from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church http://bit.ly/30w6gUQ
via IFTTT Sin. Disobedience to the God who created us. Refusing His instruction by instead creating our own vision of the truth based on the passions of the flesh. Sin. The call of the gospel, cover to cover in the Bible really, is to lay aside the flesh and the desires of the flesh. Yet today, Satan has deceived even those in the church to celebrate the flesh and it's desires. That is directly contrary to the gospel. "But I am made this way" is not a defense of sin in any sense. In fact, it doesn't matter at all whether we are built to desire sin or we choose sin. The remedy is the same, we must turn against sin completely. It is in fact the desire of the flesh, born or built, that Jesus conquered on the cross, so that we may be set free from the power of sin. Being set free means we no longer are compelled to sin! Regardless of why we sinned, we can walk free of sin through the cross. Homosexuality, is a sin, just as promiscuity, adultery, prostitution. Each of these is sexuality immorality. Is one worse than the other? Why even ask? All are punishable by death! One problem we have in America today is, we pick sins to celebrate and others to ignore. While celebrating the open sin of homosexual marriage, we ignore the open sin of sexual relations outside of or before marriage. Sin is sin. Immorality is immorality. All is punishable by the death penality. Paul calls us here to set aside the desire of the flesh. All flesh is evil, sin, abhorrent to a holy God. Any sexual relations outside of the God ordained lifetime commitment of marriage between man and woman is sin. Often we find those celebrating the sin of homosexuality are also enjoying the sin of sex outside of lifetime committed marriage. Sin gives birth to more sin. Lust of any sort, is evil and sinful, and leads to misery. The message of the gospel is, lay aside the flesh, all of it. Any desire of man. All must be brought under the authority of Christ. All. The flesh and it's passions must be submitted to the cross to die. And die it will! We are set free from the desires of the flesh by the forgiveness of the cross followed by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Whether it is drug addiction, gluttony, sexual desire outside of marriage, same sex attraction or any other desire of the flesh. The Gospel sets us free! Free to joyously follow God's plan and law. Celebrating sin is sin. We are called to expose sin, all sin. We are called to die daily to the desires of our flesh and submit to life in Christ. Choosing to hang on to any sin, is sin, and separates us from the blessings and life of God. Homosexuality is sin. Sexual relations outside of marriage is sin. Serial monogamy is sin. Adultery is sin. Prostitution is sin. And sin is death. The cross frees us from the desire for sin. That is the gospel! No lust of the flesh is stronger than the redeeming and cleansing power of Christ. Each of us must submit to Christ the desires of our flesh, whatever those are, and let Christ cleans us and overcome those desires through His might. Stop celebrating sin, and live free of the flesh through Christ.
