Picture by Євгенія Височина
By Mike Chaffin
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27
In six days God created the heavens and the earth. During that time He created all plants and living creatures. Then He created man and woman. He saw what He had created was very good.
Then the devil entered the world. He is a fallen angel, and he is bent on corrupting what God calls good. He enticed Eve to eat of the tree God forbid them to eat from. She did. Her sin, and Adam’s, caused evil to enter their hearts and corrupted communion with God.
God forgave them, but sin has consequences, so God removed them from the garden. Since then, men and women have lived under the curse of sin.
This curse of sin can lead to rebellion from the given order.
Paul wrote about the problem in several of his letters, but clearly explains it in the first chapter of Romans,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,…. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,]covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:18-22, 24 -32
Those verses are a lot to take in. Paul was detailing the sins of many in the Roman empire. Moses had a similar list during the Exodus. Sin has been with us since the devil corrupted the creation. For people of debased minds and darkened hearts, it isn’t enough to live in sin, they want to corrupt the church and, in many cases, have been successful in clouding the minds of those who had confessed Christ as their Savior.
Jesus spoke to our verse when he referenced it concerning marriage. The Bible and Jesus, who is the WORD of God, teach that marriage is between a man and a woman. Any other is not marriage in God’s eyes, but a sinful lifestyle. There is no way to sugar coat it.
Our response is to show those living in sin the love of Christ. That is our duty as we are to reflect His light to the world. Pray for those you know living in sin. Be strong and courageous, bold as a lion in refuting the world’s foolishness. God does not change, and the message doesn’t either.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the clear teaching about marriage. Help me not be judgmental when I see those living in sin, but to reach out to them with the love of Christ. Give me a boldness and a message that can penetrate even the darkest heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
* There is a website that conducted a search for Bible verses. They compiled a list of the verses in order of the magnitude of hits they got in their search. Some of these verses probably qualify as ‘people’s favorites’, while others might be on the list because they are some of the most important and most teachable words of God.
