A Church that ignored sin.
I stopped by a neighbor’s house the other day to let her know her pets were out
I recognized her from church
She told me that she lives with a man, that they are not married
I did not ask, she just divulged the information
She seems very proud of her boyfriend
She told me his name and where they sit together in church
She also told me that the pastor knows that they are not married
What does God think of this?
As a Christian, God is very clear what He thinks of it
Jesus does not beat around the bush about anything
While it is common in our society and in our culture, it is not pleasing to God
Fornication is sin
I asked the Pastor about it. She said she did not fornicate with him.
He talked to her about the appearance of evil.
She has decided to ignore that one.
Shall we ignore sin?
Is it our business?
Is it our place?
Yes and No
We are not to comfort others in their sin
If they choose sin, that is their choice
However, if the church does not address sin, that is a fail, a big fail
The church’s job is to lead
Ignoring sin is weak
Ignoring sin, when it should be addressed, is lacking prudence and leadership
Who decides what is sin?
Not us
The word of God is the answer to that question
Here is the main issue:
Sin separates us from God
If we choose to participate in sin, we are choosing to remain separate from God
We are choosing to remain separate from our Holy God who died for our sin
We can make all the excuses we want, but by participating in sin,
we remove ourselves from His presence in full or in part
If we go to a church where no lines are drawn,
where no warnings are given and where sin is comforted,
that church is absent in its responsibility and souls are in danger
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:31-32
There is always good news with Jesus:
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not:
for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
John 12:47-48
Jesus is clear that rejecting His words will not end well
If a pastor does not speak the righteous words of Jesus
or is embarrassed of His words,
but instead ignores sin and refuses to warn the people,
he is in defiance to God and that is a very serious matter
A pastor is a shepherd, a caretaker of the sheep
If he chooses to let the sheep be devoured, let God judge that shepherd
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from Me.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die;
if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way,
that wicked man shall die in his iniquity;
but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it;
if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity;
but thou hast delivered thy soul. Ezekiel 33:7-9
If sin is not corrected, if it is not cleansed and repented of,
it is a spiritual concern
Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5
Shall we go and soil ourselves with sin again?
I no longer attend that church
There was filth in that house that I cannot participate in
Jesus was not their focus
He was the one they used to gain their desires
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:26