- Published on
by George Sidney Hurd
As some have learned from bitter experience, a solid foundation is the most essential and fundamental element to consider when building any structure, whether it be our home; our family; our business or most importantly, our faith. No matter how simple or elaborate the structure, the foundation must be solid. If the foundation is unstable, then all we build upon it is unfounded and insecure and with time will come tumbling down. The loss of a home can be devastating but it is nothing compared to the ruin which will inevitably result if our faith is not founded upon a firm foundation.
The great tragedy of our generation, even within many churches, is the lack of a solid foundation upon which to build a strong vital faith that can withstand the storms of life and not be moved by the winds of opposition or every new teaching that comes our way. What is the only truly solid foundation upon which we can build a faith which is immovable through the sands of time and the storms of life? The Word of God. Everything else in God’s creation is movable and subject to change but the Word of God is a firm foundation which abides forever:
"All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever." (1Peter 1:24-25)
We not only see that the Word of God is enduring, but Peter says that it is the firm and stable base upon which to build our lives and faith:
“And we have the more firm (bebaios “sure, firm, stable”) prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.” (2Peter 1:19 DRB)
The prophetic Word is the bedrock upon which we are to build our faith. And what is this firm prophetic Word to which Peter refers? The Scriptures. He goes on to explain in verses 20 and 21 that the Scriptures are not merely the opinions of the men who wrote them (“of private interpretation”). It wasn’t a product of the will of men who decided to write down their own thoughts and opinions, but rather the Scriptures came into being as a result of holy men of God speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Being the inspired Word of God, Paul could make the unequivocal, dogmatic declaration:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Tim 3:16-17)
So, we see that the Early Church considered all Scripture to be inspired of God – God’s very words spoken to mankind through His yielded and consecrated servants. This dogmatic faith in the Scriptures as the Word of God and the only absolute authority for faith and godliness did not originate with them. Jesus set the example, referring to the Scriptures as the very Words of God. Jesus, when tempted by Satan resists him, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 saying: “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'” (Matt 4:4). He then proceeded to defeat each temptation of the devil with the appropriate Scripture, stating in each instance: “It is written…” If the Scriptures were merely words of holy men, or even words of men containing divine truths, they would not have carried sufficient authority so as to stop Satan in his tracks.
Jesus’ use of the Word of God - resisting the devil with “it is written,” explains why Paul refers to it as “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). Hebrews 4:12 states that the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. This could not be said of the Scriptures if, as many today affirm, they were merely words of saintly men with divine thoughts and therefore subject to question.
As a child I had sword-fights with my friends. However, we didn’t use the two-edged swords of tempered steel. We called them swords, but we knew that they wouldn’t be very effective against a real enemy because they were made of rubber. If the Scriptures are not indeed the very words of God: If they are nothing more than words of men mixed in with divine ideas, then it would be entirely ineffective, just as a rubber sword would be against a real enemy. One who does not have a firm faith in the Scriptures as the very words of God is of no threat to the enemy. Satan mocks those who lack absolute confidence in the Scriptures as the very Word of God, just as a soldier would mock you if you came against Him with a rubber sword.
The enemy knows that he cannot win against one who has their faith firmly planted upon the Word of God, no matter how frail or insignificant that individual may appear to be. David demonstrated how even a shepherd boy with a firm faith in the Word of God and the God of the Word can become a giant-slayer. The enemy also knows that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17). Therefore, the only way he can possibly defeat us and prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ is to undermine our faith in the Scriptures as the pure Word of God.
A brief review of the history of the Church reveals how Satan’s strategy from the very beginning has been to move us from the firm foundation of the Scriptures as the only absolute authority for faith and godliness. From the time of the original twelve apostles, the leaven of the Pharisees sought to contaminate the pure Word of God, adding to it the commandments of men. The leaven of the Sadducees, on the other hand, took away from the Scriptures, denying its supernatural nature. Then the mysticism of the Gnostics sought to remove truth from all objectivity, leaving one without a solid anchor for one’s faith in the knowable Word of God. This was followed up by the rise of the Roman institutional Church which replaced biblical truth for tradition and removed the Scriptures from the common people, depriving them of the truth and mixing it with pagan superstition.
With the invention of the printing press, the Scriptures once again became available in the language of the people, and the Reformation sprang out of a renewed faith in the Scriptures as the objective and authoritative Word of God. Following the example of Jesus and the Early Church, the reformers once again stood firmly upon the conviction that the “it is written” of Scripture was the final authority on any matter of doctrine and practice. Sola Scriptura (only the Scriptures) was once again the theme of the rising Church.
With the Scriptures now in the hands of the people, the Papal Church with its traditions and pagan superstitions that had kept the people in the dark for more than a thousand years could no longer keep them from the transforming truth of God’s written word. They were now rising up with a renewed faith in the God of the Bible, and Satan was losing his power to keep God’s people from knowing the truth that would make them free. The only way the enemy could possibly stem the rising tide of the Reformation was to undermine this renewed confidence in the Scriptures as the Word of God.
