YOUR BEHAVIOR TELLS THE WHOLE STORY!
“…I KNOW THY WORKS, AND THY LABOR, AND THY PATIENCE, AND HOW THOU CANST NOT BEAR THEM WHICH ARE EVIL…..”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
*
Every single human
being on earth was born guilty of sin. “…For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”
(Romans 3:23 KJV). Thus every single person is deserving of spiritual death.
“…The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
Why are they deserving
of spiritual death? Sinners violate God’s holy, spiritual
standards by breaking them or NOT following them. “…of every tree of the garden THOU MAYEST FREELY
EAT: But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou SHALT NOT EAT of
it; for in THE
DAY THAT THOU EATEST thereof THOU SHALT SURELY
DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV).
Adam and Eve violated
God’s holy standards and committed the first, original SIN. “….So
she took some of the fruit and ATE IT. Then
she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and HE ATE IT, too …” (Genesis 3:1-7 NLT).
“…THE DAY THAT THOU EATEST
thereof “THOU SHALT SURELY DIE”…”
(Genesis 2:16-17 KJV). “…The wages of sin is
death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV). “… SIN, when it is finished,
BRINGETH FORTH DEATH…” (James 1:13-15
NLT). Sin separates ALL people from God. “…GOD IS
SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV).
Separation from God is
a spiritual DEATH.
“…Your
INIQUITIES (sin) have separated between you and your God, and
YOUR SINS have hid his face from you, that he will not hear…”
(Isaiah 59:2 KJV). “…It’s YOUR SINS that have cut you off from God.
Because of YOUR SINS, he has turned away and will not listen anymore…”
(Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
SIN is the violation of
God’s Holy standards (big or small). “…Whosoever committeth
sin transgresseth also the [HOLY] …law: for sin is the transgression of the [HOLY]
…law….” (1 John 3:4 KJV). “…Everyone who sins is breaking God’s [HOLY] …law,
for all sin is contrary to the law of God….” (1 John 3:4 NLT).
Violation of God’s Holy
standards separates you from Him. “…The wages of sin is
death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV). God “….will not [and cannot even]…hear…
[you]…” (Isaiah 59:2 KJV). “…Because of YOUR
SINS, he has turned away and will not listen
anymore…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
In Exodus chapter 20
when God gave his people his HOLY standards? “…And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no
other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to
them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless
that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six
days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath
of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any
work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and
hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon
the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou
shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou
shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his
manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is
thy neighbour's…” (Exodus 20:1-17 KJV). “…SIN is the transgression of the law….” (1 John
3:4 KJV).
ONLY God’s HOLY
standards, which is his Word, reveals SIN. Paul said, “…I had not
known SIN, but by the [HOLY] …law: for I had not known LUST,
except the [HOLY] …law had said, THOU SHALT NOT COVET…” (Romans 7:7 KJV).
“…It was the [HOLY] …law
that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting
is wrong if the [HOLY] …law had not said, “You must not covet.”
(Romans 7:7 NLT).
Sin is not about
people’s opinion of what you are doing, or their judgement of you, or their
negative treatment of you, or people’s acceptance of your sinful lifestyle, or
your own acceptance of your sinful lifestyle; it is about your personal
violation of God’s Holy standards. “…Have
mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the
multitude of thy tender mercies BLOT OUT “MY” TRANSGRESSIONS (sin). WASH ME THROUGHLY
FROM “MINE” INIQUITY (sin), and CLEANSE ME FROM “MY SIN.” For I acknowledge my TRANSGRESSIONS (sins):
and “MY SIN”
is ever before me. AGAINST THEE (God), THEE ONLY, HAVE “I SINNED” AND DONE THIS
EVIL IN THY SIGHT…” (Psalms 51:1-4 KJV).
What is sin? “…ALL
unrighteousness IS SIN…”
(1 John 5:17 KJV). “…ALL wicked actions ARE SIN…” (1 John 5:17
NLT). “…WHOsoever committeth SIN transgresseth also the
[HOLY] …law: for SIN IS the transgression of the [HOLY] …law….”
(1 John 3:4 KJV). “…EVERYONE WHO SINS is breaking God’s [HOLY] …law, for ALL SIN is
contrary to the [HOLY] …law of God….” (1 John 3:4 NLT). SIN IS BREAKING
GOD’S HOLY LAW.
“…ALL
wicked (evil) actions ARE SIN…” (1 John 5:17 NLT). Sin
causes people harm and is the absence of holiness or righteousness. Sin is the
total opposite of God’s HOLY nature.
