Manifesting The Rejection

Romans 1:24-27

Luke 15-11-24 tells the story of the Prodigal son. The attitude is so typical of humanity’s attitude today. Unfortunately many never come to the point of coming back although II Peter 3:9 tells us that is why God lets us continue as long as he does. Let’s look at the first part of the story.

“And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.” (Luke 15-11-16)

Not appreciating his father’s provision, the young man selfishly took what his father provided and went to do as he pleased. His father allowed him to go in hopes that when he learned the results, he’d come back. Sure enough, for a while it seemed better than living at home, but eventually the consequences of his actions caught up. He was finally so degraded that he would have eaten the pig’s leftovers, if there had been any, but nobody considered it worth giving him anything. Only at the point of starvation did the young man acknowledge his error and return home. Mankind has behaved the same way, with the same results.

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 1:24-25)

Rejecting God’s authority, humanity has turned to worship created things such as “Mother Earth,” or nature, animals, science, government, or man himself. They have rejected God’s standards and advice for pleasure, and have degraded themselves even below the standard of the animals in desperate efforts to gain satisfaction. One area where this rejection of God’s authority is especially obvious is in sexual attitudes and behavior.

Both Matthew 19:5-6 and Mark 10:7-9 make it clear that God has not placed marriage under man’s authority, stating, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” God has not given authority over marriage to family, church, nor government. No human or organization has the authority to join or separate them.

Exodus 22:16 stated the action required in case of “pre-marital” sex. “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.” Deuteronomy 22:28-29 makes it clear this applies whether the sex was consensual or rape. “If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.”

Sexual relations with someone other than ones own husband or wife required execution according to Leviticus 20:10. “And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

Sex served to bind and strengthen human relationships, and to reproduce the human race. Promiscuous sex rejects God’s authority, and is worthy of death. Homosexuality rejects the very purpose of sex, and is the ultimate in rejection of God’s authority.
Because of their rejection, God has allowed man to go his own way for a time, to experience the degradation resulting from his sin, in hopes that some will turn back to him.

“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 woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” (Romans 1:26-27)

Just as promiscuous sex deserved the death penalty for rejecting God’s authority, so did homosexual or Lesbian behavior. Leviticus 20:13 commanded, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” They deserve the judgment of God. He is willing to forgive, but it is their choice.