Posted on 01/12/2013 6:13:38 PM PST by ReformationFan
It is now standard wisdom, held by most Episcopalians and not a few liberal Protestant denominational fellow travelers, that an all loving God would never judge people with any degree of harshness (if at all) and that His love, in fact, rules out such a possibility, over-ridden by His all embracive inclusive love.
But Scripture declares that God is both judge and lover. The two cannot be divorced from each other. "God is not at odds with himself, however much it may appear to us that he is. He is 'the God of peace', of inner tranquility not turmoil. True, we find it difficult to hold in our minds simultaneously the images of God as the Judge who must punish evil-doers and of the Lover who must find a way to forgive them. Yet he is both, and at the same time," wrote the late Anglican preacher John R.W. Stott. God's righteousness and love are inextricably intertwined.
For we mere mortals, judgment is for those who judge others we are told. Verses like "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you," haunt the lips of any would be judgmental person.
Yet God's love does not override his judgment. We are told that judgment begins FIRST with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17), and that He will come again to judge the living and the dead (Apostles Creed).
A friend of VOL and regular reader recently made a trip to Gomorrah, which is on either side of the road that leads to Masada. It had no signs indicating its location, probably because it is virtually impossible for police to cordon off visitors, he told VOL.
Then he wrote, "However, when one gets to the top of Masada by cable car the contrast between the ash ziggurats of Gomorrah and the surrounding area is very obvious. I wandered among the ash covered ziggurats and dug into the walls with my pen knife. After about a 20 minute search I dug out some small pieces of 'brimstone' and took them home to test. They duly gave off a blue flame and a strong sulphur smell.
"Interestingly, another searcher had done the same and had his samples analyzed by an industrial chemist who was surprised at the purity % of the samples. Apparently, sulphur on earth is rarely more than 60 to 65% pure, but the Gomorrah and Sodom samples were 95% +.
"It seems that the Biblical report in Genesis 19 is, in fact, correct.
"It will amuse VOL readers to note that when I show my 'brimstone'. to people, there are varying reactions: Most change the subject quickly because they cannot handle the possibility that Genesis 19 is an accurate report or fascination that Genesis 19 is true."
His point is that God does judge and Sodom and Gomorrah is a case in point.
And what was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? In light of Leviticus 18:22, the most common response to the question "What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?" is that it was homosexuality. That is how the term "sodomy" came to be used to refer to anal sex between two men, whether consensual or forced. Clearly, homosexuality was part of why God destroyed the two cities. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah wanted to perform homosexual gang rape on the two angels (who were disguised as men). At the same time, it is not biblical to say that homosexuality was the exclusive reason why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were definitely not exclusive in terms of the sins in which they indulged.
Ezekiel 16:49-50 declares, "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me..." The Hebrew word translated "detestable" refers to something that is morally disgusting and is the exact same word used in Leviticus 18:22 that refers to homosexuality as an "abomination." Similarly, Jude 7declares, "...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion." So, again, while homosexuality was not the only sin in which the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah indulged, it does appear to be the primary reason for the destruction of the cities.
Those who attempt to explain away the biblical condemnations of homosexuality claim that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was inhospitality. This is certainly what Bishop Gene Robinson says in his efforts to explain away the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and to justify his behavior. He is wrong. Dead wrong.
The men of Sodom and Gomorrah were certainly being inhospitable. There is probably nothing more inhospitable than homosexual gang rape. But to say God completely destroyed two cities and all their inhabitants for being inhospitable clearly misses the point. While Sodom and Gomorrah were guilty of many other horrendous sins, homosexuality was the reason God poured fiery sulfur on the cities, completely destroying them and all of their inhabitants. To this day, the area where Sodom and Gomorrah were located remains a desolate wasteland. Sodom and Gomorrah serve as a powerful example of how God feels about sin in general and homosexuality specifically.
Now I wonder what the LORD might decide to do to a cathedral in which a sodomite bishop is enthroned...will He do as He did to the masonic chapel in the south transept of York Minster when David Jenkins was made Bishop of Durham...and strike it with lightning on an evening when there was no rain near York?
Whatever He does, I suspect that He will not just sit and watch without taking some action. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil (Isa. 5:20).
The Edict of Justinian to the people of Constantinople about debauchery contrary to nature. Justinian Novel 141
Yep. Well said.
Didn’t realize Gomorrah was known to have a claimed site where one could go see it. Thought it was buried in the Dead Sea or otherwise lost or undiscovered.
We all have sinned and the Almighty desires that we confess our sins and receive forgiveness instead of promoting them and seeking to legalize and force the church and society to accept perverted sexual sins.
