Have you heard? January is sanctity of life month. Americans and their churches not only give honor to the gift of life but thy also remember the continuing war against it. The right to life is unalienable not because Jefferson wrote it nor because our nation was founded on natural law. The right to life is unalienable because it is a gift of God. The newest commander in the war against that God-given right is President Obama.
The question to be answered in this post is do presidents, legislators, lawyers, or judges have any right to presume to make law that violate the unalienable right to life. The right to life surely means the right to be born, the right to grow up unmolested or harmed, the right to a morally good family and society, the right to live the best possible life on this earth, and the right to eternal life as God’s redemptive justice permits.
As I was studying Revelation, I realized that Jesus did say something about the issue of abortion, homosexuality, and other issues related to modern sexual politics. This led me to the answer that begins with Jesus’ addresses to seven churches in Asia Minor.
Jesus praises his citizens for their work and faithfulness, and he also pointed out their problems that required correction. He concluded his address by pointing to the reward for overcoming the issues at hand. Jesus rebuked two of the seven churches for sex related problems. He also praised one for their like-minded hatred of teaching and practices that the others should have opposed as well.
Here is what Jesus told John to write to the church at Pergamum:
“I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore, repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Rev. 2:14-16)
The great mystery of this passage is who the Nicolaitans were. Little historical information about them seems to exist. However, who they were is not as important than what they promoted and practiced. Jesus refers to an account recorded in Number chapters 22-25. Here Jesus tells that it was Balaam who was responsible for the Israelites violating God covenant law. As Balaam encouraged Israelites to commit immorality, so the Nicolaitans taught the church it was okay to do likewise.
Before answering. the question what exactly does Jesus mean by immorality, consider what he said to the church at Thyatira:
“I have this against you, that you tolerate the women Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads my bond-servants astray so that they commit immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.” (Rev. 2:21-23)
Did you notice the similarities in the two addresses? The issue at hand is leaders who teach God’s people to believe it is okay to practice immorality. As James wrote: “Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (Jas. 1:14-15) Just like Adam and Eve in the Eden’s garden of purity, the people of God were being taught by tempters in the service of the arch-deceiver. (Gen 3) Whereas the arch-deceiver comes to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus came so that we could have abundant life forever. (Jo. 10:10,28; 8:44)
That is why Jesus praised the church at Ephesus. He said, “This you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Rev. 2:6) Like Jezebel, one of their likely leaders, the Nicolaitans promoted and practiced what Jesus Christ hates.
So then what does Jesus mean by immorality? It is any sexual misconduct or sin. That is the short definition.
Jesus hates immorality just as God the Father hates it. This is codified in the covenantal laws recorded in the Torah. It is alluded to by the prophets in their call to Israel to repent of their covenantal infidelity and of their immorality. It is also an issue addressed by the other apostles to the early church.
In Deuteronomy, Moses tells the Jews who were about to enter the promised land that they were not to behave toward the Lord the way the Canaanites had for centuries. They did for their gods every abominable act which the Lord hates. They even killed their children to appease their god. (De. 12:31)
This same abomination is mentioned in Leviticus. It is this priestly book of law that we get a more detailed idea about Moses meant by abominable. Summarizing Leviticus chapter 18, a list of abominable include the following: Continue reading