NATIONAL vs. PRIVATE SINS: Twisted Theology and Misusing Our Bodies
I love the line from the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof,” which says, “Send us the cure! We’ve already got the disease! God has already given us the cure—repentance! The result of the misappropriation of our desires and bodily functions results in disease and functional loss in the human family. Haven’t we realized that all of God’s laws are designed to promote and restore life? When we sin and fall short of God’s Divine plans, we rob ourselves of the perfection that living in harmony with God’s Laws provides. We settle for less than God’s best for us, and in so-doing set bad examples for those who follow after us. When our children follow our sinful lead, this becomes a generational problem that leads us farther from the path of life and light. Abortion destroys life, and homosexuality distorts our desires and normal bodily functions, to our own detriment. Whenever we deny God’s Laws in favor of our own desires, we risk punishment and death. “A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand,” and we as individuals and nations ignore this Biblical principle at our own peril. National governments are appointed by God to uphold the Laws which He has given to us in the Bible and through His Holy Spirit. Some non-Christian governments actually do a better job of upholding God’s Laws than so-called “Christian nations”. Some non-Christian nations can still be under the power and influence of God’s Holy Spirit, which prompts them to obey God and His Laws. When we see that God’s Laws are not being upheld, it is our duty to warn those in power of their disobedience to God and His Laws. God is no respecter of persons, and He will punish all of us for our disobedience. We are not doing the world and our governments a favor when we refuse to warn them of their folly. All who live within these disobedient nations suffer as a result of the government’s disobedience and dereliction of duty. God will punish the judges, senators, representatives, presidents, dictators, kings, counselors and rulers of every stripe who refuse to uphold and enforce His Laws! Even if the majority favors disobedience to God’s Laws, we as Christians “must obey God rather than men.” THERE ARE THOSE WHO THINK THAT THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE MEANS THAT WE ARE FREE TO BE IMMORAL. THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL SIN. INDIVIDUALS MUST BEAR THEIR GUILT AND PUNISHMENT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT SINFUL NATIONAL POLICIES DESTROY WHOLE CIVILIZATIONS! WHEN OUR NATION’S LEADERSHIP PASSES LAWS THAT PERMIT ABORTION AND HOMOSEXUALITY, GOD’S JUDGMENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE SURE TO FOLLOW! We cannot ignore the divisive issues of abortion and homosexuality. We must deal with these sins individually and as a nation. Our avoidance of these issues is our tacit approval of their existence. God will NOT ignore these issues, but will punish us individually AND as nations, for refusing to denounce these practices. Until recently, abortion and homosexuality were closet issues. That is because these practices were not only immoral, but they were illegal. Here’s a question for you: Since abortion and homosexuality have come out of the closet, has there been an increase or decrease in abortion and homosexuality? There have now been nearly 50 million documented cases of abortion since Roe v. Wade, and homosexuality has resulted in the pandemic of AIDS. It is often stated that women will still have abortions no matter what laws are passed. In the same way, the argument is made that prohibition won’t stop homosexuality. Nevertheless, by passing laws that make abortion equal to murder and homosexuality immoral and illegal, we uphold God’s standards and establish a legal framework for the morality of our nation. Before women have abortions and people engage in homosexual relationships, they are first given warning by the Laws of God and the laws of our nation that engaging in these practices is immoral, illegal and will be punished. Then if these individuals decide to disobey God’s Laws and the laws of our nation, then God and the nation are free from guilt when these individuals are punished. They have done what is required and warned them to stop doing evil. Here’s something else that I have noticed: Since abortion and homosexuality came out of the closet, other immoralities have skyrocketed as well! It is no coincidence that murder, rape, adultery, witchcraft and many other forms of criminal behavior have increased exponentially. THERE IS A PATTERN HERE THAT WARNS OF AN ENORMOUS BREAKDOWN IN MORALITY. Abortion and homosexuality are the crack in the dike, which have now become a river of dissipation. WHERE ARE OUR LEADERS? Have you noticed that those who support abortion and homosexuality are not silent about their views? They are proud of their beliefs and proud of their leaders. Are we ashamed of