Truth and Consequences

Well, I did it again. I stirred up a hornet's nest when I posted a comment on my Facebook page about my disdain over the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which will allow gays to serve openly in the military.

Some of my Facebook friends agreed with my opinion. Others certainly did not agree, and they let me know. Here's what I posted:

"Homosexuals will be allowed to serve openly in the military after Obama signs the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Obama says this is the ideals the military defends. Lieberman says it's the best day in his career. God says all nations who forget God will be turned into hell. What a sad day when the president and Congress vote for God's wrath!!"

I didn't post it to be mean. That's my opinion based on my understanding of the Scriptures. I believe homosexuality is a sin and that it really is sad that our country, a Christian nation, is trying to normalize this sin.

One dissenter to my opinion posted that God knew us before we were born, and He made us as we are. True, God did know us while we were still in the womb. (That's why abortion is murder, but that's a discussion for another day.) God knew us before we were born, and He knew we would need a savior because we are all born as sinners. That's why we have to be born again. We have to die to our sin nature and take on new life.

God had every day of our lives planned before one of them took place. But we have to choose to follow His plan for our lives. He gives us free will, and we can choose to go our own way, outside the will of God. It's our choice.

We all fight this fight against sin. I battle with my sin nature every day, Every day, I have to choose to count myself dead to sin and alive to new life in Jesus. I have to tell you that I fail more times than I care to admit. I have to ask for forgiveness, pick myself up and go on. It's not easy. It never will be. Even as Christians, we have to reckon with the enslaving power of our sinful nature as long as we live -- until "the redemption of our bodies."

I don't think it was a coincidence that my Bible study this week was in Romans chapters 6-8, where Paul writes about struggling with sin and becoming slaves to righteousness. I needed to hear that this week as I struggle with issues in my own life.

This part really spoke to me in Romans 7:21-24. Paul wrote: "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

We don't have to fight alone, though. In fact, we can't win this battle in our own power. We can never be good enough to earn our salvation. But as Paul wrote in the next verse: Because of what Jesus did when He came to earth to redeem us, we can overcome the power of sin in our lives.

Romans Chapter 8 then says if we are led by the Spirit instead of the sinful nature, we can live a holy life free from sin. If you are struggling with a sin issue, read Romans 6-8. It can help you. It helps me. That's why I keep going back to it.

I wasn't trying to condemn anyone with my Facebook comment. I look at what Romans Chapter 1 says about same-sex relations. It calls them sin. So I wonder how anyone could ignore this plain declaration from God's Word. We all fall short, but we should be striving to live up to God's holy standard. Our goal is heaven. Don't let the consequences of sin keep you from reaching it. Follow the truth. Be there!