Death of the Wicked!
Posted by Michael A. La Framboise on Sunday, August 23, 2009 Under: Meditations
(Originally written in August, 2003)
The old saying goes, “Hate the sin, love the sinner”; but in this post-modern, (perhaps post-Christian) multi-cultural, multi-sexual, society of amorality and extremist tolerance I see believers struggling with the latter.
In the last several years Americans have seen an uprising of homosexual activists pushing forward their “gay” agenda. State laws agianst homosexual behavior have been struck down, legislatures are recognizing civil unions, and homosexuality on TV is being flaunted exponentially. Hence questions concerning the dynamic of our proposed “love-hate” relationship with the sinner and his sin inevitably come to the surface.
It seems that the religious right-wing of the vast moral majority fights hardest and screams loudest when it comes to holding back the gay movement, while adultery is destroying the family at a far greater rate. I hear “Christians” declaring their hate for homosexuals in the strongest terms, condemning “those” people to the lowest hell. My question to you reader : Why is homosexuality the place where the proverbial line is drawn?
When we cry out for the death of the wicked we often single out that which we have deemed more sinful than others. We hearken back to Sodom and Gomorrah, seeking fire and brimstone from Heaven upon those who have “exchanged the Truth of God for a lie”. As I look around, believers have singled out Homosexuality as The One Great Sin which leads to death; however, this is an unbalanced and unbiblical view concerning sin and the sinner.
Since we often refer back to Sodom as our point of reference relating to the sin of homosexuality, let us discover God’s heart, looking through His eyes when the outcry against Sodom for Her grievous sins came up before Him. What did He see? What was the problem in Genesis 18:20-21? Ezekiel was given precisely that answer in chapter 16 of his prophecy. In verse 49 he declares, “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom : She… had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.” For many, this may be a startling revelation. Above all things, God took notice of the pride and selfishness of Sodom and Gomorrah. Indeed it is “pride that comes before destruction; and a haughty look before a fall”.
And when it comes to the heart of the Lord concerning our fire and brimstone attitude, no doubt He would ask, “Are you without sin?” Just as the sons of thunder, James and John, when we desire God’s wrath upon sinners, let us sense the Lord’s heart in Ezekiel 33:11, when He says “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked”--and neither should we. Rather, may we hear and understand the words of Jesus Himself, as He gently rebuked James and John in Luke 9:55, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.”
It is time for the Church to realize that no sin is worse than another, no sin is less forgivable than another; and if there is a sin at the top of God’s list, it’s pride, because it is the root of all sin. Jesus said, “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men… either in this age or in the age to come.” There is only one unforgivable sin, only one sin that leads to death, and that’s pride! Pride as one would reject the Holy Spirit, rebelling against His desire to draw that one to Christ. Unforgivable since it is to reject the only Way to forgiveness.
The believer must remember that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We are all sinners, and we need to be mindful of the beam in our own eye before attempting to remove the speck in someone else’s. The believer must also be mindful that even his own righteousness is absolutely filthy before God, indeed how much more our sin.
Point being, as Jesus explained in Luke 7:47, if I am mindful of this truth I will understand more fully the extent of God’s love, seeking to glorify Him as I live a life which exemplifies and magnifies that love which is so amazing. Amazing, because He loves… me. Therefore, I am to look at the sinner in the world as Jesus looked at me. Whether he is a homosexual, an adulterer, a fornicator, a thief, a liar, a drunkard, as indeed some of us were (1 Cor. 6:9-11), or just another person like me. I can look at him with love as I realize his sins are no less deserving of hell than mine. Sin is sin. The only difference between us, is that mine have been washed away by the precious blood of Jesus; but his can be too.
May we learn to have a heart like Jesus, who when He looked out over the multitudes “was moved with compassion for them”. Certainly Jesus hated sin-- He endured the cross he despised to abolish its power-- yet He so loved the sinner, that for the joy which was set before Him-- the sinner himself-- He gave His life to save him, that He might spend eternity with him… with you, with me.
