11-27-19 Love, Marriage and Babies
Love, Marriage, and Babies - Nathele Graham -
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black, and white. They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. These words were written by C. Herbert Woolston and they have been sung for many decades. The words hold a truth that we often overlook. Jesus loves children and they are precious to Him. One of sweetest events described in the Bible was when children were brought to Jesus. He just had a discussion with the Pharisees about marriage and divorce. They wanted to trap Jesus but that just wasn't going to happen. "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matthew 19:4-6. Marriage is important to God and needs to be treated as the holy union that it is. A Christian shouldn't be yoked in marriage to a non-Christian because there's no moral guide for the non-Christian and the children in that marriage are hindered in believing in Jesus. "Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence." Matthew 19:13-15. Jesus loved the children and rebuked the disciples for shooing them away. It's interesting that two important issues of today were addressed by Jesus in just a few verses: one man/one woman marriage and children.
Babies and children haven't been around since the creation of the world, but they have been around since just after the Fall of Man. Adam's sin caused him and Eve to be expelled from the Garden of Eden. Scripture records that after they were expelled the first human baby was created within a God-ordained marriage. "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD." Genesis 4:1. Can you imagine? They had the burden of guilt for eating the forbidden fruit, they paid the price for that sin by being evicted from the Garden, and now they were living in a world separated from God. Still God blessed them. Eve gave birth to a son and Eve recognized that baby was a gift from God. It's not easy being a first time parent, but Adam and Eve had no examples to follow. They were the very first parents. The joy of parenting didn't stop with Cain. "And she again bare his brother Abel..." Genesis 4:2a. Together Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters. God's design for a family was established: A man, his wife, and children.
Children are a blessing and from the moment of conception they are human...valuable humans with feelings and needs. They need to be loved and protected. When does God become aware of a child? Scripture reveals that before we were even conceived He knew us. "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Jeremiah 1:5. God knew Jeremiah would grow into a man who would be a great prophet. Every baby has the potential to become a person who honors God or one who rebels. Abel honored God. He gave a proper offering and respected God. On the other hand Cain gave less than his best to God but still expected God to be pleased with him. When God rejected his offering, Cain plotted to kill Abel. Every child learns to make choices, and loving parents need to guide that child to properly serve the Lord. God does know what path each person will take, but He gives the same opportunity to make Godly choices to everyone.
Godly parents are sorely missing from our world today. When God established the family unit, it was to be sure that people were provided for. A strong protective husband and father will be sure his family is provided for and that no harm comes to them; he will lead his family in ways to honor God. A wife and mother will nurture and care for the family as well as enforce a Godly way of life. Today the family unit is under satanic attack. Sexual relations are perverted and corrupted into sinful activity that mocks marriage and God. "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves." Romans 1:24. When a society begins the descent into sin and depravity, it starts with a few small steps down the path of destruction. I remember when women were ashamed to be pregnant outside of wedlock, but wouldn't murder the baby and the man would take responsibility for his actions. Today women say "It's my body and my choice". The choice comes before the baby is created. Instead of campaigning to keep abortion legal we need to campaign for abstinence. "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 recompence of their error which was meet." Romans 1:26-27. What is it that they receive in themselves because of their un-natural acts? Syphilis, gonorrhea, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted disease. The slippery slope of sin is not a pleasant slide.
Just as Scripture prophesied of the last days, the love of many has grown cold. Women are viciously fighting for government laws giving them the right to murder their children. Instead of teaching abstinence to both sons and daughters, the solution to a woman's pregnancy is abortion. This is nothing less than a satanic blood-letting ritual. In ancient times children were sacrificed to demonic gods and even the Jewish people participated. God saw it as an abomination. "And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin." Jeremiah 32:35. Abortion is no less of an abomination. Children are being sacrificed today and the government has sanctioned it, just as it has sanctioned perverting marriage. Christians know better. Well, Christians should know better but many ignore Scripture. Scripture is our guide to how we are to live. We cannot support any activity that is un-Scriptural. That means that even if we determine not to have an abortion or participate in sexual activity outside of a one man/one woman marriage, we aren't to turn a blind eye to such things. "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." Romans 1:32. Christians are not to condone sin, even if the government sanctions it.
Remember Cain? He had the same up-bringing as Abel, yet he chose to dishonor God by doing things his own way. The sacrifice he made wasn't one that was acceptable to God, but easy for him. "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell." Genesis 4:3-5. Abel brought an animal blood sacrifice, but Cain gave lip service. A blood sacrifice is atonement for sin, but God never, and I mean never, requires a person to give a human blood sacrifice. God Himself gave the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" 1 Peter 1:18-19. "Vain conversation" is better translated "empty way of life"...one of sin and rebellion to God. The precious blood of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, will take away sin. Whatever you have done in the past is forgiven when you truly accept the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for your redemption. Christ's sacrifice has to be accepted by each person individually because the faith of a parent or grandparent won't save you from your sin.
If you have sinned, and every person has, then you need to come to a true understanding of your sin and turn to Jesus for forgiveness. A changed life is evidence of a changed heart. Turn from your sin. If you, like Cain, have only given a half-hearted sacrifice on your own terms then there's a real question as to whether or not you've truly accept Christ's ultimate sacrifice. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. This means we stop embracing sin and begin to live for Christ. If you have ever had an abortion, performed an abortion, chose a homosexual relationship, or any other sin for that matter, there is forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. Turn away from your sin. While we live on this side of heaven we will face temptations and will continue to sin, but if we sacrifice our own will to God then we will not continue to embrace sin. With His help we'll overcome the sin we struggle with.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16. Christ's forgiveness knows no ethnic limitations. Red or yellow, black or white we are all precious in His sight. His love and forgiveness is there for everyone. If you have accepted Him then don't be ashamed of Him. In the name of Jesus, don't be ashamed to stand up for love, marriage, and babies.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
Ron and Nathele Graham's previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html
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