- Biblical Morality Studies
Lesson 1
A. I don't know about you, but the longer I live in this old world, the more widespread and accepted sin becomes, and the more brazen
sinners get. It makes my heart sad, and my stomach sick.
1. Turn on a TV and just look at the shows that are being broadcast to almost every household in America. Just about every sitcom
now has overt connotations or just plain explicit references to illicit sex, drugs, alcohol, and more. Most every commercial uses the
same sex, drugs, and alcohol to sell a product and make someone a millionaire.
2. If we don't get a good biblical grip on the direction in which our country is headed folks, we may not be able to recognize it by the
time Satan gets done with it. This country is going to the sewer, friends, and there's only one thing that will keep that from
happening. People need to see what God's word has to say about sin, heed the warnings, turn away from their immorality, and submit
to God before it's too late.
B. In this series of studies, I'd like for us to look at what the Bible says about sin: what it is, how it describes it, who commits it, and it's
consequences.
1. Also, we shall look at sins which are listed specifically in the Bible, and at sins which are alluded to by principle in the scriptures.
Our goal is to see what we can learn about them, and how to avoid both them and their temporal and eternal consequences.
I. What Is 'Sin' ?
A. The word 'sin' comes from the Greek term 'hamartia' and means 'a missing of the mark'. It is synonymous to 'lawlessness', 'iniquity',
and 'unrighteousness'. All of these words have a slightly different meaning, though many times they are used to refer to the same
thing.
1. The word 'sin' is used some 448 times throughout the King James Version of the Bible. It is first mentioned in Gen. 4:7 as being the
result of doing that which is not acceptable to God. Notice with me Gen. 4:6-7 :
"So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted?
And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
2. What can we learn from this passage? -- that doing well is equated with being accepted by God. Whereas, not doing well is
equated with sin, which is not acceptable to God. But, also notice the last phrase: "you should rule over it."
a. From the very beginning of the Bible, God states that men can rule over sin. They can conquer it -- they can defeat it in their lives.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that they cannot help but sin. God says that we can, and He says it up front. 'What should you do?
Rule over it!'
3. Later, in Lev. 5:17, the Israelites were told that when a person does that which is forbidden by the commandments of the Lord, it is
sin. Listen: "If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD,
though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity."
a. Also, observe that in the same company with sin and breaking God's commandments are the terms iniquity and guilt. -- Four things
we don't want to have.
4. Similarly, in 1 Jn. 3:4, we find that sin is referred to as transgression of law (basically lawlessness). Listen to it: "Whoever commits
sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness."
5. John also states that "all unrighteousness is sin" (1 Jn. 5:17). Since righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God,
we can see why Paul commanded the Corinthians to "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin…" (1 Cor. 15:34).
a. So, just briefly we have learned that sin is not acceptable, one should rule over it, it can come by doing things which God has
forbidden, it results in breaking God's commands, it is lawlessness, and is not right.
B. Next, the Bible teaches us that a might can sin both willfully and ignorantly.
1. Some sin willfully, or on purpose, knowing full well the consequences of their actions. Heb. 10:26-27 warn us that "...if we sin
willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."
a. Conversely, some sin when they know to do good, but don't do it (Jas. 4:17).
b. Also, it can even be something thing done that violates our conscience, and is referred to as being "not of faith" (Rom. 14:23).
2. Secondly, it is possible to sin ignorantly, or without knowing it.
a. Leviticus chapters 4-5 deal with this issue (as we already noticed in one passage), and show that one can be guilty of sin, even
though he is ignorant of it. Thus, sin can come upon us unawares.
C. Another thing that we learn from the scriptures is what makes a person a 'sinner'. A sinner is one who commits and practices sin.
1. Contrary to what some denominations teach, we are not 'born in sin'. We personally commit sin, and thus move from a state of
sinlessness to one of sinfulness.
a. Rom. 5:12 says "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all
men, because all sinned--". So we see that because men sinned, death passed upon all of them -- not because Adam sinned, or
because they inherited sin.
2. Eph. 2:1 speaks of sinners as being "dead in trespasses and sins". This 'death' is a spiritual death. They are physically alive, but
spiritually dead (Rom. 8).
a. Spiritual death results from committing sin, for Rom. 6:23 says "…the wages of sin is death…". And, those who continue in sin will
remain dead in their sins (Rom. 6:16).
b. Thus, people who are either still in sin -- who have not been saved from sin, and those who continue to commit sin, are sinners.
3. Sin, we find, is a very widespread dilemma. It affects all mankind.
a. Rom. 3:23 states that "all have sinned…", and 1 Kgs. 8:46 says "there is no one who does not sin". It is very evident, then, that we
have a problem. As a general rule, then, we all sin and therefore stand guilty before God.
4. On a good note -- the gospel contains the good news about Jesus the Christ, who died so that we might have the forgiveness of
our sins [Mt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5; Acts 2:38]. But, we will concentrate more on this in another lesson.
D. For those who believe the Bible, the love of righteousness and the fear of God keeps them from practicing those things which they
know to be sin. Conversely, those who do not fear God have nothing at all which restrains them from sinning (Gen. 20:11). They
neither believe in God, nor fear His reprisals for their wickedness. But, Acts 17:30-31 warn us that the world will indeed be judged.
