I have been meditating on why those who support homosexual marriage, abortion, couples living together without getting married, etc. are so intolerant of conservative (Christian) views. It seems to me that even though Christians disagree with their lifestyle they believe the axiom "I don't agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death your right to say it," often to their detriment, while liberals try to shut down any disagreement with what they believe. Why is that?
As I was reading Romans 3 this week I realized the answer is contained in verse 20. "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." God's word defines sin. When we hear it we become conscious that we are sinners. As long as we are ignorant of His word, we can go on sinning because we have no definition of sin. Those who are living contrary to His Word do not want to be informed, or reminded, of what God says about their lifestyle. Therefore, they fight viciously to destroy anyone who reminds them of God's righteous standard for living.
Could it be that one reason we're in the situation we're in with more and more people accepting a lifestyle the Bible explicitly calls sin, is that we as Christians have been too willing to allow others to voice their contrary opinions but have remained silent about what we believe and know to be the truth?
As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of a passage in Ezekiel that stood out to me many years ago when my dad, who didn't know the Lord, was in the hospital dying from a bad accident. It is found in Ezekiel 33:8-9: When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die, ’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
When I read this passage before I went to visit Dad that morning I realized I had no choice. I knew that I must tell him again of Jesus' great love for him and remind him that all he had to do was accept that love and he would live with him eternally. It seemed to me that if I didn't "his blood would be on my hands." That morning Dad gave his life to the Lord. What if I hadn't talked with him?
How often have we remained silent? Will the blood of those who are living in sin be on our hands because we were too timid to warn them? I believe we Christians have not realized how important it is to live God's righteous standards before others and to speak a word of correction in love when it is needed. We have not had a sense of urgency about their fate, or ours.
Please forgive us, Lord. We have not understood or obeyed your word. Show us when you want us to speak up. Give us the courage and boldness to let our light shine so that we will be your witnesses to a lost and dying world. Amen.
As I was reading Romans 3 this week I realized the answer is contained in verse 20. "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." God's word defines sin. When we hear it we become conscious that we are sinners. As long as we are ignorant of His word, we can go on sinning because we have no definition of sin. Those who are living contrary to His Word do not want to be informed, or reminded, of what God says about their lifestyle. Therefore, they fight viciously to destroy anyone who reminds them of God's righteous standard for living.
Could it be that one reason we're in the situation we're in with more and more people accepting a lifestyle the Bible explicitly calls sin, is that we as Christians have been too willing to allow others to voice their contrary opinions but have remained silent about what we believe and know to be the truth?
As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of a passage in Ezekiel that stood out to me many years ago when my dad, who didn't know the Lord, was in the hospital dying from a bad accident. It is found in Ezekiel 33:8-9: When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die, ’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
When I read this passage before I went to visit Dad that morning I realized I had no choice. I knew that I must tell him again of Jesus' great love for him and remind him that all he had to do was accept that love and he would live with him eternally. It seemed to me that if I didn't "his blood would be on my hands." That morning Dad gave his life to the Lord. What if I hadn't talked with him?
How often have we remained silent? Will the blood of those who are living in sin be on our hands because we were too timid to warn them? I believe we Christians have not realized how important it is to live God's righteous standards before others and to speak a word of correction in love when it is needed. We have not had a sense of urgency about their fate, or ours.
Please forgive us, Lord. We have not understood or obeyed your word. Show us when you want us to speak up. Give us the courage and boldness to let our light shine so that we will be your witnesses to a lost and dying world. Amen.
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