A Reprobate Mind
By Thomas Smith
“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;” (Romans 1:28)
It would be good if every person would familiarize himself with the message of Romans 1. The second half of the chapter documents the human descent from spiritual awareness to utter depravity. Our text uses the term, “a reprobate mind.” The word “reprobate” means that they have been “rejected, abandoned to error and spiritual destruction, unable to discern between right and wrong.” Notice that the verse says, “God gave them over to a reprobate mind.” In this chapter, the phrase, “God gave them over,” is found more than once. There is no hope for a person when God turns them over or gives them up.
How many times have we heard people lament the deplorable condition and direction of our country, and wonder how we could ever have become so sinister? Is there any explanation for the increasing acceptance of sodomy, the plague of pornography, and the epidemic of sexual deviancy toward innocent children? Where is the conscience of a nation that allows the murder of more than a million unborn babies a year? What kind of logic would cause a politician to fight for the life of an endangered animal while insisting a woman has the right to terminate the life of her child? How unreasonable is it that children are exposed to sexually explicit information in government schools, but the Bible is a forbidden Book.
The minds of Americans are becoming reprobate, unable to distinguish between good and evil. How does this occur? According to Romans 1, it follows a predictable path. People go from knowing about God and seeing His evidence in creation, to rejecting Him. They then make themselves the center of their universe, and worship the creature rather than the Creator. They change God’s truth into a lie. They do not want God to have a place in their minds. This is the journey to reprobation. When God is removed from the minds of people, the lie of evolution is accepted, the Word of God is rejected, humanism is promoted, and the end will be what we are seeing so much of in our society. There are severe consequences when individuals or nations reject God and His standard of truth. If there is any hope for such a people, they must turn to God in true repentance.
–From Straight Paths, Vol. 1, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1352 Parkway Dr., St. Clair, MO 63077
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Capital Punishment & God’s Word
Where did capital punishment originate from? Who invented it? For what reason was it given?
“And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man.” Genesis 9:5-6
Thus we see that capital punishment was ordained by God, to be carried out according to the powers that be ordained of God, see Romans 13:1-5.
Capital punishment was incorporated into Israel, by God’s laws, making Israel the model society to the rest of the world: “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of the murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.” Numbers 35:30,31,33
Murder is to wrongly take a man’s life. Capital punishment is to rightly take the life of a murderer, who has wrongly taken the life of another — according to God’s ordained decree, which states that the murderer “….is guilty of death.” Numbers 35:31
It would be wrong to take an innocent person and lock them up, depriving them of their rights and liberties. But it is right to take a guilty person and lock them up for crimes committed. Thus, the guilt or innocence of the person to be punished, decides whether the punishment of the person is right or wrong.
God’s admonition is unto a fair trial and the establishment of proof, before one is convicted of murder. God’s law required a clear distinction between manslaughter and murder. Under God’s charge, a person had to be a proven murderer before they were to be put to death. “….the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.”
SHARINGThe Tie That Binds God’s Church
Ephesians 3:16-19
God binds His New Testament Church together with the bond of His love, which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us. This is known to all who have this indwelling Spirit and have been set together in the Body by God. (1 Corinthians 12:18)
This bond of Divine love is the miracle of God working within us, “We love him, because he first loved us…..and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” 1 John 4:19 & 5:1
–It is our strength: “….strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Ephesians 3:16
–It is our roots and our foundation: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” Ephesians 3:17. (What isn’t seen and yet you know is there because of what it affords within you and for you.)
–It gives a comprehension common with one another, “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height.” Ephesians 3:18
–It is the capacity of Christ – living and loving within us, that enables us to love and be loved in ways that are above and beyond the bounds of the human capacities of love: “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” Ephesians 3:19a
THIS GIVES US A FULLNESS OF GOD: “….that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19b
This is why God’s church doesn’t have to have an inviting building to attract it’s members — they are attracted to God’s fullness.
This is why God’s people decline all forms of sensationalism and entertainment in the church, as these only violate a sought after sanctity for getting beyond self to be in communion with the incomparable fullness of God.
This is why God’s people do not rate the church with respect of persons. We don’t have to have a people complimentary to what our personal, social, or material likes and dislikes are, because we rather rejoice in the common fullness of God.
Likewise, our joy, our blessing, our satisfaction is neither made nor broken by what others are or are not, because the fullness of God is our meat and our drink.
Thus the tie that binds the church together is not of what we are ourselves, but from the fullness of God within. It is a miracle! It is unshakable; it transcends all other ties; it keeps drawing us together again. But if and when that fellowship with God’s love is broken from within the heart, then nothing one is, in or of themselves, can or will be a substitute for it.
“BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS, OUR HEARTS IN CHRISTIAN LOVE: THE FELLOWSHIP OF KINDRED MINDS, IS LIKE TO THAT ABOVE.”
SHARINGThere’s Work For All
If you cannot be a preacher
And hold millions in your sway,
You can be a faithful witness
Preaching by your life each day.
Perhaps you are too old or weary
To climb the mountains steep and high,
But you need not from the valley
Be indifferent as men die.
God has blessed you with His bounty,
So there’s something you can do.
You can be a faithful steward
And help the lost find Christ through you.
If you cannot be His servant
Preaching on some distant shore,
Then at least you can be faithful
To witness to the man next door.
Do not wait for call or vision;
There is work for all today.
Let us all then join God’s army
And do our best without delay.
Though you cannot go in person,
You can go in purse and prayer.
If you have a heart to serve Him,
You can serve Him anywhere.
–Author Unknown
SHARINGWhy Are People Faithful To God?
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” John 21:15
“If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” 1 Corinthians 16:22
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