David Bunting
Have No Fellowship With Darkness
Through the apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit admonished Christians, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. . . . And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:8, 11). A quick scan of the inspired epistle to the Ephesians reveals what those people were when they were more than just ‘in the dark’ but were darkness. They were once “dead in trespasses and sins” because they lived according to this world’s standard and a spirit of disobedience (2:1, 2). They were without Christ and without God (2:12). They had walked “in the futility of their mind” and practiced lewdness and “uncleanness with greediness” (4:17, 19). They were darkness because of their character, and their character was the result of their choices and actions.
Harness Your Words
Words are powerful tools. They can build up; they can tear down. They can motivate; they can discourage. They can save a life; they can destroy a life. The ability to communicate well requires much learning and training. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.” (Proverbs 25:11-12).
Every person is accountable for what they say. Too often people dismiss their language and their conversations as inconsequential, assuming that their words are not a serious matter, which affect anyone in any significant manner. Jesus states otherwise. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) To consider that “every” word will be judged is sobering, but more so, the fact that a person’s words can condemn him is fearful. God does not ignore, nor condone carelessness, disrespect and irreverence.
Homosexuality Is Fornication
“Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. … Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits fornication sins against his own body.” (I Corinthians 6:13-18). Fornication is any kind of illicit sexual intercourse, thus, sexual immorality. It includes all unlawful sexual pleasure, such as pre-marital sex, adultery and homosexuality.
Homosexuality is a sin, a transgression of God’s purpose and law. It is a work of the flesh because it is sexual immorality (cf. Galatians 5:19). It is an unrighteous choice and deed which will prevent the unrepentant, unwashed and unsanctified from inheriting the kingdom of God (cf. I Corinthians 6:9-11). The inspired word of God describes it as “vile passion” and “shameful” because men and women exchange the natural use for what is against nature (cf. Romans 1:26-27).
Abortion - Shedding Innocent Blood
God created male and female in His image and commanded them to be fruitful (Genesis 1:27-28). He purposed that children are to be brought into the world. Offspring are a blessing. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:3-5).
God's Word Will Judge Us
Every person is accountable to God. Many in the world choose not to believe in God because they do not want to accept the truth that they will give an account for what they do in this life (cf. II Corinthians 5:10). The Lord’s parables of the landowner (Matthew 21:22-33) and of the talents (25:14-30) are two of the many occasions He taught that men are accountable to God.