Let GOD do the "judging" you do the "loving."

Romans 1:26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

  

28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

 

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I have realized over the years that when I read the Bible, I'm not reading it for someone else. I'm reading it for me. I have to read the passages to see what GOD is saying to me and me alone.

 

When I do this I get a different perspective from the scripture that usually applies directly to my life. In this scripture I am learning a lot about sin and a lot about GOD. 

• Sin causes me to be blind. 
• Sin causes me to crave more sin. 
• Sin causes me to question GOD and HIS ways. 
• Sin causes me to really want my way. I win, GOD and everyone else loses. 

 

GOD makes up the rules because HE is the creator. I can't even question "why did YOU create me?" GOD is GOD. HE is passionate about HIS love for me and desires what is best. HE knows the affect of sin on my life and knows the more I sin the weaker my testimony will be.

• GOD uses broken people, yet HE allows me to choose "following HIM" or doing wrong. 
• GOD forgives all sin, yet HE tells me that blatant disregard for what HE says will be dealt with. 
• GOD loves every one of HIS creations, yet HE won't interfere with me choosing to sin versus following HIM.

Paul speaks very clearly about sin. He was inspired by GOD to tell us that we can get pleasure out of even the littlest sin. Once I seem to "get away" with sin then I will do more sin an bigger sins. 

 

What hurts the most is the Bible says "Although they know GOD's righteous decree." In other words I know what is right, yet I ignore what "GOD wants" and do what "I want." 

• It's important for me to love people instead of judging them. 
• It's important for me to see humans as GOD sees them. 
• It's important for me to understand what people are going through rather than point out their sins.

 

GOD will make it extremely clear to the sinner that they need to stop doing what they are doing. HE has the power to change hearts. I know this because HE is changing mine.

• Are you blatantly sinning?
• Is GOD changing your mind about sin or are you going to dig your heels in?
• Do you believe you are forgiven for your sins?
• Are you acting like you are forgiven or are you telling GOD you will not change and HE better accept you on your terms?