A Scriptural Look At Sin

Written by Stephen Kingery


Torepparttar Christian,repparttar 140583 subject of sin should be one of interest - not forrepparttar 140584 benefits or pleasures of it, but rather what it can do to hinderrepparttar 140585 Christian walk. Every church "worth its salt" should be preaching against sin and teaching its members to avoidrepparttar 140586 pitfalls that result in one wallowing inrepparttar 140587 mire created by sin. But is it enough to just be taught to avoid sin? I don't think so! We, as Christians, must also understand sin and what it can do to us. So, what is sin? I have heard it preached that sin is "missingrepparttar 140588 mark." In other words, "the mark" being that kind of behavior which we might describe as perfection. Therefore, when we fail to reach perfection, we have sinned. If that isrepparttar 140589 case then we sin a multitude of times each day. The analogy used here is one of a marksman (perhaps with a bow & arrow) aiming forrepparttar 140590 bulls eye or "the mark." When he shoots and does not hitrepparttar 140591 bulls eye he misses "the mark." So therefore (the analogy), when one does not hit what he aims at (perfection), he is sinning. I think thatrepparttar 140592 assumption made here is that all Christians aim for perfection. I personally do not likerepparttar 140593 above analogy of sin being simply "missingrepparttar 140594 mark." There is some truth torepparttar 140595 analogy however, if we are really aiming for perfection - as we should be. But I also feel thatrepparttar 140596 analogy fails to take into consideration that most "sin" is far from merely "missingrepparttar 140597 mark." Sin is terrible and we must continuously strive to avoid it. So, again, what is sin? Well, first of all, sin isrepparttar 140598 breaking of God's law. "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4) Anytime we do not abide byrepparttar 140599 law of God orrepparttar 140600 commands of Christ we are sinning. Please don't get confused byrepparttar 140601 teaching that we (Christians) do not come underrepparttar 140602 law. The "law" (or our obeying of it) will not be used to determinerepparttar 140603 state of our salvation. Christ died for our sins, and as such we have been given forgiveness for them. However, we are still expected to obeyrepparttar 140604 laws and commands which are applicable underrepparttar 140605 New Testament. When we fail to obeyrepparttar 140606 laws and commands, we sin. These failures can be intentional or unintentional, but nonetheless they are sin. Sin is also a failure to dorepparttar 140607 good that we know we should. "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) Is there a single one of us who have devoted our lives to following Christ that could not find "good" to be done all around us? How about supporting those inrepparttar 140608 missions field? How about feedingrepparttar 140609 hungry and clothingrepparttar 140610 needy? How about reaching out torepparttar 140611 multitude of lost in our communities? How about reaching out a loving hand to a brother or sister in Christ who is having a problem or tragedy in their life? The list goes on and on. There is much good that can be done and we should be about our Father's business and doing it. Sin isrepparttar 140612 attitude of desiring to do evil andrepparttar 140613 inclination or intention of carrying it out. "He who plots to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of foolishness is sin, andrepparttar 140614 scoffer is an abomination to men." (Proverbs 24:8,9) In our society today we hear about various people who are extremely evil in their nature,repparttar 140615 serial killer for example. This is evil torepparttar 140616 very bone. Is this sin? Yes! I know that no person who claims Jesus as their Lord and Savior would be guilty of plotting such lawlessness. However, when we talk about sin, this too fitsrepparttar 140617 definition. Rather than plotting to do evil, Christians may be more likely to fall intorepparttar 140618 trap of inappropriate attitudes. Being arrogant, selfrighteous, proud and so forth is also a sin. "Haughty eyes, and a proud heart,repparttar 140619 lamp ofrepparttar 140620 wicked, are sin!" (Proverbs 21:4 NIV) These kinds of attitudes are also sin. It may indeed be true that someone may really not want to have these attitudes and may be striving to overcome them. If this is so, then when they fall back into those attitudes occasionally, they could be said to have "missedrepparttar 140621 mark." However, if we are a person who has these attitudes and don't take steps to correct our behavior, then we are intentionally sinning; not just merely "missingrepparttar 140622 mark." To sum it all up in our short discussion of what sin is, we can just say that anytime we do not dorepparttar 140623 right thing for all concerned, it is sin. "All unrighteousness is sin. . ." (1 John 5:17) Who is there among us - either Christian or non-Christian - that has not sinned? We all knowrepparttar 140624 answer to that question. No one! I have known many dear people in my life that seem to be good Christian people and I have admired them for their faith in Christ. However, if we were to takerepparttar 140625 most righteous person we know, that person has sinned! Just look at whatrepparttar 140626 Bible has to say concerning those of us who have sinned: "For all have sinned and fall short ofrepparttar 140627 glory of God," (Romans 3:23); "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10); "Butrepparttar 140628 Scripture has confirmed all under sin" (Galatians 3:22); "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, andrepparttar 140629 truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8).

The Rise And Fall Of Babylon

Written by Michael Bradley


According torepparttar Book of Revelations,repparttar 140560 city of Babylon has to be rebuilt once again. This is another key event for everyone to really keep an eye on. Prophecy scholars are divided in their opinion as to whether or notrepparttar 140561 city of Babylon will literally be rebuilt again. After studyingrepparttar 140562 verses mentioned below - I believe thatrepparttar 140563 Bible is using literal interpretation and it is meaning exactly what it is saying. If this is correct - thenrepparttar 140564 city of Babylon will once more be rebuilt so God can literally wipe this unholy city offrepparttar 140565 face of this earth!

