Several months have passed since our last post. What better time to share a post. There is a lot of controversy and a lot of confrontation over same-sex marriage. People are squaring off with each other and the battle lines have been drawn. In considering the issue of same-sex marriage Christians must not be self-righteous judges or like some in Corinth who compromised truth by condoning sinful sexual lifestyle. The Apostle Paul stressed discipline as needed in 1 Corinthians 5:11 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
He encouraged forgiveness foremost. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." The Apostle Paul was up on satan's tactics and he wanted the Corinthians and any other Christians to know the tricks of the devil. He went to the heart of the matter. What is the heart of the matter???
The devil is defeated! The chains of sin have been broken. The Apostle Paul says it clearly and convincingly "2 Corinthians 5:17-21 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
What powerful words for those who serve him as ambassadors in the ministry of reconciliation. The cry of the Apostle and all who love fallen men, women, boys and girls is, "we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Christians, we must not classify sins as being small or large or berate the sinner for whatever the sin may be. We are ambassadors of the ministry of reconciliation - bringing people to God through the Lord Jesus Christ! The shed blood of Jesus cleanses, heals, delivers, and saves to the uttermost. He cleansed, healed, delivered and saved me, the worst of sinners! He is waiting with victory for all who will come, confess, repent and be reconciled. To God be the glory!
This is a special weekend for Christians all over the world - we kneel at the cross and celebrate at the empty tomb with our Savior, Lord and King. When considering the life of Jesus Christ from the manger and back to the right hand of His Father, I stand amazed. As the Apostle Paul stated in 1 Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." The greatness of God is shown in sending His only begotten Son to a world that needed redemption. It doesn't matter what sin one commits, "all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God" (Rom 5:12). The devil and his deceit of man in the Garden of Eden was defeated by the one who prayed victory in the Garden of Gethsemane. Eve was deceived by the devil but the devil was deceived and defeated by the Lamb of God as He was reviled, beaten, slandered, spit on, beat mercilessly, crucified, buried in a tomb and arose on the thrid day. The Apostle Paul says it clearly in 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
