Poisoning the Soul

By Patrick Wyett
From raptureready.com

“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25).

If I asked you what you are, how would you respond?  Republican, Libertarian, Democrat?  How about, conservative, progressive or liberal? Maybe you’re a capitalist, socialist or anarchist.  Or possibly black, white, Hispanic or of Asian descent? There’s also the rich, middle-class and poor. Surely you fit in somewhere.

We live in a world that labels people. We often self-label ourselves.  It’s a strategy to divide and conquer, to keep us at each other’s throats while the “rulers of darkness,” those of “spiritual wickedness in high places” execute our destruction.

So who are you?

Me, I’m a Christian. That’s it. My allegiance is to God. Sure, I may fall into some of these other labels, depending on particulars. I’ve even self-labeled myself in the past, but no more. I refuse to emphasize these self-imposed divisions that divide us over secondary or irrelevant issues. It’s spiritual poison that brings desolation.   

The poison of sin inundates our society, culture, and yes, our churches. Sin is so prevalent that more and more Christians view it as normal or okay. Our society of even thirty years ago wouldn’t accept even a portion of the evil being openly spewed today. That’s the effect of thirty years of moral poisoning, desensitizing us to wickedness one planned step at a time.

Now we’re told that one’s gender isn’t about biology, it’s determined by what someone wants to be. So a boy is actually a girl if he thinks he is. You have a seriously depraved mind if you believe this. What you think, or being sexually mutilated by surgery and taking hormones doesn’t change your gender. This sort of idiocy needs to be addressed forthrightly, not humored. It’s a complete disgrace.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

The definitions of good and evil are not a matter of fad, popular opinion or simply a personal situation. God alone has the authority to make such determinations, and He has.

“Oh, but I can’t offend anyone by judging them.” That gutless sentence is worldly nonsense, not a Christian principle. Since when do we let lost souls define biblical truth to us?  I’m appalled that professing Christians whimper this sort of response when faced with a situation requiring moral courage. What are you afraid of, that you’ll be called a bigot or narrow-minded by some vile individual or group?  So what if you are?

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). Click below to continue reading......

When did being able to distinguish between right and wrong become judging someone?  The judgment a sinner feels at such times is the pang of conscience that the truth has elicited within them.  To those that hate the truth, truth is hate.  The danger here is that their evil opinion, if given credence, can poison your thinking.

Let’s dispense with the socially accepted lie that claims all religions, cultures and points-of-view are equal in relevance. They are not!  Yes, all have a right to their opinion, even when completely wrong. Many exercise this right to be wrong on a continuous basis. But you don’t have to listen to it or accept it. Indeed, reject it for what it is; the chatter of deceived souls lost in sin. It has no godly weight or moral value.

Another thing, when did mere disagreement on a point of discussion become cause for personal offense? Freedom of speech and conscience is a guarantee that there will be disagreement. There is no accompanying implied right not to be offended.  If offense must be taken, who would you rather offend, sin-blinded man or God?  It’s predictable that those who espouse acceptance of their evil under the guise of tolerance, will themselves not tolerate anything contrary to their twisted agenda.  We should be familiar with such methods by now.

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9).

Did you get that?  Find repugnant, reject that which is evil.  Some have been so programmed that making the distinction between good and evil is considered judging and we’re not supposed to do that. Who told you that? Not the Scriptures. God gave us brains, let’s use them.

Here’s one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.

“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1)

Now the rest of the story neither fathomed nor mentioned by those deceiving and being deceived.

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:2-3)

The simple meaning? Don’t hypocritically judge evil in others when you’re doing the same things yourself.  Remove sin from your own life first, then you can better assist others in identifying and removing sin in theirs. Folks the Bible is not, that hard to understand if you make reading it a daily priority in your life. Have you?  If not, why not? Would you rather continue to be fooled by lost souls dictating to you what to believe the Bible supposedly says and means? If so, then through chosen ignorance you take their poison willingly, to your shame and your soul’s peril. 

“Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?” (Luke 12:57)

The answer for many is because you’ve been told not to, that somehow though the Bible is explicit in defining sin, you’re not supposed to know what sin is. This is blatant secular stupidity; Satan’s lie that many have come to accept. I’ll give you a quick synopsis.

Death came into the world because of sin. Jesus had to die on the cross for the sole reason of sin, to offer atonement for all of us because of sin. Sin separates us from God. Because of sin, men and women are going to an eternity in hell every day. But you’re not supposed to know what sin is and isn’t?  Why do you think God gave us the Bible? You’re a Christian, right? You’re called to know the difference and expected to stand for good while opposing evil.

Want some more satanic poison that can easily be remedied with biblical knowledge? How about the lie that people are born homosexual, that God made them that way?  The Bible uniformly condemns homosexuality as an abomination before God; a grievous sin before the Almighty.  I’ve heard most of the excuses of those who defy God’s truth, such as, “Jesus never condemned homosexuality.” He didn’t have to. The observant Jewish people of Jesus’ day knew the Torah and its condemnation of homosexuality. Jesus’ coming didn’t change the definition of right and wrong.

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17).

To claim Jesus didn’t and doesn’t condemn homosexuality as sin is to say that there’s a difference of opinion between He and God on the subject. Here’s Jesus speaking.

“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).

