From the old writings by the Melbourne Bible Students we like to quote:
Fornication in Delirium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The object of the first woe, as well as of the second, is stated in Revelation 9: 20, 21, to have been the punishment of the professed Christian Church for idolatry, murders, sorceries, fornication, and thefts. Without endorsing either the doctrine of predestination or fatalism which made God could and did use them to check the hypocrisy and sin of His professed people. In this connection it is worthy of note that when one nation is used to punish another it is not necessarily the better of the two; for the conquering nation itself is usually afterwards dealt with in its turn because it does not repent of its own evil practices and false religious conceptions.
“20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not {1} worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: {1) See marginal note on Re 3:9} 21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20-21 ASV)
– The New Covenant Advocate, August, 1915
God sanctifies by sending the Spirit and the truth, by corrective discipline (Heb. 12), and by giving us the association of brethren likewise under His care and instruction. – But, if we do not cooperate, the sanctification is interfered with. For example, one of the greatest evils in the world is drunkenness. If we have been delivered from that fault, and then continue to make boon companions of those who drink to excess, we can expect nothing less than that we should fall again into the sin from which we were once delivered. Similarly with other evils mentioned in Scripture— fornication, idolatry, covetousness, hatred, envy, etc, etc. Our own safety requires us to co-operate in our own sanctification by keeping away from people and places which have a retarding effect upon our growth in grace and holiness.
Separated from people and places of evil—so far, so good. We have still need to be kept from indulging the evil in our own dispositions. This too is accomplished by the influence of the spirit and the word of Truth; and in this also we must co-operate earnestly if we desire the sanctification to proceed satisfactorily.
Cleanse yourselves, says the apostle —
“Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 ASV)
– The New Covenant Advocate, June 1917
Our Lord further expounded the higher view of marriage than that embodied in the Jewish Law, “by saying—
“And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, {1} except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: {2} and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. {1) Some ancient authorities read [saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress] as in Mt 5:32. 2) The following words, to the end of the verse, are omitted by some ancient authorities.}” (Matthew 19:9 ASV)
The Sinaitic MS. omits the words “and whoso” to “adultery.” The same thought is, however, expressed in Luke 16: 18, according to the Sinaitic as well as other ancient MSS.
In Mark 10:- 11, the adultery committed in such a case is said to be against the wife put away. The wife is definitely wronged by being put away, and still more definitely wronged if her former husband marries another.
In Mark 10: 12 the same principle is enunciated in regard to a woman who puts away her husband and marries another, though there was, so far as we have found, no provision in the Jewish law sanctioning the putting away of the husband by the wife.
But it is likely it was practised nevertheless, since at times the whole nation fell into a state of apostasy and idolatry, and in morals sank to the level of the heathen round about them.
– The New Covenant Advocate, December 1919
The sap, or spirit, nourishing the vine of the earth, is “earthly, sensual, devilish.” It produces “confusion and every evil work.” (James 3: 15, 16.) Says the apostle Paul (Galatians 5) —
“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, {1} parties, {1) Gr [heresies]} 21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I {1} forewarn you, even as I did {1} forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. {1) Or [tell you plainly]}” (Galatians 5:19-21 ASV)
All this vile fruit is the production of the spirit of the present evil world surging through the vine of the earth. Says another apostle (1 John 2) —
“15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17 ASV)
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 ASV)
– The New Covenant Advocate,January 1939
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Preceding articles:
Hebraic Roots Bible 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee fornication and be joined to our Master
Nazarene Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee from Immorality
Gainsayers In Apostolic Days
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Additional reading:
- Subcutaneous power for humanity 2 1950-2010 Post war generations
- No time for immorality
- Disscusion Questions
- Stronger than anything that wants to destroy
- To be chained by love for another one
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- Fornication, Hell and the Bible (courageouspriest.com)
We live in times in which many call good or “no big deal” what God calls sinful. This is especially true in the area of sexuality, where whole sectors of our society not only tolerate but even celebrate sexual practices that the Scriptures call gravely sinful, and which will lead to Hell if not repented of. Acts of fornication (pre-marital sex) and homosexual acts cannot be considered acceptable by any Catholic or by any person who sincerely accepts the Scripture as the Word of God. And even for those who do not share our faith, acts of fornication and homosexual acts can be plainly seen to cause great harm in the manner in which they spread serious disease, harm marriage and family, lead to abortion, and for the children who do survive abortion, subject them to having single mothers, absent fathers, and a lack of the best environment which they are due.
