We will continue our study in seeing sin as our Holy GOD sees sin. Of course, our view is limited to our sinful, finite perspectives. But, Jehovah has provided a number of passages so we can begin to see sin in a different light.
Jehovah often uses terms of what we would perceive as sexual intimacy between a husband and a wife to describe His relationship to us. This is not to be taken in the same manner, but it shows a level of oneness, uniqueness, and closeness that in a small manner describes the relationship Jehovah desires to have with us, demands to have with us, and deserves to have with us.
This unique oneness is perfectly seen in the oneness of the Trinity. In describing this relationship, He condemns those who forsake Him as harlots, adulterers, and prostitutes. Let us study what Jehovah abhors among us in these terms. While this is a long list of sexual sins, it is representative and not a complete list.
Some think if it is not listed in the Bible, it must be approved by Jehovah, not important to Jehovah, or ignored by Jehovah. He is not to be mocked.
Leviticus 20:10 'If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
20:11 'If there is a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their blood guiltiness is upon them.
20:12 'If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their blood guiltiness is upon them.
20:13 'If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their blood guiltiness is upon them.
20:14 'If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst. Lev 20:15 'If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.
20:16 'If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their blood guiltiness is upon them.
20:17 'If there is a man who takes his sister, his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness; he bears his guilt.
20:18 'If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has exposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
20:19 'You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of your father's sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.
20:20 'If there is a man who lies with his uncle's wife he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless.
20:21 'If there is a man who takes his brother's wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness. They will be childless.
There are a few terms that may seem odd to us today. Uncovering nakedness is a Hebrew phrase that refers to having ungodly sex with someone who is not your wife. Clearly, while Jehovah created sex for the intimacy and enjoyment of married couples, it is exclusively reserved to them alone.
Procreation is the primary goal of this sexual union, but Jehovah also created it to be enjoyed as well. As with most everything we do, there is a right way and a lot of wrong ways. This degrading of Jehovah’s plan for sex is also to reveal the decline and degradation of a society, culture, and nation.
Romans 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
The first step away from Jehovah is not honoring or thanking Him. Once you forget to thank Jehovah, you begin your downward decline into depravity.
1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Yes, people still worship idols today. It is not just Hindu shrines or temples that are guilty, but every person who has not unconditionally surrendered to Jesus as their High Priest, King, and Savior.
1:26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 1:27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
Jehovah lets go of them into a free fall into this sexual depravity. Once involved in this it is hard, but not too hard for Jehovah, to remove oneself from this abominable trap of Satan.
1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 1:31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
A depraved mind can no longer think realistically or rationally, and certainly not godly or righteously. How else can you understand the depths of this seen today?
Today they are protecting and promoting these sins, that 30-40 years ago weren’t even mentioned in public. Most would have condemned them then, but today even the government is promoting them. No amount of ‘professional’ opinions can turn sin into a virtue.
1:32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
The wages of sin is death. They all know it, but ignore the warnings and blaspheme the GOD who warns them. Wide roads need to avoided as they all lead to death, eternal separation from Jehovah.
More next Saturday.