When challenging situations arise in our world, it is always wise to return to Scripture to define what is happening. It may be a challenge for some to accept the truth of God’s word, but in the end, it will prevent false teachers from getting a foothold in our thinking. This month especially applies to those who celebrate error and call it truth. Peter wrote, “There will be false teachers rise up among us. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies” (II Peter 2:1).
The sad truth is that in parts of the Church, there is an increasing dismissal and redefinition regarding the truth of Scripture regarding our God-ordained understanding of sexuality, “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered” (vs. 2).
Peter wrote “God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him” (vs. 6-7). Evidence of deception surrounds these errors, “They are proud and arrogant” (vs. 10) parading around in the pride of their error.
The ones participating in this immorality are like “unthinking animals, creatures of instinct” and will “scoff at things they do not understand” (vs. 12). The result of accepting this false teaching is to “indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight” (vs. 13).
This sin has even crept into the Church and among our circles of fellowship, “They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin” (vs.14). As a result, “They have wandered off the right road” (vs. 15).
At the end of this sad journey of spiritual descent is a destination for those who once knew the truth, but now endorse these immoralities, “They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit. And another says, A washed pig returns to the mud” (vs. 22). This happens when we abandon the truth of Scripture and accept a counterfeit expression of love and choose to celebrate its immorality.
Thank you for these words of encouragement during a time when we are told if we don’t accept the world’s behavior we are “homophobes, transphobes.” I used to get overwhelmed during this time and angry, but now I look to the Word of God and our answers are clearly laid out there as you have shown. This world can be overwhelming with all the evil that we are told to embrace and accept, thank God that He left us explicit instructions! “There is nothing new under the sun!” 🙏🏼🇺🇸🦅
So good. May we heed the warning and guard our hearts with all diligence.