The reformation, which began in the sixteenth century, was headed off by what has become known as “The Age of Enlightenment,” in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The “Enlightenment” exalted reason above the authority of the Church and the Scriptures. Exalting reason over God’s revelation is seen in Scripture to always result in “every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes” (Deut 12:8; Jdg 17:6; 21:5; Pr 3:7; 12:15; Isa 5:21, etc.). It has always led to bondage and ruin, requiring God’s judgmental intervention.
The Age of Enlightenment gave birth to Modernistic Materialism in the nineteenth century, which rejected the supernatural in favor of empirical science which denied any reality which could not be demonstrated by scientific investigation. Many within Christianity, feeling the need for the affirmation of the scientific community, began to call into doubt the veracity of the Scriptures. The creation account in Genesis was either altered to accommodate science or outright rejected as myth in favor of Darwin’s theory of evolution. The miracles were spiritualized and historical events recorded in the Bible were subjected to the “higher criticism” of the liberal theologians, which essentially approaches the Scriptures in the same manner as empirical science (assuming Scripture as false until every means to discredit it fails). The devil, demons; and for some, even God Himself, came to be considered by them to be nothing more than mere myths. The religion of the day was Atheism.
Man, however, having been created in the image and likeness of God, cannot find significant meaning to go on living in the void produced by the concept of an impersonal, materialistic world. Modernistic Materialism only produced hopelessness and despair. At the same time, scientists began to realize that there are many mysterious realities which empirical science cannot prove – except possibly in theory. This gave place in the late twentieth century to Postmodernism which has begun to open up to the acceptance of spiritual realities beyond our physical world.
This new trend towards the recognition of the spiritual dimension beyond that which materialistic science can prove in a test-tube, would seem, at first sight, to be a tremendous opportunity for the Church, enabling it to reach a generation for the gospel, and indeed it is. However, even as Modernistic Materialism produced a generation of Atheists who operated from unbelief until proven otherwise, Postmodernism has now produced a generation of Agnostics who operate from uncertainty. Since they now realize there are realities beyond those which can be tested in a test-tube, they conclude that there are no definable absolutes – that everything is relative.
What is lacking in our generation are those faith is firmly planted upon the foundation of the Word of God – those who can say with conviction “it is written” and therefore it is true; no matter what the latest fad of “science” may be affirming as truth. Our generation needs to hear a clear word in the dark vagueness of relativity – a more sure prophetic word (2Peter 1 19).
Tragically, as usual, many in the church world are seeking the approval of men rather than the “well done” of our Lord. Many churches, just as it has been since the beginning, are seeking to be conformed to the present worldview in order to attract a larger audience, rather than being transformed by the renewing of our minds, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (Rom 12:1-2; 2Cor 10:5). Only in this manner can the Church positively impact the world, becoming salt and light in a dark world as Jesus commanded us.
The Liberal theologians, parroting Modernistic Materialistic science, approached the Scriptures in the same way as the empirical scientist with the mind-set: “It is false until evidence requires belief.” Today Atheistic Modernism has given place to the agnosticism of Postmodernism, and Liberal theologians have morphed into today’s Progressives. Progressives do not deny that the Scriptures contain truth; nor do they deny the supernatural. What they do deny is that all Scripture is inspired of God, and that truth can therefore be known with dogmatic certainty. Many even go so far as to deny Jesus’ words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) The emergent church of the twenty-first century is once again departing from the faith once and for all delivered to the saints into a sea of relativity that could eventually cause her to take on the form of Mystery Babylon, the harlot church (Rev 17).
The Church of the living God needs to rise up to this opportune hour with a clear word like Elijah crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” We need to build upon the solid foundation of “it is written,” following the example of Jesus and the Apostles. We need to bring the Reformation to perfection, using once again the reformer's theme: Sola Scriptura.” The reformers restored the Scriptures as the foundation of absolute truth, recovering the doctrine of justification by faith and rejecting unbiblical traditions. It is my conviction that, as we go on to complete the reformation which the reformers began (but was side-tracked by Modernism), we will rediscover the doctrine of the final restoration of all, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began, but was lost sight of upon entering into the Dark Ages. (Acts 3:21) (For a more detailed exposition of this subject read my book The Triumph of Mercy.)
The whole of creation awaits the time of the manifestation of the sons of God, the Bride of Christ who is the first-fruits of God’s new creation. Paul says that all creation will be restored at the time of their manifestation (Rom 8:18-23). Obviously the reformation will not have come to completion until all the elect sons of God have finally come to believe that the restoration of all is indeed part of God’s overall plan for the ages, based upon the Scriptures. How are we as sons of God going to be instrumental in the restoration of all and the reconciliation of all, when many of us do not even believe it will take place as promised?
As some have learned from bitter experience, a solid foundation is the most essential and fundamental element to consider when building any structure, whether it be our home; our family; our business or most importantly, our faith. No matter how simple or elaborate the structure, the foundation must be solid. If the foundation is unstable, then all we build upon it is unfounded and insecure and with time will come tumbling down. The loss of a home can be devastating but it is nothing compared to the ruin which will inevitably result if our faith is not founded upon a firm foundation.