our Christianity and of our God, Who gave us His Laws to protect us from self-destruction? Do you really believe that these two issues are the only tests we will face as Christians? God has warned us in the Bible of what we can expect to happen in the final days. If we as Christians, citizens and voters in a Christian nation cannot even pass this rudimentary test, what will happen when the real testing begins? If we deny our faith now, we will JOIN the enemy later! We must prepare now to battle the forces of Satan that are arrayed against us. We are not alone, and with God’s help we can overcome not only these immediate dangers, but other future dangers as well, if we are willing to choose God rather than men. Let us unite as Christian brothers and sisters with one voice in opposition to these grievous sins. Let’s stand up for God and His Laws and show the world that our God and His Laws are not to be ignored. Why are so many silent on this issue? Do they fear men more than the God Who made us all? We Christians have eternal life to look forward to, as well as the reassurance of the Holy Spirit Who dwells within us, and yet we act as though our primary loyalty belongs to the sinful societies wherein we dwell. WHERE ARE OUR CHRISTIAN POLITICIANS? WHERE ARE OUR CHURCHES AND PASTORS? WHY ARE OUR PULPITS SO SILENT ON THESE PRESSING ISSUES? God’s prophets proclaimed His Laws and His judgments loudly and boldly enough for all to hear, whether they listened or not. The church leadership of some denominations has actually denounced Biblical doctrine openly and denied the faith of those who protest otherwise. They have expelled some leaders for upholding the faith and denied admission to those who do not conform to their twisted theologies. God will judge these leaders and denominations more severely for their disobedience and for teaching others to deny the faith. We think that we are showing solidarity by remaining silent and refusing to oppose these rebellious factions to their face. Instead we are actually allowing a cancer to spread through the church. God reserves some of His harshest criticisms for those in church leadership. He says of them that “it were better that a millstone were hung about their necks and they were drowned in the depths of the sea, than that they should cause one of these little ones to perish.” I really wonder if they are still teaching the Bible in some of today’s seminaries! Answer me this: What sort of perverted theology would say that God permits abortion and homosexuality? I fear for these shepherds who refuse to warn their flocks about their sins, and instead they themselves become the wolves that devour the sheep they are told to protect. God will hold all of us guilty of the blood-death of those that we fail to warn of their sins. “He who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it,” is guilty before God, but especially those in church leadership. Pastors and denominations are not the only ones responsible for allowing the sins of abortion and homosexuality to be spread unopposed. Some would have us believe that confrontation is unloving and actually worse than the sins we oppose, because it spreads disharmony and discourages church membership. It has been well-said that “those who stand for everything will fall for anything!” Who would want to be a part of such a church? Why not just turn church into a social club and skip all the pretensions of holiness: “Come one, come all—there are no conditions for membership, either now or later. Enter into this wide gate that leads to destruction—at least you’ll have lots of company!” Those who are familiar with the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer will recall that he and a few other German pastors formed an underground church that fought against Hitler’s ungodly and totalitarian Nazi regime. He was eventually hanged for his efforts, but not before reminding his readers that “when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die” to himself for the sake of God’s Kingdom. God is watching our struggles and making note of our loyalties and devotion to His Truths. I am only a layman, but I have read my Bible for many years, and I know that God is calling us to be faithful witnesses to His Truths found in scripture and revealed to us through His Holy Spirit. If our pastors refuse to denounce abortion and homosexuality, in favor of less-controversial topics, then it is up to the rest of us Christians, “who have less to lose,” by stating our beliefs loudly and clearly enough to be understood by those who are perishing all around us. May God help us all to do our Christian duty as good and faithful soldiers in His army and help us to repent of our sinful ways and return to the reading and practice of God’s Word and the enactment of our faith in our everyday walk. “By ourselves we can do nothing, but we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.”
Mark Overt Skilbred-Christensen
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