Homosexuality, a sin that has ALWAYS, until this generation, been condemned as a gross perversion, not only has found acceptance in our nation and our corporations, but is increasingly finding acceptance in many mainline denominations. Having a homosexual as an ordained minister is not uncommon. In the name of tolerance this sexual sin is embraced as simply an alternative, legitimate lifestyle. This sin which brought God’s judgment of total destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah, this sin which is condemned in the book of Leviticus along with the sin of having sex with an animal, this sin which Paul condemns in the first chapter of Romans and calls it a “degrading passion” (Romans 1:26) is now being presented as a lifestyle equal to and morally equivalent to heterosexuality. For the unbelievers to be so deceived is understandable, but for those who call themselves Christian and be so deceived is a masterstroke for Satan.    

            Homosexuality has become so acceptable that a majority of the American public believes that homosexuals could do as good a job at parenting as heterosexuals. Homosexuals are eager to prove that they are good parents. Adoption by homosexual couples increases every year. These adopted children are cheated out of either a mother or father. Whether one likes it or not men and women are different and they are meant to play a distinctly different role in the marriage and as parents. Allowing the most defenseless, the most impressionable of our society, our infants and children, to be raised by those who openly practice a perverse form of sexuality, is reprehensible. Will our judgment be less than that of Sodom?

            Churches today endorse the lie of evolution. It is taught in the public schools with hardly a whimper from those who claim to believe that God created the universe. Pastors, preachers, ministers see no contradiction between evolution and creationism. They are truly the blind leading the blind. “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3) Do we trust the Bible or the THEORIES, NOT FACTS, of man?

            Is it any wonder juvenile violence is increasing daily? Is it any wonder we have children murdering children and adults? Why should that surprise anyone? We have taught our children that they could just as easily have been murdered by their mothers ANYTIME during her pregnancy had she so wished; we have taught them that morality is relative, that the truth varies from person to person, that there are no absolutes; we have taught them that they are no more than the highest (and some question whether humans are the highest) form of animal life, having evolved over eons. Thus, to kill a human is no more wrong than killing an animal. We have become desensitized to pain, suffering, and even death by the movies and TV shows that bombard us daily. Again, where is the outrage from the Christians? Unfortunately, all too often, it is they, those who call themselves Christian, that are the most guilty. It is they who are WILLFULLY ignorant of the truth, for to learn the truth would require them to stand against the world they love. It is they who watch the movies and TV shows that would make their parents blush with embarrassment, but “they did not know how to blush.” (Jeremiah 8:12) It is they who watch the movies and TV shows that glorify violence and gore to the point of stripping the sacredness of human life of every shred of God’s image. The Lord condemned the house of Judah, His chosen people, and said to Ezekiel, “Do you see {this,} son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly?” (Ezekiel 8:17) This is like God saying, “Do you see this Christian? Those who call themselves by my Name have become so violent that they spread that violence wherever they go and they think it is no big deal, when in truth it grieves me to the point of anger.” Violence is a sin. It destroys compassion, sympathy, and our ability to empathize to each other. We no longer look out for the well-being of one another; rather, we look upon each other with suspicion, wary of their motives.

            And where did those in church learn such behavior? “There is a conspiracy of her PROPHETS in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. Her PRIESTS have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; THEY HAVE MADE NO DISTINCTION between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her PRINCES within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood {and} destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. And her PROPHETS have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken.’” (Ezekiel 22:25-28) Those who supposedly know God the best, those who supposedly walk closest to the Father are those who have led the people astray. They have done it out of ignorance, not knowing the Word of God, or out of greed, being afraid to speak the truth for fear they will lose their place of authority and their financial well-being. They are hirelings. “He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters {them.}{He flees} because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep.” (John 10:12-13) So many in the ministry are concerned only for themselves. They twist the word of God so that it becomes pleasing to the ears of those who call themselves Christian, but are not. Sin is no longer called sin. Premarital sex, sex outside of marriage, and living together is no longer called fornication. It is EXPECTED; even among so-called believers. The pit of moral decay we find ourselves in is wide and deep and those who should be warning us to watch our step least we fall into it are in the pit themselves ENCOURAGING us to join them. Those whom man has ordained to teach us spiritual things “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.” (Romans 1:32)

            Rather than Christians overcoming the world we find the world overcoming the Christians. The pull of the world proves overwhelming to many. But rather than abandoning the name Christian, those who turn away from the truth continue to call themselves Christian, even though they may preface it with Homosexual-Christian, or Adulterer-Christian, or Fornicator-Christian. Of course they do not introduce themselves that way. They just believe there is no contradiction in openly practicing and embracing sin and being a Christian. They do not want to be told that God finds their lifestyles evil, repugnant, SINFUL. They want the promise of Heaven without holiness. Yet, without holiness, being in the presence of the Father is impossible. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; WITHOUT HOLINESS no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)(NIV)

            It is interesting that of the seven churches spoken of in Revelation only Sardis and Laodicea record no internal or external conflict. Sardis had diluted the Word of God so much that its convicting influence ceased to exist. Tolerance for any and all lifestyles was practiced. The balance between the love of God and His judgment toward evil had been tipped completely in favor of love. This distorted the truth to the point that confrontation between those in the church was no longer necessary because no one could tell another what was right and what was wrong. This church was one big happy family, unwilling to face the truth that the Bible revealed. How could this happen? Not only in Sardis, but in our day, in our churches as well? “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their {own} authority; AND MY PEOPLE LOVE IT SO! But what will you do at the end of it?” (Jeremiah 5:31) It happens because we dislike rules and restraints. We find the commands of the Lord wearisome and an annoyance to the flesh. We would rather be saved IN our sins than FROM our sins. We take comfort in the sins of others. It makes our sins more acceptable to us, especially if we have the blessing of spiritual leaders.