The great tragedy of our generation, even within many churches, is the lack of a solid foundation upon which to build a strong vital faith that can withstand the storms of life and not be moved by the winds of opposition or every new teaching that comes our way. What is the only truly solid foundation upon which we can build a faith which is immovable through the sands of time and the storms of life? The Word of God. Everything else in God’s creation is movable and subject to change but the Word of God is a firm foundation which abides forever:
"All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever." (1Peter 1:24-25)
We not only see that the Word of God is enduring, but Peter says that it is the firm and stable base upon which to build our lives and faith:
“And we have the more firm (bebaios “sure, firm, stable”) prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.” (2Peter 1:19 DRB)
The prophetic Word is the bedrock upon which we are to build our faith. And what is this firm prophetic Word to which Peter refers? The Scriptures. He goes on to explain in verses 20 and 21 that the Scriptures are not merely the opinions of the men who wrote them (“of private interpretation”). It wasn’t a product of the will of men who decided to write down their own thoughts and opinions, but rather the Scriptures came into being as a result of holy men of God speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Being the inspired Word of God, Paul could make the unequivocal, dogmatic declaration:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Tim 3:16-17)
So, we see that the Early Church considered all Scripture to be inspired of God – God’s very words spoken to mankind through His yielded and consecrated servants. This dogmatic faith in the Scriptures as the Word of God and the only absolute authority for faith and godliness did not originate with them. Jesus set the example, referring to the Scriptures as the very Words of God. Jesus, when tempted by Satan resists him, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 saying: “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'” (Matt 4:4). He then proceeded to defeat each temptation of the devil with the appropriate Scripture, stating in each instance: “It is written…” If the Scriptures were merely words of holy men, or even words of men containing divine truths, they would not have carried sufficient authority so as to stop Satan in his tracks.
Jesus’ use of the Word of God - resisting the devil with “it is written,” explains why Paul refers to it as “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). Hebrews 4:12 states that the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. This could not be said of the Scriptures if, as many today affirm, they were merely words of saintly men with divine thoughts and therefore subject to question.
As a child I had sword-fights with my friends. However, we didn’t use the two-edged swords of tempered steel. We called them swords, but we knew that they wouldn’t be very effective against a real enemy because they were made of rubber. If the Scriptures are not indeed the very words of God: If they are nothing more than words of men mixed in with divine ideas, then it would be entirely ineffective, just as a rubber sword would be against a real enemy. One who does not have a firm faith in the Scriptures as the very words of God is of no threat to the enemy. Satan mocks those who lack absolute confidence in the Scriptures as the very Word of God, just as a soldier would mock you if you came against Him with a rubber sword.
The enemy knows that he cannot win against one who has their faith firmly planted upon the Word of God, no matter how frail or insignificant that individual may appear to be. David demonstrated how even a shepherd boy with a firm faith in the Word of God and the God of the Word can become a giant-slayer. The enemy also knows that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17). Therefore, the only way he can possibly defeat us and prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ is to undermine our faith in the Scriptures as the pure Word of God.
A brief review of the history of the Church reveals how Satan’s strategy from the very beginning has been to move us from the firm foundation of the Scriptures as the only absolute authority for faith and godliness. From the time of the original twelve apostles, the leaven of the Pharisees sought to contaminate the pure Word of God, adding to it the commandments of men. The leaven of the Sadducees, on the other hand, took away from the Scriptures, denying its supernatural nature. Then the mysticism of the Gnostics sought to remove truth from all objectivity, leaving one without a solid anchor for one’s faith in the knowable Word of God. This was followed up by the rise of the Roman institutional Church which replaced biblical truth for tradition and removed the Scriptures from the common people, depriving them of the truth and mixing it with pagan superstition.
With the invention of the printing press, the Scriptures once again became available in the language of the people, and the Reformation sprang out of a renewed faith in the Scriptures as the objective and authoritative Word of God. Following the example of Jesus and the Early Church, the reformers once again stood firmly upon the conviction that the “it is written” of Scripture was the final authority on any matter of doctrine and practice. Sola Scriptura (only the Scriptures) was once again the theme of the rising Church.
With the Scriptures now in the hands of the people, the Papal Church with its traditions and pagan superstitions that had kept the people in the dark for more than a thousand years could no longer keep them from the transforming truth of God’s written word. They were now rising up with a renewed faith in the God of the Bible, and Satan was losing his power to keep God’s people from knowing the truth that would make them free. The only way the enemy could possibly stem the rising tide of the Reformation was to undermine this renewed confidence in the Scriptures as the Word of God.
The reformation, which began in the sixteenth century, was headed off by what has become known as “The Age of Enlightenment,” in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The “Enlightenment” exalted reason above the authority of the Church and the Scriptures. Exalting reason over God’s revelation is seen in Scripture to always result in “every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes” (Deut 12:8; Jdg 17:6; 21:5; Pr 3:7; 12:15; Isa 5:21, etc.). It has always led to bondage and ruin, requiring God’s judgmental intervention.
