers? It means that our faith in Him gives substance to hope and future glory. This is still a fallen world we occupy and must remember that it will be made new in God's time. The hope and promise that is ours is salvation through Jesus Christ! This alone is the ultimate healing as we 'believers' are children of an Awesome God! Healing in this world is not impossible but keep in mind that when healing happens for us it is Glorify God ... to show us and remind us we will be delivered from this fallen world as we have already been made new in Christ Jesus and we anticipate His Kingdom Come - our eternal home, our future glory!.

Why Women Should Be Modest in their Appearance

"Women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by their good things they do. Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. let them listen quietly. for God made Adam first and afterward he made Eve. And, it was Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived and sin was the result. but women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness and modesty." 1 Timothy 2: 9-15

Many women and those who consider themselves to be Christian do not like to read the above. They think and or feel that it is wrong, it is some kind of slavery, it was not the word of God, but it was man who says such things and took and takes advantage of women.

What image of a woman appears in your mind when you see them with expensive clothes and shiny jewelry? You may think that they hold their self image high, even above others as it appears that they want to be recognized for their appearance. You might think that they have authority in their places of work and even over their husbands. You may think that they sleep around in order to climb the career ladder.
And, maybe they are not 'dolled up' but frumpy or mannish. You will also have an image of them. You may think that they have no self esteem and are careless about their appearance because they don't respect their body as God's creation. Or you might think that they are a feminist and see themselves as equal to men or a 'man' like any other man.

It is interesting to me as a sociologist to observe that women judge women more than men do. Studies show that women look at other women (even in the nude) more than men do. Why is that? Are we trying to one up each other? Are we testing each other to see who was/is closer to that original sinner 'Eve' ?  When we look at other women are we thinking... 'Yes, she is the one that brought us all down... thinking our nature had been ruined by the vanity of - that one! If only we can one up her, so that she is not the one who represents us anymore... or was Eve second guessing who she was essentially who we are/our identity in Christ that woman was second best and in that thinking, she caused us to fall into that thinking?'

As a Christian, I respect the Bible/the Word of God. I know that God is telling women to be modest for an important reason. It is not because he thinks less of us but because he thinks more of us. He knows our nature which is to be nurturing/caring/soft/gentle/calm and graceful all that which is attractive to Satan and other fallen angels. God wants to protect us. What harm to us is there in dressing modestly? None. What harm will come to us for dressing modestly? None. In this culture of defilement, we need to teach our daughters to dress modestly. Why? So, that they value their nature as God does. And, in this fallen world, we need to be models to other women in order that we are not in competition with one another for God's love, or to 'get back at Eve' either by dressing up or down.
In our gentleness and submission, there is strength. Many women do not realize this. Hence, we find them seeking another nature - a mannish nature. Women should recognize their God given nature and dress to reflect that nature.

Faith Gives Substance to Hope

From things that are not seen, come things that are... faith gives substance to hope.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11:1. Faith gives substance to and brings about the manifestation of healing that is already ours/yours. Look at the words of Jesus. "All things are possible to them that believe, Mark 9:23... "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Mark 11:23.

In August 1991, an article appeared in The Readers Digest entitled "Patient Knows Best." It read, ...
A person's answer to the question, 'Is your health excellent, good, fair or poor?' is a remarkable predictor of who will live or die over the next four years according to new research findings.

People have an image of themselves. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21. What you believe and speak not only affects your body but your immune system as well. your words become either a blessing or a curse to you.  Jesus put it this way: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings froth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh Luke 6:45.
People do have an image of themselves, and it is a social construction. Look at television today, all we see are adds about drugs and then lawyer adds on how to get money from litigation / lawsuit due to the use of the drugs just advertised to us as good for us. If people have an image of themselves today, it is not a healthy one. And, yes, you can disagree and say that a friend or family member of yours was a kind person with kind words for everyone and always helping out and eating right. Then suddenly they are ill and dying. What can be overlooked by those of us observing others is that they may not realize that they have come under another power especially the worst kind of power which is reflected in our society today largely through mass media. It is not easy to have a positive image of yourself. Yet, I know that having a positive image is what God wants us to have.
As a sociologist, I know that a positive image is good for you/us. The article in Readers Digest pointed above was based on a study conducted by sociologist Ellen Idler, a sociologist at Rutgers University (I did a sabbatical there in 2002) and epidemiologist Stanislav Kasl of Yale Univeristy Shcool of Medicine. Their findings supported the connection between having a positive image of yourself and longevity. How would you answer that question above "Is your health excellent, good, fair or poor?"
Being a Christian requires that you show others your faith and that your faith is positive and produces positive results in you. Embrace that Christ loves you and profess that Jesus loves you and that He is your savior, and that He is God. Rest in Him, and have no worries, show others that it is not by 'works' that you have been saved...  for know that you have already been saved.