That was the confirmation I was needing to hear today.
You see, for most of this country "The Truth" is debatable. Optional. Personal. Open to interpretation. But truth isn't any of those things. It is absolute. And one truth that many people like to ignore is that sin is sin.
Unfortunately, (but at the same time, not!) God gave us brains that have the ability to reason. A favorite past-time is looking at the actions around us and making justification for them.
In the old testament God set down laws to protect his people. Rules about cleanliness, and eating, marriage and worship. Lots and lots of rules. After Jesus came, died, rose and brought forgiveness his followers were unsure which of those rules still applied. They were trying to figure out how to wash their hands and what food was okay to eat. So God sent a vision to Peter: Animals of all kinds, and a voice commanding him to kill and eat. He resisted, of course, with many years of tradition ingrained in him, saying that he couldn't eat the "unclean". But the voice spoke again, "Do not call impure that which God has made clean." And just like that, many old testament laws were null and void.
But not all of them.
The letters of Paul, Peter and John all mention things that are impure and unacceptable. They all speak of the truth as an unshakable absolute.
We have decided that we have to stand for the truth.
Just a few weeks ago we joined a Cub Scout troop. We had talked about it for months, and finally got around to finding a local troop and getting involved.
Then the Boy Scouts of America, or BSA, had to get political. Sex, which has nothing to do with being a scout, was brought front and center. Sexual orientation, which isn't even something a 15 year old needs to be thinking about, was made an open subject.
It was decided that being openly homosexual was perfectly fine.
And I just can't agree with that.
Scout Oath (or Promise)
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Scout Law
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent.
Because everyone sins. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8
There are so many sins that most of the populations watches occur every day and doesn't even blink. If I am understanding the statistics right, half of all marriages end in divorce. More then half of the population engages in premarital sex. People swear, in the name of God and celebrate when the cashier mistakenly hands them a $10 instead of a $5. (which is stealing!) Sin, which is what all of those things are, isn't even noticed.
It is not my place to judge others. James 4:11-12 clearly states that only God has the right to judge. But I have to stand up for truth.
1 Peter 5:8-9 says "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith."
Sin is sin.
Working to justify it in your own mind doesn't change it.
I know.
When I was 18, and had my first serious boyfriend, I spent a lot of time talking to God trying to justify the relationship. You see, this boy didn't love Jesus. He was a pretty good kid. He had goals for his life, good manners, was super smart and was a great soccer player. But in his mind my BEST FRIEND, Jesus, was simply an idea that had become tradition.
So I reminded God that "How will he hear the truth if I don't tell him?" choosing to ignore the very clear scripture that says, "Don't be unequally yoked".
Eventually, the scriptures (and God) reigned in my life. But my trying to work around them let me get attached, and then heartbroken when I broke up with him. All because I tried to pretend that sin wasn't sin.
I want to do my best to teach my children the truth - that sin is sin no matter how you try to justify it.
BSA chose to say that God's word doesn't matter. That popular opinion and peer pressure are more important. That sin isn't sin.
They have taken a stand, and I have to do the same. Even if it hurts.
"For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth". 2 Cor 13:8
Blessings my friends,
If you want to read more about standing up for truth check out OnMyHonor.
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