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The Flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; the two are directly opposed. This is why you do not do what your will intends. If you are guided by the spirit you are not under the law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, bickering jealousy, outbursts of rage, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I have warned you before: those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God! (Galatians 5:16-21)
- Premarital Sex is a Mortal Sin Of this we must be clear and insist on repentance as the… (freerepublic.com)
Can you not realize that the unholy will not fall heir to the Kingdom of God? Do not deceive yourselves: no fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sodomites, thieves, misers, or drunkards, no slanderers or robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you have been washed, consecrated, justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. Do you not see that your bodies are member of Christ? Would you have me take Christ’s members and make them members of a prostitute? God forbid! Can you not see that the man who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? Scripture says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun Lewd conduct. Every other sin a man commits is outside of his body, but the fornicator sins against his own body. You must know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within – the Spirit you have received from God. You are not your own. You have been purchased at a price. So glorify God in your body. (I Cor. 6:9-11, 15-20)
- The Fall Of Babylon (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
The worldwide movement and conspiracy of the last days will involve a multitude of organizations, the super rich in many countries, but it will not be the product of mere human ingenuity, but of satanic agency.
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“Of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” is a reference to the world ideologies of Babylon, which will prostitute the divine institutions God has establish for man’s protection like: volition, freedom, marriage and the family, and nationalism. Some of these intoxicant agents are humanism, the unisex idea promoted so strongly even today by the ERA movement (strongly represented by the National Organization for Women), the New Age movement, internationalism, commercialism, multinational corporations, demon worship, gross immorality, and idolatry (cf. Rev. 9:20-21; 13:5-6, 16-17).
- Homosexuality and the Body of Christ (davidchristian.hubpages.com)
The attitude of secular civil society which says that sodomy is acceptable has spread into the church of Jesus Christ. Some denominations have already normalizedthe appointment of clerics who are openly homosexual. The excuse seems to lie in the idea that Christ was tolerant, and that thereshould be a place in his church for people of all kinds.Traditionalists attack this attitude, if course, with vehemence and intransigent rejection of what is to them an abominable promotion of an abominable practice. At the same time, avant-garde promoters of inclusiveness bend over backwards to convince the uninformed that God’s word in no place even mentions homosexuality, let alone condemns it.There is nothing odd about this, as attempting to distort the word of God to deceive others, and to mislead them into doing that which God condemns, is a method that God’s enemies employ in connection to a wide variety of issues. The apostle Peter mentioned that the existence this practice was already seen almost 2,000 years ago. In chapter three of the second letter that bears his name, Peter warned of the consequences to those who distort God’s word,
- What Every Christian Needs To Know About Homosexuality (shoebat.com)
when Israel was in a state of anarchy, they did that “which was right in their own eyes” and thus had a repeat of the Sodom and Gomorrah situation in Judges 19:22-30. This resulted in civil war in the house of Israel between the tribe of Benjamin (the guilty party) and the tribe of Judah and the rest of the othertribes of Israel in Judges 20 and 21. A solemn warning to the West which has inherited the blessings and teachings of the God of Israel!Notice the following verses as a sign of not only the anarchy that was going on Israel, especially under godless kings, but more specifically, howsodomites/homosexualswere linked to this state of anarchy who thus hadto be dealt with by more righteous kings.I Kings 14:24: “And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.”
I Kings 15:12: “And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.” [This verse is talking about King Asa of Judah, who was more righteous than his father, Abijam, and was willing to make amends before God by getting rid of the sodomites and idolatry in Judah]
I Kings 22:46: “And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.” [This is talking about righteous king, Jehoshaphat, who succeeded his father, Asa, and also did something about the sodomites too].
II Kings 23:7: “And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.” [This is describing the actions of another righteous king, Josiah, who destroyed the sodomite dens which were blasphemously put alongside the Temple].
The Talmud also makes this statement regarding the sin of sodomy since the days of Noah and how Noahides (righteous non-Jews/Gentiles) behaved:
Talmud Bavli, Chulin 92a–b:
עולא אמר אלו שלשים מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח ואין מקיימין אלא שלשה אחת שאין כותבין כתובה לזכרים ואחת שאין שוקלין בשר המת במקולין ואחת שמכבדין את התורה
“Said Ulla: There were thirty commandments that Noahides accepted, but they keep only three: not to write a ketuba for males; not to weigh dead human flesh in the market; and to show respect for the Torah.”
- Madea reveals he’s having a child out of Wedlock (exministries.tv)
Just because people fail the standard (Bible), it doesn’t mean that the standard (Bible) failed. God’s grace is not just about cutting man some slack. It’s about bringing man’s sins to bear on his life, to cause man to recognize the goodness of the Lord, and to get it right. Grace gives man a chance to get it straight with God. Favor demands you get it straight before it is too late. Romans 6:1 says, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer in it (sin)?”
