There is no conceivable reason why man should have rebelled against God.

God ran a great risk when He made mankind because He made them capable of relationship. For relationship to be possible they had to have personality functions (a mind, a will and emotions). They had to be able to reject relationship or there would never be real relationship. This was the risk. It was possible that they would reject God. Not likely nor intelligent but possible. Adam and Eve had a perfect world and a perfect life. They had intimate friendship with God. God was happy that He had created them. He said they were good. I don’t think God was lying. I think He really thought they were good. It was amazing. Then they ruined it. They decided that they would be the king of their hearts and simultaneously made the stupidest decision in the history of the universe.

God is perfectly reasonable in all His requirements. He only lays out design requirements like that of a car which needs oil. He won’t ask us to do even one thing that we can’t do or shouldn’t do. He made us able to obey, which means we are also able to disobey. This is reasonable.

And so, people are without excuse. Rom 1:18-21 ESV  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  (19)  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  (20)  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  (21)  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

We need to understand what we have done. We need to understand our part in the revolt. Adam and Eve revolted against God. And every one of us have done the same thing at some point in our lives. I remember very clearly what I think was the first time I sinned. I was probably 3 years old and I was mad at someone close to me. I knew what was right and what was wrong. I could have walked away. Instead I chose to hurt her. It is such a sickening and disgusting memory. But it is exactly what happened every time I sinned in my life. I made a wicked and stupid decision. I rebelled against God’s loving and intelligent descriptions of how things are supposed to be every single time.

1Jn 3:4 ESV  “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.  It is a refusal to live according to the truth that God has given us. It is refusing to live according to self-discipline and what we know to be right.”

I’ve heard it said that men are not sinners because they sin, but they sin because they are sinners. Think about this for a moment. What does this lead us to? It makes us say, “Well, we have to sin because we’re sinners.” And so what do we do? We sin. Of course we do. We have to, right? We are caused to sin. But is this true? Are we caused to sin or do we rebel against God and His intelligent, loving commands? Is He right to tell us not to sin? Is He right to hold us responsible for our sin? I think so!

We establish and build our character on continuous choices.  It’s always easier to keep on doing what we’ve been doing.  The more we choose to sin the easier it is to sin. It’s hard to steal for the first time. Your skin gets hot, your heart pounds in your chest, perhaps you break out into a sweat, perhaps you are shaking from the nervous excitement.  You have to fight your conscience and try to explain away your guilt, but it gets easier every time. The next time you steal it’s easy because you’ve already worked things through in your mind. The physical symptoms of guilt one by one fade away until you are not longer affected. You feel a little less guilty. The same goes for good choices. The longer we learn to live with Jesus, the easier it gets.

I want to leave you with just a couple verses to think about. Whether you are a Christian or not, you are a person who was designed to live a certain way. When you choose to rebel against any of God’s moral absolutes you reject the most loving and intelligent Being in the universe and in doing so make the dumbest decision you have ever made.

1Jn 3:6 ESV  “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”

Mat 7:15-20 ESV  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  (16)  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  (17)  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  (18)  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  (19)  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  (20)  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

Lately I have been thinking much about the fall, and about the greater and lesser sins that build walls between us and others, as well as between us and God. C.S. Lewis, in his masterpiece Mere Christianity, explores the nature of sin and its various manifestations in helping build a logical case for the existence of God.

In perhaps the darkest chapter of the book, Lewis describes the “Great Sin” and its symptoms. This lengthy excerpt is helpful in understanding Lewis’ perspective:

I now come to that part of Christian morals where they differ most sharply from all other morals. There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. I have heard people admit that they are bad-tempered, or that they cannot keep their heads about girls or drink, or even that they are cowards. I do not think I have ever heard anyone who was not a Christian accuse himself of this vice. And at the same time I have very seldom met anyone, who was not a Christian, who showed the slightest mercy to it in others. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.

The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.

Does this seem to you exaggerated? If so, think it over. I pointed out a moment ago that the more pride one had, the more one disliked pride in others. In fact, if you want to find out how proud you are the easiest way is to ask yourself, ‘How much do I dislike it when other people snub me, or refuse to take any notice of me, or shove their oar in, or patronise me, or show off?’ The point is that each person’s pride is in competition with every one else’s pride. It is because I wanted to be the big noise at the party that I am so annoyed at someone else being the big noise. Two of a trade never agree. Now what you want to get clear is that Pride is essentially competitive – is competitive by its very nature – while the other vices are competitive only, so to speak, by accident. Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others. If everyone else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone. That is why I say that Pride is essentially competitive in a way the other vices are not. The sexual impulse may drive two men into competition if they both want the same girl. But that is only by accident; they might just as likely have wanted two different girls. But a proud man will take your girl from you, not because he wants her, but just to prove to himself that he is a better man than you. Greed may drive men into competition if there is not enough to go round; but the proud man, even when he has got more than he can possibly want, will try to get still more just to assert his power. Nearly all those evils in the world which people put down to greed or selfishness are really far more the result of Pride.