The city of Babylon is inrepparttar 140566 country of Iraq. Back inrepparttar 140567 early 70's, Saddam Hussein started to try to rebuildrepparttar 140568 city once again. He probably got about half of it rebuilt before we took him out in our war with Iraq. It remains to be seen if Iraq will continue to rebuild this city once a new government has been put into place and things start to settle down.

Godrepparttar 140569 Father has a SERIOUS PROBLEM withrepparttar 140570 city of Babylon. I personally feel that He is going to allow it to be rebuilt once again so that He can personally DESTROY IT HIMSELF. Here arerepparttar 140571 reasons why.

Back inrepparttar 140572 Old Testament inrepparttar 140573 book of Genesis,repparttar 140574 city of Babylon wasrepparttar 140575 first city where man began to worship himself in organized rebellion against God Himself. It was where Satan officially set up his initial "headquarters." The first official world ruler was Nimrod and he ruled fromrepparttar 140576 city of Babylon.

Most, if not all ofrepparttar 140577 false religions of this world, can be traced back torepparttar 140578 city of Babylon. As you will see inrepparttar 140579 following verses, Babylon is called a harlot - because from out of her came allrepparttar 140580 other false religions that have set themselves up againstrepparttar 140581 one and only true God ofrepparttar 140582 Bible.

From these other false religions have come massive persecution of God's people throughoutrepparttar 140583 ages. Satan and his demons have obviously been behind all of these other false religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.

It is a well known fact that many Muslims hate Christians, and there is horrible persecution going on even right now with Muslims slaughtering Christians in Sudan and parts of Indonesia. Satan and his demons rule behind these other false religions and he isrepparttar 140584 one causing all of this hatred toward Christians.

As we get intorepparttar 140585 7 year Tribulation, God arranges for this city to be rebuilt again, and then He will "arrange" forrepparttar 140586 city to be destroyed byrepparttar 140587 Antichrist and his 10 nation confederacy in one day! The Antichrist will have no idea that he is being used as a "pawn" by Godrepparttar 140588 Father when he sets out to destroy this city.

I have a feeling Satan may be able to read what I believe will be a very heavy sign from God as to why this city is being raised up again - just so God can personally destroy it Himself. I believe God is saying withrepparttar 140589 destruction of Babylon, that He is inrepparttar 140590 process of getting ready to "clean uprepparttar 140591 earth", and that allrepparttar 140592 false religions of this world are going to be taken out when Jesus returns back to our earth to set up His Millennium Kingdom.

God will first destroyrepparttar 140593 city of Babylon and everything that it stands for and represents. And then He will eventually come after Satan,repparttar 140594 Antichrist,repparttar 140595 False Prophet, all of Satan's demons and allrepparttar 140596 other unsaved people of this earth when Jesus comes back for His second coming.

Whenrepparttar 140597 Millennium Kingdom is set up forrepparttar 140598 1000 years, allrepparttar 140599 bad and unsaved people and Satan and all of his demons will be totally taken out so that we can have true peace on this earth duringrepparttar 140600 1000 years that Jesus will rule for.

As you will see inrepparttar 140601 following verses, Babylon is once again going to be rebuilt, and it appears to become a major governmental and commercial place inrepparttar 140602 world. The Bible says thatrepparttar 140603 "harlot" will initially rule in tandem withrepparttar 140604 Antichrist. Whenrepparttar 140605 city is destroyed,repparttar 140606 Bible says that a lot ofrepparttar 140607 merchants, traders and seamen will mourn because they are no longer going to be able to trade and make money with her. The Bible saysrepparttar 140608 kings ofrepparttar 140609 earth were living luxuriously with her when she is destroyed, and they are all mourning because ofrepparttar 140610 loss of wealth that will occur to them as a result of her destruction.

The Scripture Verses

1. This first verse tells us thatrepparttar 140611 beast, who isrepparttar 140612 Antichrist, and his 10 nation confederacy will berepparttar 140613 ones who will destroy this city. However, this verse then goes on to tell us that God Himself isrepparttar 140614 one who will "put it intorepparttar 140615 hearts" ofrepparttar 140616 beast and his 10 nation confederacy to destroy Babylon. Here isrepparttar 140617 verse:

"Andrepparttar 140618 ten horns which you saw onrepparttar 140619 beast, they will haterepparttar 140620 harlot, make her desolate and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to giverepparttar 140621 kingdom torepparttar 140622 beast, untilrepparttar 140623 words of God are fulfilled. Andrepparttar 140624 woman whom you saw is that GREAT CITY which reigns overrepparttar 140625 kings ofrepparttar 140626 earth." (Revelations 17:16-18)
2. This next verse goes further intorepparttar 140627 actual destruction of Babylon. Apparentlyrepparttar 140628 city is literally destroyed in one hour! Here isrepparttar 140629 verse that wraps up what God has to say about destroying this unholy place.
"After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, andrepparttar 140630 earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylonrepparttar 140631 great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a habitation of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird.'

For allrepparttar 140632 nations have drunk ofrepparttar 140633 wine ofrepparttar 140634 wrath of her fornication,repparttar 140635 kings ofrepparttar 140636 earth have committed fornication with her, andrepparttar 140637 merchants ofrepparttar 140638 earth have become rich throughrepparttar 140639 abundance of her luxury ... Inrepparttar 140640 measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, inrepparttar 140641 same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart,' I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow'.

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