Posted on 02/03/2022 9:38:04 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The Reality Is…
There are threats that face the Christian Church, and the cause of those threats is sin. Sin affects every member of the Christian faith, no matter the status. Sin causes us to stumble and sets us back in our cause for Christ. Ultimately, it should remind us how desperate we need the forgiveness and guidance of God.
But which sin seems to set us back the most? What are we glossing over, pushing under the rug, and pretending isn’t there? That, my friends, is sexual sin. In 2016, Josh McDowell told CBN News, “pornography is probably the greatest threat to the cause of Christ in the history of the world.” Wow. That’s a strong statement to make.
Churches should be pushing the alarm button…not the snooze button! The sad reality is we are not hearing the alarm because most Christian men are in the clutches of this sin. Barna Research Group and Josh McDowell Ministries commissioned a studyfound that the number of Christian men who view pornography nearly mirrors that of non-Christian men. How can this be?
Factors
How has the Church suddenly become a fruitless and passive representation of God in this area? There should be alarms ringing left and right about this topic. Yes, there are certainly pastors and leaders out there addressing it and hundreds of books have been written on it. However, instead of winning against this sin, we’re backsliding.
A recent Lifeway Research poll found that 81 percent of Americans said they were concerned with the declining moral behavior of America. If God calls and equips the Church to be set apart from this world and its lusts, why are most Christian men living sexually immoral lifestyles?
There are a couple of primary factors that contribute to this decline in morals and moral behavior. First, the world is constantly advancing the availability, accessibility, and acceptance of sexual immorality. Over half of men aged 18-49 label pornography as morally acceptable. What’s even more disturbing is that 50% of those who claimed their religion was important to them, also said porn was morally acceptable.
The second factor contributing to this moral decline is that Christians frequently underscore God’s Word and the role that He plays in the battle between the flesh and the spirit. Most of the sermons and books today focus on what you need to do to become free — not how God has a role and provision for us in this battle.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)
It’s time to fight
As the Body of Christ, we cannot allow this moral decline to continue. We must sound the alarm.
Did you know that sexual sin is different than all other sins? The Bible tells us, “Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Sexual sin incapacitates us both spiritually and physically. Satan knows this and has been using this sin against man from the very beginning. He knows we were created as sexual beings (Genesis 2:24) and our sexual immorality incapacitates us. He also knows sin causes us to hide from God (Genesis 3:10) and he specifically targets Christians.
The Church has been putting forth unbiblical tactics far too long and it’s time for the Church to stand up and fight the war of sexual immorality.
Adapted from J.S. Shelton’s book “Unmuzzled: Escaping sexual sin, Satan’s grip on men.” For more information about J.S. Shelton and “Unmuzzled” please visit: https://unmuzzledmen.com/
Author of the book UNMUZZLED, Jeremy is a man on a mission to directly confront sexual sin in the church today. He does so with the belief God is using him to grab hold of those heading toward a slaughter. He and his wife of eighteen years have five children and live in Texas.
Yes.
And now:
Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold
Men are unable to trust “law”
Matt 24:12
Cold law
You’re saying all sex is some nocturnal thing while sleeping?
I was not talking about males’ nocturnal emissions. I was talking about sex, period!
“God gave us such that then that means restrictions on the use of them is illogical and contrary to their purpose, but which is an example of “free thinking” that is fallacious reasoning.”
It is obvious that you have absolutely no comprehension/understanding of what I am saying. Probably a combination of myself not being eloquent enough to be clearer and you not able to think outside the box constructed for you by corrupt men self-proclaimed their holiness centuries ago and you continue to blindly believe todays corrupt “holy men”.
Those who do not think will believe anything because they remain willfully ignorant. I believe it is peopel like you, the religious fanatics, who are not using the brain God gave you the way he intended us to use them.
Have you ever pondered these questions:
If God is a perfect being and the human species was created in his image, then why are humans capable of doing such evil things?
Why did humans get a special brain unlike anyother of his creations?
Why is there in fact a special brain, and only one amongst Gods creations?
I highly doubt you ever have, because from the religious fanatic POV to ask or think about these types of questions is heresy; things that cannot even be thought about, thus the religious fanatic remains willfully ignorant as to why God gave us such a powerful brain.
What is obvious is that your display of ignorance as evidenced in unwarranted, bombastic assertions in lieu of any real argument in defense of your manifestly pompous statements, which make you sound like the only theological learning you have has come from likewise ignorant atheistic web sites. To wit:
"Have you ever pondered these questions: If God is a perfect being and the human species was created in his image, then why are humans capable of doing such evil things?"
