" Frightful Lists and Enumerations ! "

Romans 1:25-32 "Who changed the truth of GOD into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the CREATOR, WHO is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause GOD gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

And even as they did not like to retain GOD in their knowledge, GOD gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of GOD, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who know the judgment of GOD, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

     Paul closes Romans chapter one by giving a terrible list of over twenty sins (vv.29-31). Any honest person reading this would see himself included in at least some of these evils. For example, who among us has never disobeyed a parent or never been covetous or envious ? Then comes the shocking conclusion that those who commit such sins (including every one of us !) is worthy of the death penalty (v.32). Paul skillfully builds his case that all men are condemned before a holy GOD.

     It would be a helpful exercise for the reader of this post to take some time to examine the following "Frightful Lists:"

Eight sins against love in 2nd.Corinthians 12:20 (pictured above)

Eight descriptions of those going to a Devil's Hell in Revelation 21:8

Seventeen works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21

Fourteen kinds of sinners in 1st.Timothy 1:9-10

Nineteen wicked characteristics of men in the last days in 2nd.Timothy 3:1-5 (pictured above)

GOD wants us to know, in great detail, what displeases HIM and what HE hates (Proverbs 6:16-19, pictured at top of post). How we need to learn to hate what GOD hates ! How we need to love our SAVIOR more and more for all that HE has saved us from ! GOD never whitewashes or sugarcoats sin. HE describes it with vivid detail and lays it out before us in all its ugliness. How sobering it is to realize that, though redeemed, we still possess a depraved nature and are capable of committing any of these wicked acts. Noah got drunk; Abraham lied; David committed adultery and saw to it that the husband died; Peter denied his LORD, etc. "But for the grace of GOD, there go I !" How greatly we need the fear of the LORD, which is to eschew (avoid, shun) and depart from evil (Job 1:1; 28:28) ! May we learn to exult in the cross of our LORD where sin was ultimately defeated. GWZ

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

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