So, they will get their just reward.
1. God told Moses that whoever sins against Him will be blotted out of His book which He has written (Ex. 32:33). This same idea is
taught throughout the Bible.
a. Regarding the sinful, Ps. 69:28 says "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous." Rev.
20:15 says "... anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire". And Rev. 21:27 says that " only those who
are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." will be allowed to enter into Heaven.
b. Sinners will be condemned to everlasting punishment in Hell (Mt. 25:46), while the righteous (faithful) are rewarded with eternal life
in Heaven.
II. The Sin Of Fornication:
A. In subsequent sections of this series I would like to elaborate on the sins which are explicitly and implicitly referred to in the Bible.
We shall investigate their meanings, and try to make application as to what we should not do. The first sin we shall look at is
'fornication'.
B. 'Fornication' is from the Greek word 'porneia' and literally means 'illicit sexual intercourse' (according to Vine's). Strong's Greek
Lexicon states that it includes adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, incest, etc.
1. Sexual desire is a trait that God gave to man. Fulfillment of this desire is pleasurable, but should not be abused. From the
beginning, God established that sexual desire be fulfilled only in the marriage relationship (Gen. 2:24) with one's lawful spouse.
Prostitution and whoredom have always been sinful.
2. In Lev. 18:6-30 God spoke to Israel regarding fornication, incest, homosexuality, and bestiality. In vss. 24-30, God specifically
stated that these sins are an abomination to Him, for they defile a man.
3. In the New Testament also, fornication is condemned as something that defiles a man (Mt. 15:19). Shortly after this, Jesus
confirmed God's original law on marriage and sexuality. In Mt. 19:4-6 Jesus "...answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He
who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God
has joined together, let not man separate."
4. And as a general instruction to Christians, Paul said: " Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not
to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality (that's fornication), let each man have his own wife, and let each
woman have her own husband. " (1 Cor. 7:1-2).
C. Fornication is a sinful work of the flesh (Gal. 5:19), which results in God's wrath [Col. 3:5].
1. Paul admonished the Corinthians that "The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord" (1 Cor. 6:13). Tragically, some so-called
Christians, even religious leaders, are guilty of practicing it, but they too will be punished. Hear what the apostle Paul declares in Eph.
5:5-7. "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the
sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not be partakers with them."
2. It is God's will that we all abstain from fornication (1 Thes. 4:3). Too bad most of our public schools are led by liberal leaders who
will not heed the instructions in God's Book. They don't teach abstinence, but rather their so-called syllabus of 'safe-sex'.
a. Their idea is: "experiment, enjoy it, do it all you want, but don't get pregnant or diseased".
b. But, God's idea of 'safe-sex' is only between husband and wife; all others will be condemned to Hell. "Marriage is honorable among
all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (Heb. 13:4).
c. The principal may give you a pass, but God will give you a fail on the real 'Final Exam'.
3. Some folks just do not see the big deal in sharing their bodies in a sexual relationship with whomever they want, whenever they
want:
a. Well, just take a look sometime on the internet, or do some searching in the local library at all of the terrible consequences that
come from sexually transmitted diseases. Look at the horrible deaths that result from AIDS and HIV. Look at the badly scarred lives
of those families whose loved ones have been tragically taken.
b. Not only that -- but what about all of the lives of our world's (innocent?) teens and young adults who have become parents (most of
them single) because they could not keep their hormones from raging out of control, nor their hands, etc. to themselves. Listen again
to 1 Thes. 4:3-5 "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each of you
should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God"
c. Once again, hear the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 7:1-2 "Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to
touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own
husband." We need to strongly impress upon our youth that the place for the sexual relationship is only within the marriage
relationship.
d. As if we haven't said enough, let us not forget the hundreds of thousands of unborn babies who are thoughtlessly murdered by
those who so casually and carelessly fool around, and then have to face the temporal consequences of their sin. Folks, fornication is
a soul-damning, life-wrecking sin. It's serious stuff.
Lord willing, we shall continue our study next week.
- Have Miracles Ceased or are they still being performed today?
- Here is what the Bible says:
Miracles Were Given To Confirm Truth:
God worked miracles thru men in times past to spread and confirm His truth. He did so with Moses (Ex. 4:1-8, 29-31). Moses spoke God's truth,
and then God confirmed it with signs.
The miracles which Jesus performed were to confirm His Divinity, and His words as coming from the Father (Mt. 11:2-5; Jn. 20:30-31).
The miracles that the apostles of the Lord performed were done for the same reasons (Mk. 16:17-20). Jesus promised His apostles a 'baptism of the
Holy Spirit' (Acts 1:5). They would be guided into 'all truth' (Acts 16:13). They would receive power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). When the promise
was fulfilled, they were able to have the word be confirmed before others (Acts 2; Heb. 2:3-4).
Does Jesus have to return to the earth and perform miracles for us to believe that He raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, cleansed lepers, and
healed the sick? Do the apostles have to come back and perform miracles for us to believe their testimony about Christ? Once a thing is proved, it is
forever proved, is it not?