- Who Are the Overcomers? (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
The New Testament clearly teaches us, as does life itself, that we are in a conflict, indeed, a holy war, with specific adversaries. Even after salvation, the conflict still rages in and against the life of the Christian. This is everywhere evident in Scripture and so obvious in life that one has to deny reality to ignore or disclaim it. Two key passages that illustrate the nature of our conflict with evil are Ephesians 2:1-2 and 6:12:
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We are to put no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). We do not overcome by our works, by the energy of the flesh, or by our sincerity, or by our effort, or by our will power because we are powerless. Nevertheless, victory requires our cooperation with God’s operation. It means discipline, diligence, commitment to draw near to God and to act on His promises and provision by faith. Note also 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 2:12-13.
- The Blame Game (sparrowsingsweetly.wordpress.com)
Corrupted human nature predisposes all of us to the temptation to become preoccupied with the way someone else has transgressed the standards of even a generic set of operating procedures.
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if the focus does not move swiftly from identification of a sinful behavior to recognition of the informing attitude, the effort to conquer the foul action will most likely resemble the attempt to eradicate an obnoxiously pervasive weed with a lawn mower. It can be successfully hacked down so no one notices it…but the ugly blemish will most certainly resurface later.
- The Miscreants behind the Pulput… (audacityandsupposition.com)
The carnage of modern Christian doctrines is the work of spiritual deception, poured through the willing carnality of the clergy. This fact is dramatically illustrated by Mr. Helmut Koester. Writing in the July/August 1995 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Mr. Koester said, “It is a simple historical fact that Jesus was an Israelite from Galilee, and that he understood himself to be nothing else but a prophet in Israel and for Israel- a venerable tradition.”
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The Christian seminaries long ago sorted the scriptures into categories to support canned denominational doctrines. As students at these institutions, future pastors do not study the Bible, they study “doctrines.” They learn how to explain the entire Bible from prescribed denominational perspectives. Their thinking is trained to see a packaged point of view. They are taught to repeat the denominational liturgy. Their opinions are formed to fit the mold or they don’t graduate. And no pastor is given a position in any church unless he agrees to perpetuate the party line. Seminary training removes inspiration, revelation, individual conscience, and God, from the ministry. Helmut Koester provides a startling example: “It is impossible to know for certain what Israelites or Jews, or for that matter Christians, could or could not believe in the first century C.E. [AD], before both Judaism and Christianity established boundaries for their beliefs at the end of the second century.”
- The Final Judgment Part One (supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com)
Having sand in my eyes reminds me that we are dust and to dust we shall return. But, on the Last Day, when Christ returns as King in victory over the world and satan, we shall be raised up in our bodies. Our bodies join us forever in heaven or hell.
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Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:21-26 – 1. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:13
Matthew 5:21-26 – 1. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:13
|| Luke 12:58, 59
MT5:21 “You heard it was said[1] to the Ancients: ‘Murder not’ [Exodus 20:13] but the murderer will be judged.[2] MT5:22 But, I tell you: Anyone angry[3] with his brother will be judged. But, anyone saying ‘Raca!’[4] to his brother will be liable to the Sanhedrin.[5] But, anyone saying ‘Moron!’[6] will be liable to the Gehenna[7] of the Fire. MT5:23 And so, when you bring your gift-offering to the Altar[8] and right then you remember your brother has something against you[9] MT5:24 leave your gift-offering at the Altar. First leave and be reconciled with your brother[10] and then return and offer up your gift. MT5:25 Think well of your adversary,[11] and quickly, while on the way, so your adversary never hand you over to the judge and the judge to the court-officer and he throw you into prison. MT5:26 I tell you the truth: You will not get out until you have repaid the last little coin![12]
Depiction of the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. Photograph of stained glass window at Scots’ Church, Melbourne (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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[1] It was said: Here begins the first of six rabbinical commentaries by the Nazarene on the spirit of the law, or its fulfillment. James does something similar at James 2:8, 11.
[2] The murderer will be judged: The first of two commentaries on the Ten Commandments. It is interesting the Nazarene makes no comment on the abuse of the Divine Name (YHWH) or the Sabbath (Exodus 20:13; James 1:19; 5:6; 1 John 3:15).
[3] Anyone angry: Various renderings are: WMS: harbors malice; NEB: nurses anger; MOF: maligns. It is anger which is the root of murder. Mere anger makes one liable to judgment though Jesus does not explain what this is. Benjamin Wilson suggests: “The Jews had a Common Court consisting of 23 men.” Later in Matthew 12:36 he warns against speaking the unprofitable, probably about someone else in anger, and how this will not escape the Judgment. Meekness and peaceableness both oppose anger. The Nazarene Saint is on guard against anger which rises out of an egocentric heart.