            Of course we strive to have no internal conflict among us as Christians. Our prayer should be that we each love others as we love ourselves. But that should never be used as an excuse for not confronting sin. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” (Proverbs 27:6) To recognize sin in someone we love and say nothing is actually an act of hatred. We find ourselves doing Satan’s bidding for our silence is easily mistaken for acceptance. Thus, to have conflict CAN be a good thing. It depends upon the motive.

            The difference between the Christian and the world should be VERY apparent to anyone. What the world tolerates - promiscuity, immorality, violence, indecent speech, pornography, occultism, drunkenness, blasphemy, should not be associated with the Christian at all. Indeed, we are to “abstain from every FORM of evil.” (1Thessalonians  5:22) Thankfully, the Lord has those who worship Him from a pure heart and who are not intimidated or overcome by the fallen world in which we live.

            The Lord always leaves a remnant, a chosen few, who refuse to bow down in worship to an idol; whether that idol be pleasure, money, power, fame, prestige, or tolerance. As Elijah ran from Queen Jezebel after she threatened his life, he pleaded with God to take his life since he believed he was the only one left in Israel who really worshipped Him anyway. Elijah felt alone and isolated, yet the Lord responded to Elijah’s request by saying, “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18) Elijah did not know who those 7000 faithful worshippers were, but God did. Today, it is the same.

            There are many times when we look around ourselves and think we are the only one left who truly loves God, who truly desires to worship Him. Paul responds to this type of thinking: “God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in {the passage about} Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ‘Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, they have torn down Thine altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.’ But what is the divine response to him? ‘I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ In the same way then, there has also come to be AT THE PRESENT TIME A REMNANT according to {God's} gracious choice.” (Romans 11:2-5) Paul understood though he too stood alone at times, that God, throughout the ages, has reserved for Himself a SMALL segment of humanity that would remain faithful to Him. This is what we find in Sardis. “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white; for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:4) This speaks of those who keep themselves from not only overt, obvious sin, but from ANYTHING that is unrighteous or unholy. That which “soils” so many today is the truth that through Jesus, and Him alone is salvation. Speaking of Jesus, Paul says, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) The world’s religions chafe at this and mock and ridicule this truth as being exclusionary. They prefer instead the belief that there are many roads to Heaven and no one way is better or more right than another. This is where tolerance again comes in. And it has found its way into the churches. Jesus is considered no more than one of many prophets or wise men or ascended masters. It is politically incorrect to share a belief that through Jesus alone is Heaven made accessible to man.

            The Greek word “soiled” used in Revelation 3:4 is also used of the 144,000 REMNANT. “These are the ones who have not been DEFILED with WOMEN, for they have kept themselves chaste. These {are} the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as FIRST FRUITS to God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:4) Who these 144,000 are has long been a topic of debate, whether it refers to a literal number or is symbolic. The number itself is interesting. It is 12 x 12 x 1000. Twelve is the number of the Tribes of Israel and the number of Apostles that Jesus chose. One thousand is the number of years Jesus will rule in the Millennium. These numbers also correspond closely with the New Jerusalem spoken of in Revelation chapter 21:16-17: “The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using.” (NIV) I believe the 144,000 are those who will “fit” into the New Jerusalem and will rule and reign with Jesus. I do not believe the passage refers only to MEN, which some assume because the defilement they are free from is with WOMEN. The pronouns “these” and “they” used in Revelation 14:4 include both masculine and feminine. Thus, these 144,000 are both men and women.

            Who are the “women” John speaks of? God, speaking in Ezekiel chapter 16 refers to Israel as a woman, a harlot because she had forsaken the true worship of Him and had turned to other nations for protection and wealth. God condemned this and told Israel that the nations she had trusted in “will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many WOMEN. Then I shall stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay your lovers.” (Ezekiel 16:41) These “women” were the nations Israel had made alliances with. Jerusalem is referred to many times as a woman. It is no coincidence that in the Greek, the word for church is FEMININE. The Church is spoken of as a BRIDE in Revelation chapter twenty-one. Thus, the “women” the 144,000 have kept themselves undefiled from are governments that seek to replace God in the lives of those under its dominion and religious organizations, including Christian denominations, that reject both the teachings of the Bible and  Jesus Christ as Savior.

            It is the Remnant that will listen to the call given in Revelation concerning Babylon. “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’” (Revelation 18:4-5) The word “church” means        CALLED OUT ONES. We are called out not only from the world, but from everything that perverts or twists the truth that has been revealed to us in the Bible. As Christians, the Remnant chosen by the Lord, we have clothed ourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27). Let us be quick to come out  of ANYTHING that would defile our spirit, soul, or body that we may be holy. 

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