Serious Sin

[tsth]

You Don't Have to Lose an Arm and a Leg

Matthew 18:7

7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

Have you ever really thought about how radical Jesus' statement was?

How about the very first one? What does the world have to do with it?

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Are we making friendships with the world that are causing us to turn from God? Are we partaking of the things of this world that are causing us to stumble? Do we expose ourselves to things that cause offenses?

Do we dare examine ourselves to see? And then what?

Radical Remedy

Sever/Separate

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Where do your affections lie?

2 Corinthians 6:11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you* are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."+ 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."* 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."*

Are you willing to cut off the things which cause you to sin?

alcohol

porn/computer

drugs

bad company

adulterous affair

hatred

???

Get Rid of Them!!!

Does it sound radical? Read Matthew 18 again. It could be worse!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[serotta]

cannot be said too often.

[visionary]

All sin is serious....

[tsth]

Yes, it is! I just posted those that immediately came to mind, that people are obviously having to struggle with. I was not trying to imply that other sin was not serious.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[visionary]

Yes, it is!  I just posted those that immediately came to mind, that people are obviously having to struggle with.  I was not trying to imply that other sin was not serious.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am with you on that. We live in a generation that considers sins to be of no consequence because we have Jesus who has taken the penalty for us. I believe that is one of the greatest deceptions around. Cheap religion for the masses.

[tsth]

I believe that is one of the greatest deceptions around.  Cheap religion for the masses.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, it is just as the Scriptures say it would be, however that does not make it any easier to watch, does it.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest Zayit]

I think one of the gravest sins and wasn't mentioned and most don't think of this, thinking "that was the "old days", is idolatry. That is the greatest sin. Just as the greatest commandment is:

To love the L-RD with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength,

we have to know that the opposite of that would be to put someone, something, anything before him. And that is idolatry.

Edited June 7, 2005 by Zayit

[tsth]

Absolutely, and we have done no different than the Isrealites.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest Zayit]

You're right and you would think that with all the warnings the L-RD gave, and we see through the prophets and we see the result of what happened when they didnt' heed the warnings that others would learn by these 'history' lessons, but what we see is that sadly , History only repeats itself. We can not save ourselves even when we know what will happen, Yeshua is the only one who can do it for us.

Edited June 8, 2005 by Zayit

[tsth]

Reminds me of 2 Peter 3.

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

In His Truth,

Suzanne