[4] Raca: NJB: “The Aramaic word raqa, transliterated in Matthew, translated here, means: ‘empty-headed’, ‘nitwit’.” Various renderings are: NJB: fool.
[5] Sanhedrin: Jesus has the Jewish audience in mind and thus Raca! is something worthy of the attention of these judges.
[6] Moron: This is more exact to the Greek word, MORE. Various renderings are: LAM: I spit on you; BER: simpleton; BECK: empty-head; PHI: looks down on his brother as a lost soul; BWD: Apostate; NJB: Traitor!; NJB ftn: “Jewish usage added the much more contemptuous one of ‘apostate’.” Job, Moses, David, Jesus and Paul were all objects of wrathful contempt, often by the very ones professing a relationship with God. It is one thing to be reproached by the Gentile pagans and wholly another to have ‘endured the contradictions of sinners’ among your own fellow worshippers (Hebrews 12:3).
In all the Scriptures the word-group “apostate” occurs most often in the Book of Job as an accusation against that godly man (Job 8:13; 13:16; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; 34:30; 36:13). In the Christian Bible it occurs as a charge against Paul (Acts 21:21). “Apostate” is a most dangerous word to use as Jesus makes the consequences clear. Jesus never uses it against his foes.
[7] Gehenna: See various lexicons, dictionaries or commentaries on this word. It alludes to the city dump where the dead bodies of criminals were thrown who were judged unworthy of a resurrection. The dump was kept burning night and day and at the edges were to be found worms which seem to never die (See Isaiah 66:24).
The Jewish commentator David Kimhi (1160?-1235?), in his comment on Psalm 27:13, gives the following historical information concerning “Gehinnom”: “And it is a place in the land adjoining Jerusalem, and it is a loathsome place, and they throw there unclean things and carcasses. Also there was a continual fire there to burn the unclean things and the bones of the carcasses. Hence, the judgment of the wicked ones is called parabolically Gehinnom.”
[8] Altar: The image is one of a Jewish worshipper approaching the Temple and about to hand over his sin-offering or communion gift to the priest serving at the Temple. The worshipper’s purpose is to give a sacrifice for his sin. In the Christian Age there is another “altar,” a spiritual one associated with the New Covenant (Hebrews 13:10, 12, 15, 16). In these verses the inspired writer outlines two aspects to this “altar”: a) praise; and, b) charitable care of the Saints. Using Jesus’ teaching, the Nazarene Saint will keep this in mind before offering ‘a sacrifice of praise’ or ‘sharing’ with others in some charity, to pause and ponder whether there is a fellow Saint who holds a grudge. Better to go and make peace with him or her before approaching this spiritual “altar.”
[9] Against you: Apparently a legitimate charge or accusation of which you are aware. Here the Nazarene shows that peaceful relations come before ceremonial worship. Seeking peace with God through a communion sacrifice is meaningless if relationships with fellows are jeopardized. James writes in a similar vein at James 1:26, 27.
[10] Be reconciled with your brother: Here is the “peaceable” of Matthew 5:9. Various renderings: TCNT: be ready to make friends with; WEY: comes to terms without delay; NEB: if someone sues you come to terms with him promptly.
[11] Adversary: Compare a similar thought at Luke 12:58, 59. Compare Leviticus 19:17 with Colossians 3:13. Various renderings are: KNX: some ground of complaint. Note the singular “you” as if now Jesus’ attention is directed to one individual, singled out in the crowd or among his disciples (who often had personal difficulties), who is not at peace with his fellow. Would not the eye contact of the Nazarene send this worshipper speedily to the door of his brother begging forgiveness?
The context here seems of a material or financial nature for when the worshipper leaves the altar to reconcile with his brother it is over a matter involving a court appearance. It is a financial debt and the Nazarene demonstrates how such matters can take priority over worship. Financial matters are often one of the chief areas of complaint and the cause of disunity among fellow worshippers. Nothing divides persons more than materialism (the god Mammon) with its greed, covetousness, business deceit, or fraud (Compare 1 Corinthians chapter 6; Luke 12:58: disputes; 1 Corinthians 6:7: fraud).
[12] Coin: Compare Luke 12:59: debts. How would one ever get out of prison without borrowing from another or selling some property in order to cancel the debt. From the Altar to Prison in one day! Of course, the other person has much to learn from the Nazarene’s Mountain Teachings about canceling debts if one wants God’s forgiveness.
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Preceding
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:1-12 Nazarene Mountain teachings: Blessed and legal commentaries
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:13-16 Salt and Light shining bright
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:17-20 – The Nazarene Rabbi’s Commentary on the Torah
Next: Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:27-30 – 2. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:14
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Additional reading
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