Of course I have (search some of my 29,000+ posts on FR), contrary to your inexcusable erroneous presumption, and which question is part of theology 101, since the answer is that of the Fall of man, a fundamental doctrine flowing right out from the very beginning of Scripture, which, with its complementary texts within over 800,000 words, is a source of systematic theology on many issues. In which what is manifestly taught, in confluence with other texts on the issue, is not man had the same character of God, but that while God made everything Good, with natural laws as well as moral and spiritual ones, yet that this goodness did not mean perfectly good robots (nor as possessing Divine omniscient and omnipotence), but, unlike things as clouds, it included providing angels and man with the capability to choose, along with an innate sense of God and morality (with a triune nature of body, soul and spirit: 1 Ths. 5:23). And with alternatives to choose btwn (otherwise the capability to choose would be meaningless) - both of which having consequences to self and others. (Genesis 2; Romans 1; 2)
And thereby, besides some angels, man - being exceedingly blessed with only one prohibition - became guilty of choosing to disobey God, with the seducer devil being the alternative to God, thereby incurring the promised penalty. With death (its meaning being defined by its penalties) becoming a reality that day but with progressive effects, not just among man, but upon all that was given to man to enjoy and care of. (Genesis 3; Romans 5; 8) And which effects include that of passing on the acquired Adamic nature with its proclivity to sin (though man is only accountable for what he can and does choose to do).
However, God did not remove man's ability to progressively deal with and counteract to some degree the negative effects of man's disobedience, while at the same time continued disobedience to Gods laws (misusing what God gave) in any realm is to man's hurt (though God can and will make all work out for Good as being just, and also with mercy and grace: Romans 8:28)
And in which disobedience we see the principle that all that we do or fail to do has affects upon others (who in turn affect others), to varying degrees. And just as Adam evil-affected what was given him, so also one Man's obedience positively affect those who choose Him.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: (Genesis 5:3)
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. (Ecclesiastes 7:29)
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, on that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:17)
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:1-2)
...I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)
Thus the answer to why are humans capable of doing such evil things is because they can, with the human species being created in his image not referring to character nor omniscience and omnipotence, but it is best understood as man having "a spirit and soul and body" (1 Thessalonians 5:23) and perhaps though perhaps God has a spiritual body corespondent to man in shape.
And rather than thinking "outside the box constructed for you by corrupt men self-proclaimed their holiness centuries ago and you continue to blindly believe todays corrupt holy men' and "not using the brain God gave you the way he intended us to use them," my explanation is a result of me using the brain God gave me in examination of the Scriptures and in examination of what others have taught, and of human nature in creation.
" Why did humans get a special brain unlike another of his creations?"
Because man is the crown of creation, with a God consciousness (man is the only creature that as a specious evidences acts of worship toward God), and vastly superior to all other in scope and depth of overall ability, from language to advanced learning and technological development. Yet while we can put men on the moon we often cannot save his marriage since the problem is not with the organic brain and intellectual powers, but the "heart." To deny that focus as some do is ignorant.
" Why is there in fact a special brain, and only one amongst Gods creations?"
The question is basically redundant, thus I will go beyond my last response to say is because God had a higher purpose for man, whom God created all nature to serve (thus it would not miss us as much as it would the earth worm), while to care for it, which was man's first job, is to care for ourselves. But in all we do we are to be expressions of God's character, being as it were His arms, mouth, etc., in union with Him as He works thru us, to do His will one earth as it is in Heaven - but which required being born of Hid Spirit thru sincere repentance of faith in the risen Lord Jesus who gave Himself for our sins that we may live thru Him. For we all have misused what God gave us, and broken His laws, and only the Son who did everything Right and then took responsibility for all we did Wrong, could pay the price for our transgressions and thus provide redemption on His expense and credit. Thanks be to God!
Yet which God, who needs NOTHING, (Acts 17:25) ordains this purpose on earth of expressing Him as a privilege to our benefit, while man is the only creature on earth which causes God grief. Which examples God's long-suffering, yet which is not forever, though Heaven and the lake of fire are, as eternal opposites.
"I highly doubt you ever have, because from the religious fanatic POV to ask or think about these types of questions is heresy; things that cannot even be thought about, thus the religious fanatic remains willfully ignorant as to why God gave us such a powerful brain."
Your premise seems to be that if God uniquely gave us a special brain then your ranting must be right, which is simply wrong reasoning.
And again, your ignorant arrogant ranting is such as is seen on ignorant atheistic web sites, while in reality questions as they and you have, as said, been the subject of extensive theological discussions and debates for centuries (much because men like you know little of the past).
Here is just one contemporary resources on theological issues which include yours but far more extensively:
By Topic:
Check out http://www.tektonics.org/copycathub.php
Joe Wallack's 10001 Errors in the Christian Bible Refuted
1-50][51-100][101-150][151-200][201-250][251-300][301-350][351-400]
[401-450][451-500][501-550][551-600] [600-650][651-700][701-750]
101 Cleared-up Contradictions in the Bible
Supposive Contradictions Refuted!
The charge of 101 contradictions
Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Volume 1
May God peradventure grant you "repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." (2 Timothy 2:25) Grace and peace thru Jesus the Lord.
Thanks for doing all that work but alas its to no avail. As I’ve told you before I don’t care what those things say, I make my own judgements, I care not what the corrupt have to say. I will remain a heretic to you and the rest of the religious fanatics.
You don’t know what you are talking about.
Your comment here is simply your opinion based on conjecture and massive stereotyping of Christians based on the leftist portrayal of them.