The old saying goes, “Hate the sin, love the sinner”; but in this post-modern, (perhaps post-Christian) multi-cultural, multi-sexual, society of amorality and extremist tolerance I see believers struggling with the latter.
In the last several years Americans have seen an uprising of homosexual activists pushing forward their “gay” agenda. State laws agianst homosexual behavior have been struck down, legislatures are recognizing civil unions, and homosexuality on TV is being flaunted exponentially. Hence questions concerning the dynamic of our proposed “love-hate” relationship with the sinner and his sin inevitably come to the surface.
It seems that the religious right-wing of the vast moral majority fights hardest and screams loudest when it comes to holding back the gay movement, while adultery is destroying the family at a far greater rate. I hear “Christians” declaring their hate for homosexuals in the strongest terms, condemning “those” people to the lowest hell. My question to you reader : Why is homosexuality the place where the proverbial line is drawn?
When we cry out for the death of the wicked we often single out that which we have deemed more sinful than others. We hearken back to Sodom and Gomorrah, seeking fire and brimstone from Heaven upon those who have “exchanged the Truth of God for a lie”. As I look around, believers have singled out Homosexuality as The One Great Sin which leads to death; however, this is an unbalanced and unbiblical view concerning sin and the sinner.
Since we often refer back to Sodom as our point of reference relating to the sin of homosexuality, let us discover God’s heart, looking through His eyes when the outcry against Sodom for Her grievous sins came up before Him. What did He see? What was the problem in Genesis 18:20-21? Ezekiel was given precisely that answer in chapter 16 of his prophecy. In verse 49 he declares, “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom : She… had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.” For many, this may be a startling revelation. Above all things, God took notice of the pride and selfishness of Sodom and Gomorrah. Indeed it is “pride that comes before destruction; and a haughty look before a fall”.
And when it comes to the heart of the Lord concerning our fire and brimstone attitude, no doubt He would ask, “Are you without sin?” Just as the sons of thunder, James and John, when we desire God’s wrath upon sinners, let us sense the Lord’s heart in Ezekiel 33:11, when He says “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked”--and neither should we. Rather, may we hear and understand the words of Jesus Himself, as He gently rebuked James and John in Luke 9:55, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.”
It is time for the Church to realize that no sin is worse than another, no sin is less forgivable than another; and if there is a sin at the top of God’s list, it’s pride, because it is the root of all sin. Jesus said, “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men… either in this age or in the age to come.” There is only one unforgivable sin, only one sin that leads to death, and that’s pride! Pride as one would reject the Holy Spirit, rebelling against His desire to draw that one to Christ. Unforgivable since it is to reject the only Way to forgiveness.
The believer must remember that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We are all sinners, and we need to be mindful of the beam in our own eye before attempting to remove the speck in someone else’s. The believer must also be mindful that even his own righteousness is absolutely filthy before God, indeed how much more our sin.
Point being, as Jesus explained in Luke 7:47, if I am mindful of this truth I will understand more fully the extent of God’s love, seeking to glorify Him as I live a life which exemplifies and magnifies that love which is so amazing. Amazing, because He loves… me. Therefore, I am to look at the sinner in the world as Jesus looked at me. Whether he is a homosexual, an adulterer, a fornicator, a thief, a liar, a drunkard, as indeed some of us were (1 Cor. 6:9-11), or just another person like me. I can look at him with love as I realize his sins are no less deserving of hell than mine. Sin is sin. The only difference between us, is that mine have been washed away by the precious blood of Jesus; but his can be too.
May we learn to have a heart like Jesus, who when He looked out over the multitudes “was moved with compassion for them”. Certainly Jesus hated sin-- He endured the cross he despised to abolish its power-- yet He so loved the sinner, that for the joy which was set before Him-- the sinner himself-- He gave His life to save him, that He might spend eternity with him… with you, with me.
In : Meditations
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