The Age of Enlightenment gave birth to Modernistic Materialism in the nineteenth century, which rejected the supernatural in favor of empirical science which denied any reality which could not be demonstrated by scientific investigation. Many within Christianity, feeling the need for the affirmation of the scientific community, began to call into doubt the veracity of the Scriptures. The creation account in Genesis was either altered to accommodate science or outright rejected as myth in favor of Darwin’s theory of evolution. The miracles were spiritualized and historical events recorded in the Bible were subjected to the “higher criticism” of the liberal theologians, which essentially approaches the Scriptures in the same manner as empirical science (assuming Scripture as false until every means to discredit it fails). The devil, demons; and for some, even God Himself, came to be considered by them to be nothing more than mere myths. The religion of the day was Atheism.
Man, however, having been created in the image and likeness of God, cannot find significant meaning to go on living in the void produced by the concept of an impersonal, materialistic world. Modernistic Materialism only produced hopelessness and despair. At the same time, scientists began to realize that there are many mysterious realities which empirical science cannot prove – except possibly in theory. This gave place in the late twentieth century to Postmodernism which has begun to open up to the acceptance of spiritual realities beyond our physical world.
This new trend towards the recognition of the spiritual dimension beyond that which materialistic science can prove in a test-tube, would seem, at first sight, to be a tremendous opportunity for the Church, enabling it to reach a generation for the gospel, and indeed it is. However, even as Modernistic Materialism produced a generation of Atheists who operated from unbelief until proven otherwise, Postmodernism has now produced a generation of Agnostics who operate from uncertainty. Since they now realize there are realities beyond those which can be tested in a test-tube, they conclude that there are no definable absolutes – that everything is relative.
What is lacking in our generation are those faith is firmly planted upon the foundation of the Word of God – those who can say with conviction “it is written” and therefore it is true; no matter what the latest fad of “science” may be affirming as truth. Our generation needs to hear a clear word in the dark vagueness of relativity – a more sure prophetic word (2Peter 1 19).
Tragically, as usual, many in the church world are seeking the approval of men rather than the “well done” of our Lord. Many churches, just as it has been since the beginning, are seeking to be conformed to the present worldview in order to attract a larger audience, rather than being transformed by the renewing of our minds, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (Rom 12:1-2; 2Cor 10:5). Only in this manner can the Church positively impact the world, becoming salt and light in a dark world as Jesus commanded us.
The Liberal theologians, parroting Modernistic Materialistic science, approached the Scriptures in the same way as the empirical scientist with the mind-set: “It is false until evidence requires belief.” Today Atheistic Modernism has given place to the agnosticism of Postmodernism, and Liberal theologians have morphed into today’s Progressives. Progressives do not deny that the Scriptures contain truth; nor do they deny the supernatural. What they do deny is that all Scripture is inspired of God, and that truth can therefore be known with dogmatic certainty. Many even go so far as to deny Jesus’ words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) The emergent church of the twenty-first century is once again departing from the faith once and for all delivered to the saints into a sea of relativity that could eventually cause her to take on the form of Mystery Babylon, the harlot church (Rev 17).
The Church of the living God needs to rise up to this opportune hour with a clear word like Elijah crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” We need to build upon the solid foundation of “it is written,” following the example of Jesus and the Apostles. We need to bring the Reformation to perfection, using once again the reformer's theme: Sola Scriptura.” The reformers restored the Scriptures as the foundation of absolute truth, recovering the doctrine of justification by faith and rejecting unbiblical traditions. It is my conviction that, as we go on to complete the reformation which the reformers began (but was side-tracked by Modernism), we will rediscover the doctrine of the final restoration of all, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began, but was lost sight of upon entering into the Dark Ages. (Acts 3:21) (For a more detailed exposition of this subject read my book The Triumph of Mercy.)
The whole of creation awaits the time of the manifestation of the sons of God, the Bride of Christ who is the first-fruits of God’s new creation. Paul says that all creation will be restored at the time of their manifestation (Rom 8:18-23). Obviously the reformation will not have come to completion until all the elect sons of God have finally come to believe that the restoration of all is indeed part of God’s overall plan for the ages, based upon the Scriptures. How are we as sons of God going to be instrumental in the restoration of all and the reconciliation of all, when many of us do not even believe it will take place as promised?
- Published on
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Are All Sins Equal?
by George Sidney Hurd
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A catchphrase that has become so common in evangelical circles that many take it as “Bible” is the saying: “All sins are equal in God’s eyes.” If we were to be honest most of us who have used this expression would have to admit that we have mentally appended this outwardly dogmatic statement with an internal interrogative. The idea that all sins are equal goes against our own innate sense of justice. How could the sin of a little child stealing a cookie from the cookie jar be equal to the sin of a grown man raping and murdering a defenseless little girl?
It is true that God’s ways are infinitely higher than our ways and our ability to comprehend them is indeed very elementary. However, His judgments transcend our sense of justice rather than flying in the face of it. Our innate sense of justice is so true to God’s justice that, according to Paul, even a Gentile without the law of God can still discern what is right in such a manner as to leave him without excuse before God (Rom 1:14-16). Jesus rebuked the multitudes for not using their God given ability to judge what is right saying: “Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?”