Sin harms human beings
by influencing them to committed crimes against God, themselves, or others. “…MY SIN” is ever before me. AGAINST THEE (God), THEE ONLY, HAVE “I SINNED” AND
DONE THIS EVIL IN THY SIGHT…” (Psalms 51:1-4 KJV).
They commit such crimes
as murder, unkindness, blasphemy, theft, unforgiveness, adultery, dishonesty,
idolatry, selfishness, etc. “ … the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity,
sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying,
drunkenness, carousing, and things like these …”
(Galatians 5:20-22 NASB).
Did God create evil or
SIN? YES. “I form
the light, and create darkness: I make
peace, and create evil:
I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7 KJV). Evil is
not necessarily a person or thing or something tangible; it is the absence of God. Just like darkness is
the absence of light and cold is the
absence of heat. Evil or SIN is the absence of God.
At one time, Adam and Eve lived in the
presence of God until they choose independently against God’s way. God takes full
responsibility for creating evil since he created MANKIND and human WILL.
God’s HOLY standard was: “…THE DAY THAT THOU EATEST thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV).
Adam and Eve’s choice
was: “….So
she took some of the fruit and ATE IT. Then
she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and HE ATE IT, too …” (Genesis 3:1-7 NLT). “…THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK unto you, they ARE SPIRIT,
and they ARE LIFE…” (John 6:63 KJV). “… I have set before you LIFE and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose LIFE…” (Deuteronomy
30:19 KJV).
God created mankind with a human will with
the ability to CHOOSE. The consequences of Adam and Eve’s choice distanced them
from God’s presence. “… [Their] … iniquities (sin) …separated
(distanced) [them]… from God… …” (Isaiah 59:2 KJV). The absence of light is darkness; the absence
of God is evil or SIN. “… I …create evil…” (Isaiah 45:7 KJV).
Evil or SIN is the absence of God. If God is not present, it CREATES or RESULTS in the presence of evil
or SIN. “…I… create
evil: I the Lord do all these
things” (Isaiah 45:7 KJV). “… [Their] … iniquities (sin) …separated (distanced) [them]… from God… …” (Isaiah 59:2 KJV).
When my father died, his
absence CREATED or RESULTED a void in my life. When my son grew up and went off to college,
his absence CREATED an empty space in my life. When my best friend got married
and moved to another state, her absence CREATED a vacuum. The absence of one
thing creates the presence of another.
Thus, SIN is the absence of God’s HOLY presence. “…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV). “…Your
INIQUITIES (sin) have separated between you and your God, and
YOUR SINS …” (Isaiah 59:2 KJV). “…It’s YOUR
SINS that have cut you off from God. Because of YOUR SINS…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
Thus, sin stems from the
absence or a LACK of SPIRITUAL LIFE. “…It is the SPIRIT who gives “LIFE”; the flesh profits nothing…” (John 6:63
NASB).
You can NOT have
spiritual life without the HOLY SPIRIT. “… [You are] …DEAD in trespasses and sin”
(Ephesians 2:1 KJV). AND “….apart from … [God’s HOLY Spirit], [you can]… do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).
Without the HOLY SPIRIT
mankind is ONLY dominated by PRESENCE of SIN. “The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right
(choose God, the HOLY SPIRIT), but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I
hate. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living
in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me,
that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right (choose God, the HOLY
SPIRIT), but I can’t. I want to do what is good,
but I don’t. …I [am] …a slave to the sin
that is … within me. Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? …” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
The domination by SIN
is a SIGN that human freedom is imprisoned and under the POWER of the MAIN
SINful or EVIL one. “We know …
that the whole world lies under
the power of the evil one” (1
John 5:19 RSV).
In addition, SIN is the
ABSENCE of God’s love. “…God is LOVE…” (1 John 4:4-8 KJV). “WE
LOVE, because he first loved
us” (1 John 4:19 ASV).
Unloving behavior is a SIGN that a person
does NOT know the LOVE of God. “…Beloved, let us love one another: for
love is of God; and every one that loveth is born
of God, and knoweth God. He
that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love…” (1 John 4:4-8 KJV).
The ABSENCE of the GOD of LOVE results in
the PRESENTS of SIN. “…God is
LOVE…” (1 John 4:4-8 KJV).
There would be NO godly qualities in a person who is separated from the HOLY
God. There would be NO mercy, justice, patience, justice, grace, goodness, etc.
Without the presence of God there is NONE who is righteous. “…As it is written, There is NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO,
NOT ONE: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is NONE
THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE...” (Romans
3:10-12 KJV).
The LACK of Godly
qualities is a LACK of the presence of the God, the Holy Spirit in a person’s
life. “…It is the SPIRIT who
gives “LIFE”; the flesh
profits nothing…” (John 6:63 NASB).