The world and especially our nation has turned away from God, we have basically false prophets declaring new commandments in direct conflict with Biblical standards...like homosexuality. I have noticed a feeling of impending doom that I have never before witnessed. It is very widespread...I think there is a good chance we are in for a “storm” to sweep our nation. Indeed, I wonder sometimes if it already hasn’t begun.
The politics of Sodom and Gomorrah, is that it would have been populated almost entirely by libertarians and liberals.
The Bible has always been very clear about condemning sin and the abomination that is homosexuality.
It always is amazing to me how wise the Bible is-—and how it even states that Evil will be called “Good”. That concept seemed inconceivable to me-—but then they allowed abortion, and yelled it was a “Right”!!!! Now, they yell and tell kids, and glorify the following in movies and TV, “Sodomy is a Right!!!”
It is really sickening how parents allow their children to absorb those ideas in the media and the schools-—for now we have over 70;% of young adults who think such dehumanizing, evil behavior is a “Right” when Rights in the US Constitution only come from God.
They are ignorant of the Bible and the Constitution after being brainwashed in government atheist/occult schools and by the media. We need to take the minds of our children away from the Luciferians.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiachThroughout the Holy WORD of G-d, marriage is a metaphor
for the relationship of YHvH and his "called" people.
In the Tanach, YHvH is the Bridegroom and Israel is His Wife.
Later "called" gentiles are referred to as a Gentile Bride.
As a bride or wife we are asked to leave our family and
cling to our Bridegroom : YHvH and His salvation.A clear reading of Romans 1 in context beginning at
verse 16 shows that those who should know YHvH and his creation
but reject Him are given over to a perverse relationship in direct
opposition to the metaphor of marriage.
Very true. I fear for this nation.
Justice and mercy, combined perfectly on the cross of Christ.
He is perfectly just. He is perfectly merciful. We don’t get just one or the other.
Archaeologists—who accept the Bible—differ on exactly where Sodom and Gomorrah were. The Genesis account isn’t that specific as to where they were except “on the plain.” However there is a site exactly as described that appears to be a couple of ancient cities buried in or converted to heavy ash...a good possibility to have been Sodom & Gomorrah.
His will be done.
There were five cities (Genesis 14:2) and only Zoar was saved because the angels harkened to Lot Genesis 19:22.
excellent post. the problem is that when i look around in America today, i see sodom on steriods. how much longer will He allow this to go on. we, the remnant of God fearing conservatives, better unite to reverse this desolation soon, or be prepared to suffer the same fate.
God told Abraham that He would not destroy the cities as long as there were as many as 5 righteous people still in them......I assume not counting Lot and his family since they were escaping. Therefore we who remain faithful are the last hope for America. It also indicates that things will have to get MUCH worse than they are today before God executes judgement.
Can you imagine the environment that Lot’s family lived in, as the only God-fearing people in a sea of perversion? Would make living in San Fran look easy. I suspect Lot was not a supporter of sword control.
This lack of wanting to examine oneself for sins or errors in belief carries over to their understanding of the world. God isn't judging, they think, He is too nice to do that. Therefore people no longer are led to repent of their sins when their lives become more and more insufferable. After all it's all just blind chance so why try to examine oneself or culture on a whole to find out why terrible seemingly judgments happen. They think God certainly doesn't judge, so they count disasters up to such things as the "green house effect".
As individuals and as a culture on the whole people need to come back to the understanding that God's judgments occur upon us when we leave Him and fall into depraved life styles. Then we can understand that when we truly repent and live for Him He will again bless us.
Exactly right. So many both inside and outside the visible church love to quote this verse:
“Judge not, that you be not judged.”-Matthew 7:1
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:1&version=ESVUK
But seem to forget this one-
“Do not judge according to appearance, but [a]judge with righteous judgment.”
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%207:24&version=NASB
The politics of Sodom and Gomorrah, is that today’s version would likely be San Francisco, and the political left of such dung punchers as Barney Frank and his Massachusetts supporters. The support of the occupier of the White Hut would likely make Northern California, Massachusetts and DC targets for the next display of fire and brimstone rath.
Beside the benefit of being cleansed of the LGBT shit that pervades our society today, those areas so cleansed would be virtually free of snakes...they will not crawl through areas that have been sprinkled with sulfur. Sulfur and crushed mothballs work, though there is a difference of opinion if you do a search.
The language you just used in that post, is an exact fit for Sodom and Gomorrah, not a public discussion among conservatives. That is pretty serious cussing.
Perhaps it’s best just to let sleeping sheepdogs lie... :)
Homosexual are always telling us that if we “don’t like homosexual sex or marriage, then don’t have them.”
But we already know from experience how good their promises are.
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