To say that all sins are equal not only defies all sense of justice, but it also contradicts the Scriptures. The Scriptures frequently use comparative language when referring to different sins. In Exodus 32:21 Moses said to Aaron when he saw the golden calf and the people dancing around it: “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?” Here we see that there are greater sins and lesser sins. We can also see that it was considered a greater sin in the eyes of God than their murmuring and other prior sins by the severity of His judgmental actions against them.
Numerous prohibitions were given under the law but only a few were so great and abominable that the death sentence was prescribed. Jesus himself indicated that there are degrees of sin when He used comparatives like “the least of the commandments,” and “the weightier matters of the law” (Matt 5:19; 23:23). He said to Pilate, referring to Judas, “The one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin (Jn 19:11). Jesus said that, “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men… either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt 12:31-32). The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not an “unpardonable” sin as many believe, but it is greater than other sins and for that reason Jesus said that it will not be forgiven in the present time nor in the coming age (For more detail on this subject see my book “The Triumph of Mercy”).
We can also see that all sins are not equal before God by looking at the varying degree of punishment for progressive stages of the same sin. For example, in the area of sexual sin, Jesus said that one who looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery in his heart. Nevertheless, looking upon a woman is not as great a sin as actually committing the act of adultery. Committing adultery is a very grave, damaging and selfish sin, but it could not be said to be as great as pedophilia, bestiality or sodomy.
We can see from Romans 1 that sodomy is a greater sin than adultery or other forms of fornication because it is a perversion of nature:
“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” (Rom 1:24-27)
Some today would argue that sodomy is no greater a sin than any other form of fornication or committing adultery with the opposite sex. However, Paul here shows a cultural descent in a downward spiral which culminates in abandoning the natural heterosexual form of intercourse, practicing or condoning sodomy – men with men, committing what is shameful. Peter also refers to sodomy as filthy conduct:
“and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed (kataponeo: “oppressed, harassed, mistreated”) by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)” (2Peter 2:6-8)
Jesus also compared the time of His Second Coming to the days of Lot. (Luke 17:28) The people of God who are unwilling to compromise their godly convictions in order to accommodate LGBTQIA+ lifestyles are increasingly being subjected to harassment and mistreatment by the gay activists and their sympathizers, just as it was in the days of Lot in Sodom.
Some today would argue that Sodom was not destroyed due to the practice of homosexuality, but rather because of their lack of hospitality. However, Peter characterized their sin as “filthy conduct” which is not a descriptive phrase one would use to describe a lack of hospitality. “Filthy conduct,” just as Paul’s other descriptive terms “against nature” and “that which is shameful” are terms understood by all to be descriptive of sexual perversion and not a lack of hospitality.
The text used by gay activists to argue that Sodom’s sin was inhospitality instead of the sin of homosexuality is Ezekiel 16:49-50 which says:
“Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.”
Here, as in Romans chapter one, we see a downward spiral. In this case we see that it began with pride and spiraled into excess, laziness, indifference towards others and then they finally ended up committing the abomination. It was committing the abomination that provoked the severe judgment of the Lord – not a lack of hospitality (“they…committed the abomination...therefore I….”).
What is the abomination they committed? Certainly, it was not inhospitality. In the first place, inhospitality is a sin of omission – not commission. What sin is Sodom historically known to have committed that could be aptly described as an abomination? Homosexuality. That is why sodomy has historically been utilized as a synonym for the homosexual lifestyle.
Lack of hospitality is never referred to in Scripture as an “abomination” requiring the death penalty. God would have been acting outside of His own law if He inflicted the death penalty upon them for failing to show hospitality. The law of God does not prescribe the death penalty for failing to give to the poor, but it does require the death penalty for the abomination of homosexual activity:
“If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death.” (Lev 20:13)
What abomination did Sodom commit that justified their death penalty “as an example?” This phrase “committed an abomination” as it appears here in Hebrew in the singular form is the same as “committed abomination” in Ezequiel 16:50. In all of Scripture the expression “commit abomination” in singular is exclusively used to refer to the homosexual act. Jude, who was one of the brothers of the Lord Jesus, further describes the nature of Sodom’s sin:
“as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 7)
If you were a reader with a bias in favor of the homosexual lifestyle you probably would have stopped reading this blog the moment I first referred to same sex acts as sodomy. However, in the light of what we have seen in these texts, clearly sodomy is a term which aptly characterizes homosexual activity. I believe that in these times at the end of the age we are seeing a repeat of the cultural decline described concerning Sodom in Ezequiel 16:49,50 and in Romans 1:18-32. This same downward spiral was prophesied by Paul in 2Thessalonians 2:9-12. Paul says that, at the close of this age, all who do not receive the love of the truth will fall under a strong deluding influence which will prepare the way for the final deception under the Antichrist:
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Paul said in Romans 1 that: since they did not want to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them up to vile passions. He, in all probability was alluding to Sodom. In 2Thessalonians 2, Paul says essentially the same thing: He will send strong delusion to all those who do not receive the love of the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousness.