Want to read that truth again?

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7).

Of course there are those who want to play senseless word games, stating that the word “homosexual” is not specifically mentioned in the King James Bible.  As such, the Bible doesn’t address homosexuality and therefore it must be okay.  I’ll give an “A” for desperation with this one and “F” for rationality. Lean in scoffers, let me enlighten you.

The translation of the original ancient texts into the English King James Bible was finished in 1611. The word “homosexual” came into being in the 1890s. Is the math working for you? That deception debunked, let’s see if we can glean what the Bible says about same-sex relationships.

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:24:28).

That’s pretty clear from the New Testament. How about a familiar passage from the Old Testament?

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13).

It’s here that smug fools often interject their lack of biblical understanding to insult the legitimacy of the Bible. They’ll say something like, “If homosexuality is wrong, what about the other parts of Leviticus? Do you eat shrimp or trim the corners of your beard, which are also forbidden?” Sadly, many Christians don’t know how to respond. The ignorance of the snide commentator goes unanswered.  Worse, one’s faith can be weakened by the seemingly valid point made. This is exactly what Satan seeks to do, put doubt in our minds. Doubt is poison.

Here’s an excerpt of a letter that I had published in Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper:

A comparison between biblical prohibitions against homosexuality and such things as eating shellfish or trimming one’s beard are occasionally brought up by the undiscerning to mock Christianity. Let’s see if this comparison is valid. In Leviticus, God gives his laws through Moses on sin, which is universal to all humanity, and his laws on holiness for His chosen people; the tribes of Israel.

God’s laws on morality carried specified punishments for specific sins, such as the death penalty for incest, adultery, bestiality, homosexuality, etc. God’s special prohibitions, the difference between clean and unclean foods, for instance, were for the Jewish people and set them apart from the surrounding nations. These requirements were exclusive for and to them.

With the coming of the Messiah, certain holiness customs were relaxed. For example, in Matthew Chapter 15, Jesus said it’s what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man, not what goes in. With Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we now live in the age of grace. Thus, we don’t stone adulterers, we don’t execute homosexuals. But we still stand against sin.   I am a gentile Christian, not Jewish. But whether Jew or gentile God’s definition of sin remains the same.

Homosexuality is a grievous sin before God, eating shrimp is not. The two are no way comparable, except to the biblically illiterate. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as warning of God’s judgment against homosexuality. We invite the same wrath as a nation by publicly endorsing sin. As Benjamin Franklin affirmed, God judges nations.

You’ll hear some say that they’re Christians but that they don’t think homosexuality is wrong.  They’re not Christians. Does that sound judgmental? To deny the Bible is to deny its divinely-inspired nature.  Such a person places themselves above God’s laws, and by doing so, claims a higher moral authority than the perfect Creator. This is exactly what Lucifer did and does.

Well, thank God I’m not a homosexual, you might be thinking. Yes, thank God you’re not. Tell me though, do you look at pornography?  Some of you just winced. Pornography is visual perversion that plants images of lust in the mind, which in turn becomes the desire of the heart. It is deadly spiritually and an addictive poison.

“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15).

Here’s another topic you don’t often hear preached about in church for fear that somebody may be offended.  Two unmarried people living together and/or engaging in sex is called fornication.  If I’m speaking to you, yours is not a special situation which God understands and approves. It is sin.  I say this out of concern for your soul, not of malice. Do you feel judged? That’s the Holy Spirit validating what I just said. There are many in church today that claim to be Christian who are living in the sin of unrepentant fornication.

“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

You are bought by the blood of Jesus. All sexual sin, adultery, bestiality, fornication and homosexuality, defiles you.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

If you’re living in fornication, you need to repent of it right now.  Either get married or end the relationship.  Right now, I know what the world says about this, you know what God says about it.  Speaking of the world, have you let the world affect how you speak?  

“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10).

Is profanity part of your casual vocabulary?  If so, what does it say about what’s in your heart?

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).

Maybe you’re just trying to blend in and be accepted by non-Christian peers. In other words, you accept their ways but don’t think you should burden them by living out your faith. That might cost you a “friend.”

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

Yes, God has enemies, as do you.  God also has the faithful.  He said of King David, that he was a man after His own heart.  Not a perfect man, not a sinless man. David certainly had his faults and suffered for them. Throughout his life, David was a warrior, his strength and favor borne of indomitable faith. Here’s a glimpse of David’s heart.

“Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.  For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?  I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts” (Psalm 139:19-23).

Those that openly defy and mock God, are they your enemies? Or are they the ones you allow to poison your mind and soul with their blasphemy? I’m not advocating the initiation of violence against such. I am saying that we staunchly oppose them and their broad agenda every time, all the time.

Historically, evil people have sought to impose their will through violence when they have the strength to do so. You need to be ready for such an eventuality. That day is coming.

I’ll leave you with one last point. Not all who were living in Sodom and Gomorrah were homosexuals, but all, save Lot, accepted the sin of homosexuality as normal. All were destroyed together; those who openly practiced homosexuality and those who accepted it.  So it is with evil.

Righteous Lot, he whose soul was vexed by the evil around him, was saved. You see, Lot didn’t take the poison that society offered him. He rightly judged the difference between good and evil.  So should you.

Do you?

Patrick

patrickwyett@excite.com