That is your own assessment of yourself. I didn’t see anyone here call you that so don’t expect us to own your condemnation of yourself.
.
.
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I highly doubt you ever have, because from the religious fanatic POV to ask or think about these types of questions is heresy; things that cannot even be thought about, thus the religious fanatic remains willfully ignorant as to why God gave us such a powerful brain.
I see that you appear to worship your own brain.
John 8:47
Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
Yes, I’m sure God is talking to you. You fanatics are delusional.
Not just Christians, and not based upon the leftist portrayal at all, it is my own opinion based upon a lifetime of observations of all the rampant hipocrisy I’ve seen from religious fanatics everywhere except for those practicing Buddhism.
In the end one will not be judged by how fervently one believed in the Bible or any religious teachings, one will be judged by how well one lived their life. I believe one can worship Christ/God without being part of any organized religion but by living a good life. One will not be judged by the level of their belief in organized religious books and teachings which have been written and taught by many grifters throughout the centuries.
Are you sure?
John 6:28-29 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
How you doin' so far?
Pretty good, thanks for asking.
No.
How can one be certain of anything if one has no proof? If one has no proof then one has a “faithful” belief. Faith is not proof. Faith is simply a belief in what other people have deemed the truth; and you believe them, I don’t because I have no way of judging their veracity, and I’m speaking here of the men who claim the Bible is the literal word of God. You believe the Bible is the literal word of God - (because thats what all “good” Christians believe) - because people have told you too believe that. You trust those people, I don’t. And that’s the difference.
Which response it an arrogant misuse of the brain God gave you. Making your own judgments does not necessarily mean rejecting those of others, nor that those who disagree with you are not using their brain rightly, which is an illogical, fallacious question-begging assertion. should enable you to see where the judgments of others are correct or incorrect.
Your assertion is that I cannot "think outside the box constructed for you by corrupt men self-proclaimed their holiness centuries ago and you continue to blindly believe todays corrupt holy men'" and that for the religious fanatic POV to ask or think about these types of questions is heresy; things that cannot even be thought about, thus the religious fanatic remains willfully ignorant as to why God gave us such a powerful brain."
Which irrational ranting is false, for not only have your questions as to man's unique status been a matter of focus for centuries, but using my brain I just substantiated my case in refutation of your premise that I brainlessly blindly believe others and do not make my own judgments, and instead systematically provided the substantiation for what I myself choose to believe.
Indeed there are those who blindly follow others, as in cults, yet if that were the cause among all Christians we would not have basic divisions. And in fact, as a result of using my brain, by God's grace, I do think outside the box constructed for me by certain corrupt men self-proclaimed their holiness centuries ago," such as in showing distinctive Catholic teachings are not manifest in the only wholly inspired substantive authoritative record of what the NT church believed (which is Scripture, in particular Acts through Revelation, which best shows how the NT church understood the gospels).
However, at least you seems to acknowledge that there is a Creator who gave man his brain, yet which ignorant, arrogant, angry anti-theists would charge you with being ignorant and irrational for believing.
Meanwhile this exchange originally flowed from your insinuation that the religious are ignorant of the reason men men live in sexual sin (because it is pleasurable), which is where your display of arrogant ignorance began, which response evidently is based upon the premise that using the brain God gave you means rejecting God's moral laws on fornication with sexually attractive females since it is "awesome," which is contrary to reason, as a powerful brain should be able to see.
For if God provided physical laws of the universe, and ignoring such has deleterious consequences, it is certainly rational and reasonable that the Creator would provide moral laws for man to obey. And if he meant men to fornicate, versus sexual relations in marriage, then why would He create and design women to become pregnant and give birth without having a husband in the mutually committed compact of marriage which best provides the secure environment for this vulnerable sexual and spiritual union and the normative natural result of it? And which And why all the STDS which abound (at least about one out of 4 women of child-bearing age) - and at great cost to society.
You really think that The Pill and Abortion fatalities and the fornication and fatherless families and feminism and financial burden it fosters would be the design of a intelligent Creator? No, that conclusion is not rational.
In all, you have only exampled the opposite of the right use of the brain God provided,
Yada yada yada.
I'm sure that you have proof that your take on how to enter Heaven is correct; right?
What DO you trust? (believe in)
“You really think that The Pill and Abortion fatalities and the fornication and fatherless families and feminism and financial burden it fosters would be the design of a intelligent Creator? No, that conclusion is not rational.”
I’ve never said those things, I simply accept the fact that they’re a reality that needs to be dealt with, but now that you’ve mentioned them, it would seem your statement proves my point completely.
To wit:
Of course those terrible things are not the plan of the Creator precisely because God gave people a brain with which to think which also provided us free will. Some people use their brain and their free will to do bad, evil & sinful things; other people use their ability to think and their free will to do good things.
And thats the point, the very presence of those things proves that there is no Creator’s plan that we follow. If there were a plan we were following like unthinking automatons, those evil things would not exist; the fact they do exist proves my point about human beings and free will.
How we use the special gifts our Creator gave us is what we will be judged upon.
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