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The Bible tells us plainly that all sin is bad and separates us from the Holy God who created us in His image (Genesis 1:26) to have fellowship with.
That's why God sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to pay the price for our sins that we could never pay ourselves. As the apostle John so aptly wrote: "And the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
Unless we're cleansed of our sins, we have no hope of eternal life. All those who die in their sins are condemned by God to the spiritual prison that's called Hades or hell. And they'll stay there until Judgement Day when they'll stand before Christ and have to explain why they treated His laws and commandments with contempt. I sincerely doubt that apologies will prevent them from being condemned to the eternal lake of fire (Isaiah 66:24, Revelation 20:15).
How can we avoid such a terrible fate? By repenting of our rebellion against God; confessing our sins to Christ and dedicating the rest of our lives to serving God and Christ. Nothing else will do. Sadly, many people foolishly believe that they can please God by wearing religious clothing, (crucifixes, crosses, pendants, scapulars, yarmulkes etc.) and attending churches, mosques or synagogues on a regular basis. That's delusion of the worst sort.
I'm occasionally asked what sins I believe put us in the greatest danger of hell and eternal damnation. Though most folks believe that murder is the worst sin, it isn't. Certainly, murder is a heinous act that unlawfully robs another human being of his or her life.
However, murder is often--but not always--committed under the influence of evil passion. It isn't always premeditated as other sins. Such as? Such as sexual immorality that encompasses adultery, fornication, bestiality, pedophilia, incest, rape and homosexuality. While sexual sin certainly involves passion, it's almost always premeditated. In other words, it's planned and conducted, usually in violation of a person's conscience.
And sexual sin begins in a person's heart. Christ explained: "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
That means that in God's eyes, a person who looks at another person lustfully has committed the sin of adultery. Now you can understand why it was necessary for Christ to come into the world and die for our sins on the cross. If He hadn't, we'd all be doomed, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
The apostle Paul expressively warned Christians to stay out of sin, especially sexual sin that he declared the worst of all sins. Here's what he wrote: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them." (Ephesians 5:3-7)
To the early church in Corinth, Paul issued this caveat: "Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
Paul didn't issue his own opinions. His writings came directly from God via the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Through Paul, God warned the early Christians that even though they confessed Christ as Lord and attended church, they would never gain eternal life if they willfully violated His laws and commandments. And Paul's warnings debunk the heretical eternal security doctrine that's preached in many churches.
And so, if you're living in sexual immorality, you need to repent of this sin immediately. If you've ever divorced and remarried, you may have committed that sin. Christ said this: "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:32)
Why is sexual immorality so detestable to God? Because it's the worst expression of debauchery and unfaithfulness. The spiritual equivalent of sexual immorality is idolatry and the worship of false gods. That's why God punished ancient Israel because the Jewish nation violated the covenant He established with Israel by corporately turning her back on Him to worship the false gods of the surrounding pagan nations.
Thus, when a person cheats on their spouse, or engages in any sort of sexual activity outside of marriage, they're guilty of the same sin of unfaithfulness that ancient Israel committed against God. And that brings judgment against everyone who commits sexual sin.
If you don't believe that, then just wait and see what's going to happen to you. I guarantee that you will live--and die--to regret it.
And sexual sin begins in a person's heart. Christ explained: "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
That means that in God's eyes, a person who looks at another person lustfully has committed the sin of adultery. Now you can understand why it was necessary for Christ to come into the world and die for our sins on the cross. If He hadn't, we'd all be doomed, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
The apostle Paul expressively warned Christians to stay out of sin, especially sexual sin that he declared the worst of all sins. Here's what he wrote: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them." (Ephesians 5:3-7)
To the early church in Corinth, Paul issued this caveat: "Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
Paul didn't issue his own opinions. His writings came directly from God via the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Through Paul, God warned the early Christians that even though they confessed Christ as Lord and attended church, they would never gain eternal life if they willfully violated His laws and commandments. And Paul's warnings debunk the heretical eternal security doctrine that's preached in many churches.
And so, if you're living in sexual immorality, you need to repent of this sin immediately. If you've ever divorced and remarried, you may have committed that sin. Christ said this: "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:32)
Why is sexual immorality so detestable to God? Because it's the worst expression of debauchery and unfaithfulness. The spiritual equivalent of sexual immorality is idolatry and the worship of false gods. That's why God punished ancient Israel because the Jewish nation violated the covenant He established with Israel by corporately turning her back on Him to worship the false gods of the surrounding pagan nations.
Thus, when a person cheats on their spouse, or engages in any sort of sexual activity outside of marriage, they're guilty of the same sin of unfaithfulness that ancient Israel committed against God. And that brings judgment against everyone who commits sexual sin.
If you don't believe that, then just wait and see what's going to happen to you. I guarantee that you will live--and die--to regret it.
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