The deeds of SINS are
the total and extreme opposite of the deed of the Holy Spirit. “…When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very
clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish
ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these … But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit
in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these
things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have nailed the passions and desires of their
sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there…” (Galatians 5
NLT).
SIN is expressed
through a person’s character and is a telltale SIGN they are NOT followers of
Christ. “…. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what
the Spirit wants …When you follow the
desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality,
impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
envy, drunkenness, wild
parties, and other sins like these…” (Galatians
5 NLT).
Followers of Christ
willfully and voluntarily CHOOSE “NOT” to mingle with the many impurities of
SIN. “… I have set before
you LIFE and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose LIFE, that
both thou and thy seed may LIVE…” (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV). “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve….”
(Joshua 24:15 KJV). “…The
highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who CHOOSE that way. …” (Matthew 7:13-14 NLT). “Jesus
saith…I am THE
WAY, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6 KJV).
In fact, followers of
Christ “HATE” the deeds of the flesh. “…I KNOW THY WORKS, AND THY LABOR, AND THY
PATIENCE, AND HOW THOU CANST NOT BEAR THEM WHICH ARE
EVIL…..” (REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
Hating evil is a STRONG dislike of SIN.
Hating SIN is to have an adverse attitude and disgust for, or to detest, or to
highly OPPOSE evil. “…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV). “…God is love…” (1
John 4:4-8 KJV).“… For
thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee…” (Psalms 5:4 KJV).
Let’s NOT get it
TWISTED, mankind’s hatred is TOTALLY different from God’s. Mankind’s HATE is a
STRONG dislike for another human being that STEMS from a heart of opposition,
prejudice, and bias differences. “….For from WITHIN, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, murder… wickedness …
slander, pride, and foolishness.
All these vile things come from WITHIN…” (Mark 7:20-23 NLT). “... I [am]
…a slave to the sin that is … WITHIN me …”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT). The heart “…is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked…who can know it [except God?”
(Jeremiah 17:9 KJV).
God’s HATE comes from a
heart of LOVE for human beings. “... [His] ways are higher than your ways [and
His] thoughts than your ways...” (Isaiah 55:9 KJV).God’s hate STEMS
from a STRONG dislike of SIN which separates, puts in conflict, or cause
mankind to clash with his HOLINESS. “… O
God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the
sins of the wicked…”
(Psalms 5:4 NLT).
God’s LOVE for mankind
COMPELLED him to WAGE war against SIN, “NOT” human beings. He, therefore, SENT
his SON! “…God SO LOVED the world, that he GAVE…”
(John 3:16). “…Herein
is love, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US...” (1
John 4:10 KJV). God “…SPARED NOT his own Son, but
delivered him up FOR US ALL…” (Romans 8:32 KJV). “…God SHOWED HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US by sending Christ to die for
us while we were still sinners…” (Romans 5:7-9 NLT). “…There is no greater love than to lay down one’s
life…” (John 15:13 NLT). “… [Nothing]…will be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord…”(Romans 8:31-39 NASB). He
has “….loved [you]...with an everlasting love….”
(Jeremiah 31:3 KJV).
He demonstrated that love through Christ. “…Christ
died for [your] sins according to the scriptures…” (1 Corinthians
15:3-4 KJV). “…Christ
[first]…suffered for us in the flesh …” (1 Peter 4:1-3 KJV).
“…he
[was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are
healed…” (Isaiah 53:5 KJV). “…his
appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond
human likeness—“ (Isaiah 52:14 NIV). “… because HE FIRST LOVED US…” (1
John 4:19 ASV).
God byway of his HOLY
nature ALONE, is in opposite of or opposes EVIL. SIN separates MAN from God’s HOLY
LOVE and HOLINESS naturally OPPOSES, or repels (hates) SIN.
The OPPOSITION stems
from the separation, or barrier, or chasm that SIN creates between HOLY God and
sinful mankind.
The separation, chasm,
or barrier exists because HOLINESS can NOT and will NOT “EVER”
MIX with SIN, so it SEPARATES, REPELS, or OPPOSES it instead; just like oil and
water. “…Your INIQUITIES (sin) have separated (put you in opposition) between you and your God (holy) …”
(Isaiah 59:2 KJV). “…It’s YOUR SINS that have cut you off from God (who is HOLY)…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
However, God did
something to eliminate the problem. He SENT Jesus who is like an EMULSIFIER
that enables the mixture or emulsion of two unlikely substances. “…He that is joined (MIXED) unto the Lord
(Jesus) is ONE
spirit… [with the HOLY God]” (1
Corinthians 6:17 KJV).
God HATES or in OPPOSITION to sin; not people.
