32and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
There is absolutely no doubt that modern humanity is living right in the middle of this uncompromising prophetic Word of God. Here is a clear summary of the above scripture:
1.See verses 18-20. People live in denial by suppressing the truth about God and morality, in their attempt to silence God’s witness against their corrupt behavior. Is there any wonder then why electronic media and conventional “wisdom” try so very hard to squeeze God out of every public conversation? But the Holy Scriptures say that they are without excuse because of God’s un-erasable, internal witness against them through the voice of their conscience.
2.See verses 21-23. In order to pursue their futile speculations, immoral people willfully and unashamedly refuse to include God in their thoughts and conversations. Instead, they give more recognition and glory to their kind and to their foolish “wisdom” concerning their lifestyle.
3.See verses 24-32. Because of their rejection of His moral authority, God allows the ungodly to follow their immoral lusts and permits their sinful behaviors to run their course to their devastating end. Consequently, we are experiencing today an increasing manifestation of vicious hatred and evil in our world, and of an intense surge of unnatural human affection—men with men, women with women. What was once considered to be a dark, covert, “closet” phenomenon is now openly declared as acceptable, while its conspirators try desperately to force the God of light into a “closet” of “forgettable” darkness.
Every fabric of modern society is reeling under the growing influence of the gay and lesbian movement and their demand for a re-definition of the marriage institution. The same-sex marriage agenda has force its way into the religious community and is seriously testing the integrity and moral resolve of what was once regarded as society’s conscience—the Church. Church leaders are now compelled to negotiate a position of compromise to accommodate the fleshly demands of these spiritually blinded victims of the evil one.
Interestingly, the Word of God confirms that if the truth of the gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world [satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Moreover, those who advocate the same-sex lifestyle by utilizing the power of electronic media, celebrity “out-of-the-closet” disclosures, political funding and the “worldly-wise” intelligentsia to endorse and promote their agendas, are completely unaware that they are operating against the merciful—though permissive—will of God, whose judgment against sin and evil is an uncomfortable certainty.
Doomed for Destruction
For the wages of sin is death . . . Romans 6:23
Truth Nugget #3: Humanity cannot change itself or its course towards eternal destruction without deliverance from heaven.
Because of Adam’s sin, life on planet earth became a slow, painful, death-march to eternal destruction; and humanity can neither change itself nor its destructive course without divine help. The Bible confirms that all the living know that they shall die (Ecclesiastes 9:5). However, the ultimate effect of Adam’s deadly misstep at the dawn of Creation is the two un-avoidable appointments it has imposed upon all his descendants—death and judgment regarding our eternal destiny.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:27
With all its noblest intentions, intelligence and creativity, human-kind is totally powerless to handle the sin problem, along with its natural or eternal consequences. A man’s best effort to change himself is an act in total futility and frustration. Through His prophet Jeremiah, God asked and answered the very poignant question: Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil (Jeremiah 13:23, NIV). Understanding the plight of man’s condition before God, the prophet uttered the plaintive plea:
O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. 24O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Jeremiah 10:23, 24
Additionally, the Holy Scriptures affirm that there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 16:25, NIV). The apostle Paul expressed this frustration before he experienced the power of the living Christ in his life.
For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Romans 7:14-24
What Paul describes in the above scriptural verses is the utter human helplessness in dealing with the sin condition—the never-ending, ever-losing battle between a person’s will to do good, and the resident sin that drives him to do evil instead. This stupor-like experience often leaves the sinner in a state of puzzling defeat and helpless resignation to the cravings of his sinful nature.
One Way Out
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16, KJV
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:18, 19
The great truth about salvation is that through His life and in His death, God was in Christ, reconciling (making peace with) the world to Himself. In His Son, Jesus Christ, God offered to the fallen world the ONLY door to salvation and peace.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which