The Scriptures also foretell the present societal intolerance towards sound biblical doctrine and a proclivity towards new and novel “interpretations” of the text in order to accommodate the Scriptures to one’s own sinful desires. This is a very real phenomena which we are witnessing in today’s culture – not only in the world but also within the churches. Paul warned us saying:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Tim 4:2-4)
In our days, more than any other time in history, we need to know what God has revealed in His Word and hold fast to it:
“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” (2Tim 1:13)
“But hold fast what you have till I come.” (Rev 2:25)
Returning to the focus of this blog, we can now see some of the practical consequences of a seemingly innocent but unbiblical catchphrase like “all sins are equal before God.” All sins are not equal before God. And placing a lustful thought on the same plane as adultery and homosexuality is having a disastrous effect upon modern society and has greatly contributed to the disintegration of the family. A common argument used to justify homosexuality in our present culture is based upon the supposition that all sexual sins are the same. This same erroneous logic could soon easily be applied to incest, pedophilia and bestiality.
If God set Sodom and Gomorra as an example of what will become of a society who gives itself over to “sexual immorality” or “filthy conduct” in defiance against nature and God’s clearly established boundaries, where does that leave us today? Some years back Billy Graham cited a statement made by his late wife, Ruth. She said: “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
The question remains as to where the saying: “all sins are equal before God,” originated. Like many other unbiblical phrases used in theological circles, it seems to have originated as an attempt to justify the generic sentence of eternal condemnation upon all the lost, regardless of the magnitude of their sin. It is a common traditional response to those who might ask: “If God is just, why would he sentence the little boy who stole a cookie from the cookie jar to an equally eternal sentence as a grown man who rapes and murders a little girl?”
The response of the traditionalist would be worded in somewhat the following manner: “All sin, no matter how small, is against an infinite and eternal God, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty.” The statement, “all sins are equal,” although unbiblical, is necessary in order for the traditionalist to bolster the doctrine of an equally eternal punishment for every sinner without regard for the greatly varying amounts and degrees of sin between individuals.
However, a generic sentence of eternal punishment for all does not align with the Scriptures. Future punishment as presented by Jesus is of measured duration and in proportion to the offense, rather than infinite and eternal. Jesus said that some will receive many lashes whereas others will receive few lashes (Luke 12:47-48). Many or few lashes are both by their very nature limited in duration. They are also seen to be measured out with a just measurement. Each will be judged according to their works and will receive their part or allotted portion (Luke 12:46; Rev 21:8). A portion is a justly measured sentence according to the works of each one and not infinite. Jesus said that they would not get out until they have paid in full (Matt 5:26; Luke 12:59). If one infinite generic condemnation will be meted out to all without distinction, then why is there any need for a judgment of each individual according to their works? Why does Jesus say that the sentence will be more tolerable for some than for others? (Matt 10:15; Luke 10:14). Why does He say that some will enter the kingdom before others, and that some will be first while others will be last? (Matt 21:31; Luke 13:30).
While all sins are not equal with God, we must also insist along with Scripture that all sin, no matter how small, is unacceptable before God. All have sinned and the wages of sin is death. James says: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). God’s standard is not like a baseball game where you get three strikes before you are out. Some states within the United States have adopted a “three strike” law for repeat offenders. God’s holiness requires perfection. No sin can enter the eternal kingdom of God. Sin will be nonexistent in eternity when God shall be all in all.
Due to the fact that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, all, without exception, are in need of the Savior. All of mankind, from the child stealing the cookie from the cookie jar to the man who rapes and murders an innocent child, stand guilty before God. The law was given for the express purpose of revealing our sinful state. The law was given to condemn us. It was the ministry of death and condemnation to all who have placed their hope in self-salvation (2 Cor 3:7,9). Only those who come to recognize their hopeless sinful condition will look to the Savior. Therefore, the law was given as our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ (Gal 3:24). All, without exception, have “struck out” and need the grace of God that only comes through the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ. The law placed us all under disobedience in order that all might come to Him for mercy:
“For God has committed all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.” (Rom 11:32)
Only in Him can we find justification in spite of our sin, and only in Him can we attain to the sanctified life without which no one shall see the Lord.
While it is true that sin is sin, and all have sinned and equally stand in need of the Savior, we can clearly see that all sins are not the same in God’s eyes. His judgments are just, good, limited, measured and merciful towards the repentant. It is His mercy that is eternal – not His wrath. It is my conviction that the phrase “all sins are equal in the eyes of God” is just one more traditional saying that distorts the true revelation of God, invalidating the Scriptures.
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A catchphrase that has become so common in evangelical circles that many take it as “Bible” is the saying: “All sins are equal in God’s eyes.” If we were to be honest most of us who have used this expression would have to admit that we have mentally appended this outwardly dogmatic statement with an internal interrogative. The idea that all sins are equal goes against our own innate sense of justice. How could the sin of a little child stealing a cookie from the cookie jar be equal to the sin of a grown man raping and murdering a defenseless little girl?