Lewis continues with his theme, but since our current political environment believes torture to be a bad thing, I’ll stop here. Instead, I’d like to share some painful insights on the subject. The irony of that last sentence will become apparent soon enough.

The most obvious manifestation of pride, the one illustrated by Lewis, is arrogance. The arrogant person believes he knows more, knows better, looks better, and has more, and he knows how to manipulate people. Despite the fact that the arrogant person is totally self-focused, he cannot truly see himself as he really is. Arrogance never needs a Savior.

A less obvious prideful expression is false humility. Christians may quickly understand that outright arrogance is unacceptable, so they work hard to look humble and avoid detection. Perhaps you will recall a time, as I do, when I tried to look surprised and slightly uncomfortable when someone publicly pointed out something virtuous I had done. In fact, the virtuous act was done in a way that looked as though I was hiding it, when the reality was that I was secretly hoping someone would notice.

Once false humility is fully internalized, it becomes narcissism. I painfully note that this looks a lot like me (is it narcissistic to make myself the example of a bad thing?). Every time I get together with others, the talk always seems to come back to me. That’s the way I want it. I am most comfortable talking about myself, and others surely would like to hear more about me. Who else combines the wisdom, intelligence, humor, and kindness that I project?

Consider the simple matter of requesting prayer. Does it seem necessary to share more detail than necessary just to make sure others have a very positive view of you? “Oh, I would appreciate your prayers,” you ask, “for my twisted ankle. I was sharing the Gospel with Sad Stanley. By the way, I was able to lead him to Jesus – Praise God! So anyway, on the way home, I stopped at the grocery store to get some popcorn – we always have popcorn when we invite the neighborhood kids over to watch the Jesus movie – where was I? Oh, at the store, I bought the popcorn and twisted my ankle stepping off the curb. Please pray for me.” When sharing a need is more about shopping your character or accomplishments, and seeking affirmation from others, your real motive is pride.

Here are a few simple questions that help illuminate pride:

* Who is at the center of all your stories?
* Are you more interested in what others are doing than you are in telling everyone what you are doing?
* When you are listening to a person speak, do you constantly think of better ways to say it, ways that only you can illustrate?
* Is it hard to see the image of God in others, but easy to see it in yourself?
* Do you think that the kingdom of God is fortunate to have you “on the team” because you are so gifted?
* Is God fortunate you gave your heart to Him?
* Was God smart to pick you because you can reach a particular person or persons?

My friends, pride is found in all of us to a greater or lesser degree. We are not immune to it because we follow Jesus. If Satan wants to attack the church, he can find few better ways to do it than by making Christians the least interested in their fellow human beings and the most self-centered in the world.

May God grant us the grace to lose ourselves in Him, and constantly bear witness to Him rather than our selves.

Redemption

A fifth area of the overall atoning work of Christ is redemption. This area of the atonement of Christ accomplishes a release from an evil, oppressive condition by the payment of a price. Revelation 5:9 speaks of the Lord Jesus And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You … for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

The purpose of redemption is that we might be set free from bondage to serve God and have life in His presence. Merely being set free is not an end in itself but we are set free from bondage for the purpose of worship God, living life under His Lordship and in harmony with Him.  When God redeemed Israel from Egypt, it was not merely to relieve their sufferings so they could do their own thing in the Promised Land. It was so that they would live for God by worshiping, obeying and enjoy Him. When we are set free from our sins by being forgiven, it is not so that we can do our own thing in whatever way we, in our fallen nature may desire until we get to heaven. It is so that we can live in a loving relationship with God under His rule and Lordship doing His will.

Since redemption is setting one free by the payment of a price, what was the ransom price that was paid to set us free from the oppressive situation of our bondage to sin?  It was the blood of Christ.  The shedding of the blood of Christ in His violent and terrible death was the price that was paid. I Peter 1:18-19 states, For you know that it was not with perishable things such a silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Since the blood of Christ was the ransom price to redeem us, to what was that ransom paid? In early Church history, a theory was proposed known as “the Devil Ransom Theory” which stated that Christ paid the ransom price of His blood to the Devil. This theory does not have even the slightest support in Scripture, not simply because it misunderstands the nature of the devil, but more so it fails to understand the reason the atonement was required. The ransom price of redemption was paid to the justice of God because it was God’s righteous justice that required that sin be punished so that it could be atoned.

