01/24/24 NOT SO HIDDEN SIN

01/24/24 NOT SO HIDDEN SIN

I preach that God saves us from sin. It doesn't seem that there's much interest in being saved from sin today. Still, that is what salvation is all about (saved from sin to holiness). But sometimes people think they are saved because they are not fornicating, lying, stealing, murdering, slandering, worshiping or serving idols (then again, sinners don't always recognize their own sins). Of course there are also sins of the spirit, such as lust, greed, hatred, and the breaking of one commandment is the breaking of the entire law of God.

Some sins are evident, but some sins are hidden, at least hidden to other people. One of the more easily hidden sins is the sin of dishonoring parents, which is "square one" to other sins against people.

Stay with me now.

I recently wrote about the power of God to heal broken hearts, broken lives and broken relationships. These "breaks" are due to someone breaking God's law, which is rooted in the breaking of the Ten Commandments. The first four of the Ten Commandments focus on man's relationship with God and the last six focus on man's relationship with his fellow man. the first of the man-to-man commandments tells us, "Honor your mother and father." Honoring parents includes but is more than outward civility; it is inward respect. Honoring parents is an internal attitude, which (st its worst) is manifested in outward behavior. Obedience to legitimate and Biblical authority is part of this command. Honoring parents is not a short term directive for little children; it is a lifetime commitment to a divine institution.

Dishonoring parents is easily hidden, and it is often ignored as a sin, and it is easily excused because of supposed circumstances. If a person (of any age) does not want to maintain family order, then they either try to usurp the authority of the parents or they end their relationship with the parents. Dishonoring parents often begins at an early age and continues to spread like gang green as the years go by.

Quote from earlier post... "If I could have the cure for cancer or other physical ailments, I would still rather have the remedy for sin and spiritual sickness and broken heartedness and broken lives and broken relationships. I would rather offer them eternity with God rather than momentary success in this life."

Throughout my ministry I have pointed out the importance of honoring parents and the danger of dishonoring them.
It is the first of the Ten Commandments concerning interpersonal relationships with other humans.
It is a commandment with a promise (and an implied threat).
It is the commandment designed to set a person's attitude toward interpersonal relationships and authority, both Divine and human.
It is a commandment that leads to love, submission, kindness, sacrifice, compassion, unity

The failure to keep this commandment leads to a life of anger, pride, selfishness, brokenness.

If we see the shame in adultery, perversion, lying, slander, murder, then we should see the shame of dishonoring parents.

Have you ever noticed the rogues gallery of sins in the New Testament, which includes disobedience (dishonoring) parents?
Romans 1:28-32
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.