Tag: Porn

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Warnings from ancient life lessons.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul pulls lessons from the ancient days of Israel’s sins after being freed from Egyptian slavery. He then applies those wandering-wants to similar modern day temptations.

He writes, “these things happened,” referring to God’s immediate judgment on the people for allowing themselves to be carried away with their sin. Even with the covering of Christ for our sins, there is still a serious warning of wandering off with rampant, disordered desires.

Some of the Israelites partied, celebrated and got drunk while indulging in sexual activities. The Hebrew language, in this verse just says, “they sat down to eat and drink, but rose up to (paizó) to play as a child.” But this wasn’t a “kid’s party” kind of play, it was sexual! Paul followed up with the fact that they were active in (porneuó) fornication. And that 23,000 died that day. But sexual promiscuity wasn’t the only prevalent sin then, nor today. They also (gogguzó), grumbled, mumbled or complained with a smoldering discontent.

I would have never seen the connection between sex and constant complaining, but don’t they both sound like pursing our own desires over what God wants for us? That’s chilling to think about. Paul’s admonition to a very Gentile (non Jewish) group in Corinth, is that these very old stories were captured for our benefit today or as he put it, “They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age” (‭‭1 Cor. 10‬:‭11‬). Point made Paul, Touché! They are still a warning for us today as well.

Prayer

​Dad,
I used to really judge the ways and behaviors of the Jewish people as so stubborn or unaware of what you were up to. And, constantly thinking, why don’t they just OBEY? Ah, but maturity has had the strange effect on seeing my own faults, shortcomings, weaknesses and flat out failures. Now I get it. Being human is hard and an impossible task to be perfect. But I hear the warnings of Paul and understand my own desires that try to take over my decisions and write a different story for myself. One that is not of you, and honestly one that would end very badly. My story, like my life is anchored in your story, and I’m happy about that.

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Insiders and outsiders.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.” Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this “city of God,” the New Jerusalem, that sounds like an actual city and not a just a simile. There is quite a difference between the inhabitants and the outsiders (those with unwashed robes – still pridefully clinging to their sin) Vincent’s Word Studies says, “Dogs (οἱ κύνες),” was the term of reproach with which the Judaizers stigmatized the Gentiles as impure. In the Mosaic law the word is used to denounce the moral profligacies of heathen worship. These “herds of dogs which prowl about Eastern cities, without a home and without an owner, feeding on the refuse and filth of the streets, quarreling among themselves, and attacking the passer-by, explain both applications of the image.” John describes WHO these “dogs” are outside the city, not allowed in. The sorcerers, “phármakos – properly, a sorcerer; used of people using drugs and “religious incantations” to drug people into living by their illusions – like having magical (supernatural) powers to manipulate God into giving them more temporal possessions.” The sexually immoral, pornos: a fornicator, anyone engaging in sexual immorality – where we get our word “pornography” from. The murders, idol worshipers (eidólolatrés: an image worshiper) and everyone living and loving a lie (pseudos: a falsehood). These humans, the druggies, the pornos, the murders and psycho-pseudos are all living like wild dogs outside the city?

This sounds like my neighbors in Santa Ana! If that sounds judgey, I’m sorry. John seems to let us know that these are folks who WANT to live in the grand illusion of their sin, believing they’re not only right, that nothing is wrong with them, but also want everybody to be “free” to live their most wicked life and fantasies! These are folks we DO NOT want to be or become – those who LOVE (phileó: friendship love) to live the lie. I’ve not seen countries or cities where these dogs run free, terrorizing the streets, but my kids have seen this in Fiji. They came home with scary stories of these dogs running the streets, looking like each one of them was demon possessed! They fought with anything and everything, running in packs with a lead dog that was the meanest and strongest among the herd. At night, my son said, they roam and howl all night long, sending shivers up his spine. These are what John says are left outside the city – the forever unredeemed! I’m not sure where this fits into the picture of hell and the torment of fire and judgment, but this does not sound like anyplace that I want to live out eternity. Thankfully the folks with “washed robes,” undoubtedly cleaned by the blood of Christ who washes away sin, live forever in the city, eating from the tree of life!

Prayer

Dad,
Wow. If that’s what moral freedom or absolute freedom to live IN my sin and by my own rules and justifications of right and wrong eventually yield – forget it! I would not choose to move to or live in a place that is eternally run by wild dogs! I choose grace! I choose mercy! I choose to understand who I am in my sin and admit I’m wrong. That place is no fake-freedom I want any part of. Of course, I didn’t come to you that way, did I? I came broken, already living in a sort of Hell in my past and family. I came to you and found love and forgiveness, truth and a promise of real life. A life full and amazing. I didn’t choose to love you to avoid this dog-infested gang existing outside the city. I chose to love you because you forgave me, healed me, restored me and have given me LIFE! I do not want the lie. “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