Wages of sin on earth and heaven

1 Corinthians 13:1(nkjv) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.4¶Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8¶Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.9For we know in part and we prophesy in part.10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.11¶When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.13¶And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Romans 5:12 (nkjv)Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—13(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.15But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.17For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

I like to quote sections versus short verses. It removes all doubt of intent in the original context of the scriptures being quoted. Too many times we take certain verses out of context to emphasize our own message. Many times we talk of things of the spirit and use them to our purposes. One of my new favorite quotes from Susan b Anthony…

“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.”

Ironically I haven’t studied anything about her and may be quoting out of context. I know she grew up in a home believing in right, wrong, equality, basic human rights for both women and slaves at the time. For me I do not know what tomorrow promises. I do not know where I will be led. I am down to ride or die. Do not know what tomorrow holds but I do have the word to guide me not to further my purposes but the Lord will.

Too often we take stands on too much grace, too much law. We say we love the sinner and hate the sin. It is interesting that just like faith without works is dead, love without compassion is also dead. When God told Moses to smack the rock to show his people his awesome power, Moses obeyed. When God said to Moses to speak to the rock, he smacked it out of anger. This miss represented God’s love and compassion for the people. If God had no compassion, no grace, then what good was it to even bring forth his people. Ultimately Moses not being able to be within the promise land did not imply that his faith was outweighed by his sin. It was a testament to the fact that even the greatest followers forgiven of their sin face the wages of what sin brings on earth. We still reap what we have sown. Just as David’s kingdom was never the same after his sins. His son left not chastened. He was a man after God’s own heart but his sins had earthly consequences

Likewise in our times we see the reaping of our nation’s sins in 2020 .We measure condemnation by the types of sin we see in others. David, would have condemned a man to death for theft, yet it was not a law worthy of death but his murder of a man to take his wife was so. So in condemning a fictional man to death he condemned himself to death for his own crimes! How much more love does a man have that is imputed much debt, than a man who is forgiven little. Praise the Lord David was not put to death, he was not condemned, he repented and his faith made him whole! He suffered many repercussions. For his faith may have saved him from the pit of he’ll when Jesus freed him in his sacrifice but he still suffered.

Today many would forget that the sins we commit all condemned us to death. Lying, murder, adultery, idolitry, fornication, homosexuality. Too quickly many are compassionate for the family or friend who struggles with all accept one of those sins yet many at the same time would be sick to their stomachs to be in the company of those who are gay. We would sooner march to keep them from worldly union together than to recognize they too need compassion. Many may even refrain from eating with or performing services for someone because of their sexual orientation. Is it a sin in the bible? Yes. Do we need to say it’s a sin? Yes. so that by chance someone who participated in this sin takes up his cross just like any other born again believer that repented of their sins. If we can not have a conversation, we can not stand the idea of being around them, how can we be a light shining in the darkness? We are not called to condemn the world. The law has already done that, and in our hearts is the law. We may ignore it, we may not listen to it. Jesus died before we were born again. He sat with the least of these. He sacrificed himself when no one saught him. As his example before we can show agape love we must forgive offense against the law written in our hearts. Only then are we free as Paul was free to be all things to all men. We smack the rock in anger, and we miss represent God. If we had spoken to the people, what could have been? No I do not feel called to condemn those who protest for their earthly rights. My faith is in heaven and so is my reward. We are called to bring the good news to the people. If they turn it away then as Paul went on dusting himself off city to city I too will go. Imagine the conversation and witness someone could have while performing a service for someone who me you know doesn’t know the grace of God. A baker making a cake, with Christian decorations in their bakery leading to conversation of the glory and grace of God. The seed is planted, if it grows then it is good. If not then nothing is lost. Years later that seed could begin to grow. Or it doesn’t but you have represented God and his grace. Most people already know that it isn’t acceptable according to the bible to be gay. If we speak to the rock, what could happen?

Next issue this one’s going to be a hard pill to swallow. The new fascination with pedophiles. This has been a struggle for me. Understanding how so easily a family member, friend, or fellow believer could forgive, hide and enable such a wicked crime. Again the pedophile is condemned in his birth after Adam. The wickedness of it is astounding. When someone who does this claims to be a believer, the disrespect to God is on a whole new level. When a believer covers it from justice they may as well have done it themselves. Jesus had his true hard og moments. He said that if any man stumbles the faith of a child in him, it would be better for that man to be hung by a milestone and cast in the sea. The only thing I could come to is that believers believing that love covers a multitude of sins. Correctly so. In my heart I believe that we must ultimately forgive the laws broken by others in our hearts. Righteousness demands that we rectify this to the law of the land because even if someone is forgiven by God, we misrepresent him in letting the actions of such people stand. We can not turn a blind eye. Let the law be served and let God decide if there is redemption. As for the politicians and actors (idols for those who have religion and no god alike) it is hard for me to condemn them with only conspiracy theories and pandemonium. I do not wish to participate in folly, if there is proof then I would say the same as those who are not in the spotlight.

Sin from brother to brother sister to sister. The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. If you have not love for your brother then you have no part of God’s love.

1 John 4:7-8 KJVS
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. [8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

If we claim to love our fellow man, we must acknowledge the sin against our neighbors whether literally or figuratively. This is why Paul swiftly rebuked Peter so that God would not be miss represented.

There can be no love in a relationship without communication, how can we claim to love one another, fellow Christians and those who haven’t picked up their cross or outright don’t believe if we can not even communicate, and discover if we have perhaps offended one another? In today’s culture we have two trains of thought. Those who are offensive are terrible people. Those who are easily offended are snowflakes. Do we not have the word from paul, that if he believed that his freedoms would offend the faith of a weaker believer he would not partake in that freedom again? If you have no communication you can not claim to have love.

I’d say that in a knee jerk society, we need to pause and reflect before we react. Even if those who don’t believe do wrong toward us, and especially when we may have done wrong to them. Love commands that we do right by them. If we don’t have righteousness more then the Pharisees, we won’t make it. If we aren’t Christ like in our ways toward non believers then we mis represent God. The prophecies of the last days coming to pass shouldn’t pose fear in us, it should embolden us to do better. It should make us all the more like Paul in spreading all of the gospel. The sin, the faith the repentance, the blood, the sacrifice, the love and grace. If we suffer for Christ our reward is in heaven. If we misrepresent God their bed is still made in hell but what could have been?

Thank you for reading, I don’t write this to condemn but because of God’s love. selah.