It is true that God’s ways are infinitely higher than our ways and our ability to comprehend them is indeed very elementary. However, His judgments transcend our sense of justice rather than flying in the face of it. Our innate sense of justice is so true to God’s justice that, according to Paul, even a Gentile without the law of God can still discern what is right in such a manner as to leave him without excuse before God (Rom 1:14-16). Jesus rebuked the multitudes for not using their God given ability to judge what is right saying: “Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?”
To say that all sins are equal not only defies all sense of justice, but it also contradicts the Scriptures. The Scriptures frequently use comparative language when referring to different sins. In Exodus 32:21 Moses said to Aaron when he saw the golden calf and the people dancing around it: “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?” Here we see that there are greater sins and lesser sins. We can also see that it was considered a greater sin in the eyes of God than their murmuring and other prior sins by the severity of His judgmental actions against them.
Numerous prohibitions were given under the law but only a few were so great and abominable that the death sentence was prescribed. Jesus himself indicated that there are degrees of sin when He used comparatives like “the least of the commandments,” and “the weightier matters of the law” (Matt 5:19; 23:23). He said to Pilate, referring to Judas, “The one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin (Jn 19:11). Jesus said that, “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men… either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt 12:31-32). The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not an “unpardonable” sin as many believe, but it is greater than other sins and for that reason Jesus said that it will not be forgiven in the present time nor in the coming age (For more detail on this subject see my book “The Triumph of Mercy”).
We can also see that all sins are not equal before God by looking at the varying degree of punishment for progressive stages of the same sin. For example, in the area of sexual sin, Jesus said that one who looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery in his heart. Nevertheless, looking upon a woman is not as great a sin as actually committing the act of adultery. Committing adultery is a very grave, damaging and selfish sin, but it could not be said to be as great as pedophilia, bestiality or sodomy.
We can see from Romans 1 that sodomy is a greater sin than adultery or other forms of fornication because it is a perversion of nature:
“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” (Rom 1:24-27)
Some today would argue that sodomy is no greater a sin than any other form of fornication or committing adultery with the opposite sex. However, Paul here shows a cultural descent in a downward spiral which culminates in abandoning the natural heterosexual form of intercourse, practicing or condoning sodomy – men with men, committing what is shameful. Peter also refers to sodomy as filthy conduct:
“and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed (kataponeo: “oppressed, harassed, mistreated”) by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)” (2Peter 2:6-8)
Jesus also compared the time of His Second Coming to the days of Lot. (Luke 17:28) The people of God who are unwilling to compromise their godly convictions in order to accommodate LGBTQIA+ lifestyles are increasingly being subjected to harassment and mistreatment by the gay activists and their sympathizers, just as it was in the days of Lot in Sodom.
Some today would argue that Sodom was not destroyed due to the practice of homosexuality, but rather because of their lack of hospitality. However, Peter characterized their sin as “filthy conduct” which is not a descriptive phrase one would use to describe a lack of hospitality. “Filthy conduct,” just as Paul’s other descriptive terms “against nature” and “that which is shameful” are terms understood by all to be descriptive of sexual perversion and not a lack of hospitality.
The text used by gay activists to argue that Sodom’s sin was inhospitality instead of the sin of homosexuality is Ezekiel 16:49-50 which says:
“Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.”
Here, as in Romans chapter one, we see a downward spiral. In this case we see that it began with pride and spiraled into excess, laziness, indifference towards others and then they finally ended up committing the abomination. It was committing the abomination that provoked the severe judgment of the Lord – not a lack of hospitality (“they…committed the abomination...therefore I….”).
What is the abomination they committed? Certainly, it was not inhospitality. In the first place, inhospitality is a sin of omission – not commission. What sin is Sodom historically known to have committed that could be aptly described as an abomination? Homosexuality. That is why sodomy has historically been utilized as a synonym for the homosexual lifestyle.
Lack of hospitality is never referred to in Scripture as an “abomination” requiring the death penalty. God would have been acting outside of His own law if He inflicted the death penalty upon them for failing to show hospitality. The law of God does not prescribe the death penalty for failing to give to the poor, but it does require the death penalty for the abomination of homosexual activity:
“If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death.” (Lev 20:13)
What abomination did Sodom commit that justified their death penalty “as an example?” This phrase “committed an abomination” as it appears here in Hebrew in the singular form is the same as “committed abomination” in Ezequiel 16:50. In all of Scripture the expression “commit abomination” in singular is exclusively used to refer to the homosexual act. Jude, who was one of the brothers of the Lord Jesus, further describes the nature of Sodom’s sin:
“as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 7)
If you were a reader with a bias in favor of the homosexual lifestyle you probably would have stopped reading this blog the moment I first referred to same sex acts as sodomy. However, in the light of what we have seen in these texts, clearly sodomy is a term which aptly characterizes homosexual activity. I believe that in these times at the end of the age we are seeing a repeat of the cultural decline described concerning Sodom in Ezequiel 16:49,50 and in Romans 1:18-32. This same downward spiral was prophesied by Paul in 2Thessalonians 2:9-12. Paul says that, at the close of this age, all who do not receive the love of the truth will fall under a strong deluding influence which will prepare the way for the final deception under the Antichrist:
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Paul said in Romans 1 that: since they did not want to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them up to vile passions. He, in all probability was alluding to Sodom. In 2Thessalonians 2, Paul says essentially the same thing: He will send strong delusion to all those who do not receive the love of the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousness.