We now have the evidence in writing -- the written word of God (Jn. 20:30-31). This is how God established that we could have faith in Him and His
Word (Rom. 10:17). And, His inspired written Word furnishes us completely in all things that God wants us to do (2 Tim. 3:16-17). If a person will
not be convinced by God's written word, how can he be convinced though one come back from the dead? (Lk. 16:19-31). Miracles have fulfilled
their scripture-revealed purpose. They are no longer needed to do the things which God had ordained them to do.
The Means Of Men Obtaining Miraculous Power:
Miraculous power was bestowed upon men in the N.T. times by two means: 1) Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4, 43); and, 2) Conferring by (the
laying on of) the apostles' hands (Acts 8:14-18; 19:1-7).
The apostles of Christ were the only men upon whom the baptism of the Holy Spirit was promised. They were the only men who actually received
an overwhelming of God's power. All other men received limited power from the apostles coming into physical contact with them. A solitary case
mentioned in Acts 10 showed the household of Cornelius receiving the miraculous power to speak in tongues, not by the apostles but directly from
God, as a sign of the Gentiles' acceptance into the realm of those who could believe and obey the gospel and become Christians (Cf. Acts 11:15-18).
It is certainly obvious that the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" was meant for those to whom it was promised. And, it was never promised unto anyone
else but the apostles. It is also obvious that this was a limited-time offer, for Paul in Eph. 4:5 (over 20 yrs. later) wrote that there is only 'one'
baptism. And, Peter wrote in 1 Pet. 3:21 that baptism is in water. Thus there is no more Holy Spirit baptism by which men may receive power to
perform miracles.
Since the promise of H.S. baptism was fulfilled, and since the men unto whom it was promised are no longer alive, then the means by which this
power was conferred (laying on of apostles' hands) is no longer valid or possible. The apostles being dead, they cannot pass on any measure of the
Holy Spirit -- thus there is no baptismal measure of the Holy Spirit in existence today. If there is, then it has to come about by some other means than
the scriptures have revealed. And that, my friends, would have to be proven.
That there were other men besides the apostles who could further impart these supernatural gifts which are evidenced in Mk. 16:17-20, and delineated
in 1 Cor. 12, is without scriptural proof. But, proof that the gifts of the Holy Spirit could only be imparted by the apostles is found in Acts 8. Philip,
a man full of the Holy Spirit, could perform miracles (Acts 8:6) to confirm the words which he preached. But, it took the apostles Peter and John to
come from Jerusalem to impart the power of miracles to the new converts (Acts 8:14-18).
The Presence of Miraculous Power:
No one in their right mind can question the fact that miracles were performed in the New Testament times: The lame were healed (Acts 3:7-8), the
dead were raised (Acts 9:40-41; 20:9-12), and deadly occurrences curtailed (Acts 28:5). Those upon whom the gifts of the Spirit were conferred
could also speak in tongues, prophesy, and discern spirits. But, So the same God who foretold the performing of miracles, also told of their having
been performed, and of their fulfillment and end according to His plan. This is in the Bible.
Yes, the apostles could perform miracles. Also, they could impart this miraculous power unto others. But, those others upon whom they imparted
the spiritual gifts could not themselves impart them to anyone. Thus the age of spiritual gifts is long gone. That was God's will, and that was God's
plan. It was and is a perfect, heavenly plan which was completed as He saw fit. Can God work miracles thru men? - Yes! Does He choose to do so
today? - Not according to the scriptures, for that time and purpose was fulfilled.
The Counterfeiting Of Miraculous Power:
The apostle Paul warned the early Christians that miraculous power would be feigned, faked, and counterfeited in order to deceive the simple. Hear
him: "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous
deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send
them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in
unrighteousness." (2 Thes. 2:8-12)
The so-called miracles which are displayed today are nothing but mere imitations of the real ones from Bible times. They, like Simon the sorcerer
(Acts 8:9-11) are only performing with lying wonders. They mostly take advantage of human will-power (mind over matter) to suddenly empower
one to get out of a wheel-chair and walk. How many of these folks get to stay out of that wheel-chair?
The Bottom Line Is This:
We should and must be willing to accept the scriptures, and to examine and put to the test those who claim to do what only the apostles were
promised, or the first-century Christians were given. Put these spirits (people) to the test (1 Jn. 4:1; Rev. 2:2) and find out if they can really do the
things they claim to do.
We personally challenge any person alive today who claims to be able to perform miracles like Christ and His apostles, to put his actions where his
mouth is. If he is truly God's servant, is really proclaiming God's word, and affirms that he can work miracles, then there is no reason why God
should not confirm his words by miraculous signs, right? After all, that is what he believes and teaches, is it not?
We will provide for a place and an audience in which he may so do. Let him show before all men the truth of his doctrine, and settle this matter once
and for all. May God show His glory to all who are present, and may His truth be magnified forever.
If you have a comment, question, or are willing to accept this challenge to perform real miracles in public, please contact us at givemethebible@yahoo.
com
Sam Csonka-Minister
Studies |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
