I anticipated a lot of pushback from my last essay when I wrote on Fornication Celebration. I need to clear up, or further explain.
There are no better sins. Any one professing Christ, must abstain from even the appearance of evil.
Abstain from all appearance of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/1th.5.22.KJV
When crowds of people gather to celebrate Nazis and reward those who do so, that is not a better sin. All sin is rebellion against a Holy God.
I believe that is why in general, no one celebrates murder, adultery, drunkenness, thievery or pornography. Yes, people participate and have always participated in this list of sins. However, we don’t have pride day for any of these things. God calls these things SIN.
The apostle Paul wrote acknowledging that these are common behaviors. He further stated that after we accept these are sin, we cannot proudly continue in them.
He states that to do so disqualifies us from eternal life in Christ. It is not that we sin, but that we blatantly do so despite what the Bible teaches.
Any good father has standards for his home. No good father would allow behavior he deemed offensive or harmful to be allowed in his home or under the banner of his name.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 KJV
Our Heavenly Father has even higher standards. I can’t participate in activities that demean others. I can’t use my body or mind in a manner that serves to undermine or diminish my Father’s holiness.
Holy living demands that I conform to God’s standards not the world values. Those who claim Christ have historically enslaved, persecuted and even murdered in His name. We must acknowledge but not affirm or accept those values.
We can only take pride in becoming more and more like Christ and that comes with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will never pick a better sin. All sin is rebellion against a Holy God.
Follow peace and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Hebrews 12:14 KJV
We cannot claim to know Him and celebrate our sin.
Paul declares:
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Colossians 3:5-10 KJV
Bottom line is the world wants me to affirm lifestyles which God calls sin. I will acknowledge and must allow people to live the lifestyle they choose. But no one can force me to affirm it as good.
Whether it is hatred, murder or sexual sin, I choose to acknowledge but not affirm. I want to spend eternity in the presence of a holy God. My Father will not change His standards to accommodate me.