The Scriptures also foretell the present societal intolerance towards sound biblical doctrine and a proclivity towards new and novel “interpretations” of the text in order to accommodate the Scriptures to one’s own sinful desires. This is a very real phenomena which we are witnessing in today’s culture – not only in the world but also within the churches. Paul warned us saying:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Tim 4:2-4)
In our days, more than any other time in history, we need to know what God has revealed in His Word and hold fast to it:
“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” (2Tim 1:13)
“But hold fast what you have till I come.” (Rev 2:25)
Returning to the focus of this blog, we can now see some of the practical consequences of a seemingly innocent but unbiblical catchphrase like “all sins are equal before God.” All sins are not equal before God. And placing a lustful thought on the same plane as adultery and homosexuality is having a disastrous effect upon modern society and has greatly contributed to the disintegration of the family. A common argument used to justify homosexuality in our present culture is based upon the supposition that all sexual sins are the same. This same erroneous logic could soon easily be applied to incest, pedophilia and bestiality.
If God set Sodom and Gomorra as an example of what will become of a society who gives itself over to “sexual immorality” or “filthy conduct” in defiance against nature and God’s clearly established boundaries, where does that leave us today? Some years back Billy Graham cited a statement made by his late wife, Ruth. She said: “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
The question remains as to where the saying: “all sins are equal before God,” originated. Like many other unbiblical phrases used in theological circles, it seems to have originated as an attempt to justify the generic sentence of eternal condemnation upon all the lost, regardless of the magnitude of their sin. It is a common traditional response to those who might ask: “If God is just, why would he sentence the little boy who stole a cookie from the cookie jar to an equally eternal sentence as a grown man who rapes and murders a little girl?”
The response of the traditionalist would be worded in somewhat the following manner: “All sin, no matter how small, is against an infinite and eternal God, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty.” The statement, “all sins are equal,” although unbiblical, is necessary in order for the traditionalist to bolster the doctrine of an equally eternal punishment for every sinner without regard for the greatly varying amounts and degrees of sin between individuals.
However, a generic sentence of eternal punishment for all does not align with the Scriptures. Future punishment as presented by Jesus is of measured duration and in proportion to the offense, rather than infinite and eternal. Jesus said that some will receive many lashes whereas others will receive few lashes (Luke 12:47-48). Many or few lashes are both by their very nature limited in duration. They are also seen to be measured out with a just measurement. Each will be judged according to their works and will receive their part or allotted portion (Luke 12:46; Rev 21:8). A portion is a justly measured sentence according to the works of each one and not infinite. Jesus said that they would not get out until they have paid in full (Matt 5:26; Luke 12:59). If one infinite generic condemnation will be meted out to all without distinction, then why is there any need for a judgment of each individual according to their works? Why does Jesus say that the sentence will be more tolerable for some than for others? (Matt 10:15; Luke 10:14). Why does He say that some will enter the kingdom before others, and that some will be first while others will be last? (Matt 21:31; Luke 13:30).
While all sins are not equal with God, we must also insist along with Scripture that all sin, no matter how small, is unacceptable before God. All have sinned and the wages of sin is death. James says: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). God’s standard is not like a baseball game where you get three strikes before you are out. Some states within the United States have adopted a “three strike” law for repeat offenders. God’s holiness requires perfection. No sin can enter the eternal kingdom of God. Sin will be nonexistent in eternity when God shall be all in all.
Due to the fact that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, all, without exception, are in need of the Savior. All of mankind, from the child stealing the cookie from the cookie jar to the man who rapes and murders an innocent child, stand guilty before God. The law was given for the express purpose of revealing our sinful state. The law was given to condemn us. It was the ministry of death and condemnation to all who have placed their hope in self-salvation (2 Cor 3:7,9). Only those who come to recognize their hopeless sinful condition will look to the Savior. Therefore, the law was given as our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ (Gal 3:24). All, without exception, have “struck out” and need the grace of God that only comes through the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ. The law placed us all under disobedience in order that all might come to Him for mercy:
“For God has committed all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.” (Rom 11:32)
Only in Him can we find justification in spite of our sin, and only in Him can we attain to the sanctified life without which no one shall see the Lord.
While it is true that sin is sin, and all have sinned and equally stand in need of the Savior, we can clearly see that all sins are not the same in God’s eyes. His judgments are just, good, limited, measured and merciful towards the repentant. It is His mercy that is eternal – not His wrath. It is my conviction that the phrase “all sins are equal in the eyes of God” is just one more traditional saying that distorts the true revelation of God, invalidating the Scriptures.