The Bible reveals that there are four things from which we were redeemed.  These are:

1. The guilt of sin – The guilt of sin is that which brings condemnation from God and makes us deserving, worthy and liable to be punished by Him. The punishment of the one guilty of sin is death. Through Christ’s death we are forgiven of our sin, our debt is paid, our guilt is removed, and we are declared righteous, approved and accepted by God. The result is that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).
2. The bondage to the corruption of sin – By means of our union with Christ in His death, our corrupted sinful nature is put to death.  The result is that we are set free from sin and can live in obedience to God. Romans 6:6-7 states, Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin.
3. The curse of the Law – The Law demanded perfect obedience and cursed all who did not obey. Galatians 3:10 says, For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curs,; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” After Christ earned perfect righteousness for us by living in total obedience to the law, He then became a curse for us by hanging on a tree. Galatians 3:13 says, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Through Christ’s death on the tree we have been set free from the curse of the Law. 
4. Satanic Powers – The Bible tells us that the angelic powers and principalities were originally created for man’s welfare. But having fallen into sin and becoming servants of Satan, they oppress and destroy man.  Satanic powers work to destroy freedom, life, truth, peace, health and anything that is good. They attack people spiritually mentally, physically and socially.  They work through other people, governments and political orders, the economy, education, the environment and whatever means to destroy and bring death. Hebrews 2:14-15 states, Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. And I John 3:8 states, The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

The third area of the overall atoning work of Christ is propitiation. As we have seen it is used in Romans 3:23 which speaks of Christ whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood. This word is also used in three other verse in the New Testament. Hebrews 2:17 states, Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, and to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  I John 2:2 says, He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.  And I John 4:10 says, In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

This area of Christ’s work of atonement as a propitiation for sins accomplishes the satisfaction of God’s just wrath so as to turn away His wrath from a sinner. Isaiah 53:11 states, As a result of the anguish of his soul, He will see it and be satisfied. The reason this aspect of the atonement of Christ is so vital for us is that God’s wrath against our sin is the greatest danger and problem that anyone faces in all of life and existence. The Scriptures declare the reality of the wrath of God saying, It is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19). Romans 1:18 speaks of the wrath of God as being a present reality: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of man who suppress the truth in wickedness. Romans 2:8 tells us that God’s future judgment upon all who sin is wrath and anger.  Ephesians 2:3 says that every single person born into this world is by nature an object of God’s wrath. Wrath is the permanent attitude of God against sin, for the Bible reveals that hell is eternal.

Propitiation fundamentally deals with God’s personal disposition of wrath against us because of our sins.  The Lord is righteously angry at us because of our sin, but by the death of Christ His attitude toward us is changed. His righteous vengeance, wrath and anger against sin was satisfied by the punishment of our sins in Christ.

From this, then, we can see two things that the cross gives demonstration of:

1. God’s hatred of sin – The Bible says, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13). This is because God hates evil and sin is the root of all evil. The horror of the cross displayed God’s pure and righteous hatred of sin. The terror, dread and agony that Christ suffered on the cross was caused by Him bearing the full force of God’s utter hatred of sin. Christ’s cry, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” was the foremost expression of His experience of God’s righteous displeasure against sin.
2. The just penalty of sin – The wages, payment and penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Christ died for our sins (I Corinthians 15:3). As our substitute, He received in Himself the just penalty of capital punishment for the capital crime of sin against God. Once we understand God’s hatred of sin and just wrath against it and then see that Christ voluntarily took our place to bear the full punishment of the just wrath of God, we then will understand and appreciate the love and grace of God.

It is important that we emphasize this because without a proper understanding of God’s just wrath against sin that which will become meaningless is God’s love.  To illustrate this, think of a young man who says to his sweetheart, “I love you so much, and I will show you how much I love you. I am going to throw myself in front of a speeding train and kill myself for you.”  That would not be love. That would not even be sentimentality. It would be stupidity, a complete waste of life and love, and would most of all be an act without just purpose or reason.  But, other the other hand, if this young man’s sweetheart had fallen on the railroad tracks where a speeding train was coming and about to kill her and the only way she could be saved was for him to die rescuing her life, giving up his life for her life, and he did that very thing, that would be love.  That young man would have saved his sweetheart by laying down his life for her. In a similar way Christ died to save us from the eternal death of God’s holy and just wrath against us for our sins. If there is no wrath of God for us to be saved from, Christ’s death was an utterly foolish act and a complete waste. There would have been no reason from Him to die. But because the just wrath of God against sin is a dreadful reality, we see how great God’s love for us really is in that Christ died for us bearing the full punishment of God’s wrath against our sins in Himself.  On the cross, the Lord Jesus bore the full wrath of God against our all of our sins to propitiate the just anger of God.

