It is quite the situation we’ve found ourselves in when one of the most detestable things in God’s sight becomes the most celebrated in popular culture. Namely, acts of sexual immorality (homosexual or heterosexual) . Now, as a regular observer (and recovering participant) in this particular context, I used to think of the act of sexual immorality as something that brought on terrible consequences. Even though true, it isn’t the whole truth. Sexual immorality is, itself a terrible consequence of sin (Romans 1:24).
Pop culture, at its base, espouses a god of its own making, though it sometimes uses scripture to occasionally fend off the snarling, hell-slinging fundy, and bait the blissfully ignorant. It even takes God’s attributes, and adds meaning to it that anyone would be able to enjoy! “Love” and “Peace” and “Freedom” make for great buzz words; add some glossiness, sassy independence, fun music, and it’s very own drama of redemption voilà!
The bitter reality of it all, is that it’s one of those things that the LORD of hosts calls “idolatry” (Col 3:5). Notice how “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness” are all under the same heading of “idolatry”. All of those things are linked with one another. God isn’t passive to any of these things either, in all of these things there is a constant “revelation of wrath” (Rom 1:18) and a “giving over” (Rom 1:24). We’ve heard before that we can’t serve two masters, so God’s wrathful vengeance and justice is consistent with the active pursuit and rush toward fulfilling our evil desire. There is grace indeed, and mercy for the repentant, and salvation and rehabilitation for those who have been given a new heart and desire for righteousness. However, the judgement of God, and the revelation of wrath is present in the fattening and devouring of evil desires; can you imagine being a fatted cow on the day of The LORD’s slaughtering? (Romans 2:5, James 5:5)
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