He WAGED war against SIN in order to express his LOVE for ALL mankind. “…God SO LOVED the world, that he GAVE…”
(John 3:16). “…Herein is love, not that we
loved God,
but that HE
LOVED US...” (1 John 4:10 KJV).
“ … God …sent His Son to be the propitiation
(substitute, intervention) for our sins.” (1
John 4:10 KJV). HE SENT AN EMULSIFIER, named JESUS who miraculously enabled God
and man to MIX together. “…He
that is joined (MIXED together) unto the Lord (Jesus) is ONE spirit…
[with God]” (1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV).“…. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).
Jesus miraculously
enables the HOLY God and SINFUL mankind to MIX together as ONE. “…What therefore God has joined together,
let no man
separate…” (Mark 10:9 NASB). “…Let no
one split apart what God
has joined together…” (Mark 10:9 NLT).
God loved sinful man,
but because of his HOLY nature he simply could NOT mix or have a relationship
with SINFUL man. Holiness naturally opposes (hates) sin like oil and water naturally
opposes (hates) one another. However, “…There
... [is] … …one
… who can reconcile
God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus…”
(1 Timothy 2:5 NLT).
The barrier of SIN is A
REALITY. It naturally PLACES God’s HOLY nature in OPPOSITION (conflict, hate)
with mankind. “…what
fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with
darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel?” (2
Corinthians 6:14-15 KJV). “…one … can
reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus…” (1
Timothy 2:5 NLT). “….Apart from Me, you
can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV). “…Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY
… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me…”
(John 14 6 KJV). “…There
is SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE…” (Acts 4:12a NLT).
God HATES sin byway of
his HOLY nature. SIN creates a separation, barrier, or chase between God and
man. “…The
poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the
rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw
Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried
out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he
may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in
agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember
that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad
things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm
(barrier) has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you
cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us…”
(Luke 16:22-25 NASB).
Without Jesus, the
emulsifier, there would ALWAYS remain an impenetrable
BARRIER or CHASM between mankind and God. “… God …you cannot tolerate the
sins of the wicked…” (Psalms 5:4 NLT). However, “…There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and
humanity—the man Christ Jesus…”
(1 Timothy 2:5 NLT).
Thus, God’s people HATE
sin and WAGE war against SIN too; but NOT people. “….We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies,
but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty
powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places…”
(Ephesians 6:12 NLT).
God’s people mirror God’s attitude towards
SIN. “…You
who love the Lord, hate evil!”
(Psalms 97:10 NLT). “… All who fear the Lord will hate evil…”
(Proverbs 8:13 NLT). “…Hate the evil, and love the good…”
(Amos 5:15 KJV). “… I
have hated the congregation of evil doers…” (Psalms 26:5 KJV). “… I hate those who worship worthless idols. I trust in the Lord…”
(Psalms 31: 6 KJV). “… I hate every false
way…” (Psalm 119:104 KJV). “… I hate
and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions…”
(Psalms 119:163 KJV).
Hating the deeds of the
flesh is a SIGN of the indwelling HOLY
SPIRIT that empowers them with strength to do what is “pleasing” to God. “…Christ liveth in [you]…” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).
“…It is God who works in you to will and
to act in
order to fulfill his good purpose…”
(Philippians 2:13 NIV). “… the God of peace… that great Shepherd of the
sheep, equip you with everything good for doing
his will, and may he work in [you]… what is pleasing to him, through
Jesus Christ…” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV). “…the
Father that dwelleth in … [you], he doeth the works…”
(John 14:10 KJV).
The
church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 was commended for “HATING” SIN, particularly
the SINS of Nicolaitans. The Nicolaitans were known for destructive and sinful
deeds of heresies.
God’s
people hated the Nicolaitans SINS and kept themselves separated from them. Sin
is an abomination to God. “…I KNOW …THOU CANST NOT BEAR THEM WHICH ARE EVIL…..”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
It is HIGHLY commendable that followers of
Christ HATE SIN and chooses to KEEP themselves separation from ALL the evil and
wickedness that constantly surrounds them.
God’s wants his people be HOLY and separated
from the sinful world in which that dwell. It takes a consistent, diligent
study of God’s Word and a close walk with God in order to recognize SIN and
STAY separated from it. “…Ye shall be holy unto me…” (Leviticus 20:26 KJV).
However, God doesn’t want them to forget
why they choose to SEPARATE themselves in the first place.
“…whatsoever
ye do,
do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men…” (Colossians 3:23 KJV). “…Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 KJV).
“…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV). “…for
thy heart is not right in the
sight of God…” (Acts 8:21 KJV). “….
THOU HAST “LEFT” THY FIRST LOVE….” (REVELATION 2:4 KJV).
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