Proposition 8 in California has sparked protests across the country.  Homosexual marriage will no longer be recognized in that state and that decision has been sparked the ire of homosexuals and gay rights activists across the country.  Many blame the Church for the results.  Yet, many churches are espousing a totally different view.  Some churches say they are ashamed and saddened by the passing of Proposition 8.  Not all in Christendom agree on the morality of homosexuality.  But what does the Bible say?

What Was the Sin of Sodom?

Genesis 18 and 19 have long been used as a proof text of the abominable nature of homosexuality.  God destroyed two cities because of it after all!  But what does the text actually say?

18:20 the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,

It doesn’t specify what the particular sin is.  You may say, “well, it is quite obvious from the context.”  I think that we have been preconditioned to see homosexuality leap out above any other sin.  It is the hot issue of the day.  But of what sin did the Jews see that Sodom was guilty?

Jeremiah 23:14

14But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.

To Jeremiah, Sodom and Gomorrah strengthened the hands of evildoers so that no one turned from evil.

Ezekiel 16:47-49

47 Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. 48 As I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.

To Ezekial, Sodom’s guilt lie in her pride and excess yet unwillingness to help those in need.  This can be seen by Lot’s desire to protect the angels of Yahweh as they were sojourners in the land.  Sodom wished to take advantage of the sojourner rather than come to his aid.

Jude 6-7

6And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Jude seems to echo our popular opinion of the sin of Sodom being a sexual sin.  Jude uses Sodom and Gomorrah as a shadow of judgment day, as did Jesus.

It appears that the sin of Sodom was in how they treated the sojourner.  The homosexuality was highlighted in order to truly show the depravity of the inhabitants.  It is the icing on their cake of judgment.  But ultimately, they were judged for how they treated the poor, helpless sojourner.

Is It a Sin?

Romans 1:18-32

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

 24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

 26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

 28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

In verses 18-23, Paul argues that all should know of God due to His General Revelation through Creation.  This is not to say that all should have the ability to come to saving faith, but that all should know better than to fashion idols.  But Paul says they do just that.  This serves as the basis for the following verses.

Verse 24 begins with the word therefore.  It is on the basis of what has been previously said that Paul continues.  He said it is due to the idolatry (sin) of mankind that God gave mankind over to sin.  Verse 26 continues by alluding back to the sin of idolatry with the phrase “for this reason”.  Paul says that because of the idolatry of mankind, he gave man over to homosexuality, calling it “due penalty for their error”.  This is the sin which typifies the ruin that mankind has heaped onto itself.

Verse 28 continues the argument so that it reaches its culmination.  Paul says that God gave them over to a debased mind which filled man with all manner of evil.

So here’s a little flow chart of sorts.

1. God is revealed as Creator through Creation (v18-20)
2. Man worships Creation instead of the Creator (21-23)
3. God gives mankind over to sin as a punishment for their sin (24-32)

Homosexuality is not simply a sin.  It is a sin which strikes against the created order to such a degree, that it is not only used as a tool by which to highlight wickedness, but God actually gives people over to homosexuality as a punishment!

Therefore, homosexuality is not simply a sin, but a punishment for sin.

If not always, then often, our sin starts with a distorted view of God’s character. I think specifically it is misunderstanding God’s righteousness. When we think of God as a tyrant who made laws with the intent of controlling our lives and restricting our fun we want to rebel. After all, rebellion against tyranny is a good thing right? Right. Only God is no tyrant. Deuteronomy 6:24 says that God gave men laws for their good – to preserve them. He is righteous. He does and will always do right.

All of God’s laws are based in love. Don’t steal. It damages relationship. Don’t commit adultery. It destroys families, removes security from children, often brings disease, and always brings pain to all involved.

God’s love is clearly shown in His laws. They aren’t arbitrary methods for limiting our pleasure. They are loving and intelligent descriptions for how we are designed to live in relationship to God, others and ourselves.

Let’s quit sinning and encourage others to do the same. But most of all, let’s strive to more accurately understand the character of our God.