O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

WILL GOD BLESS YOU IF YOU CONTINUE TO SIN?

          Last month, the Pope approved a landmark ruling allowing priests to bless same-sex couples so long as the blessing was performed without any type of ritual and did not give the impression of approving of the relationship. The blessings are meant to be only pastoral and should not justify anything that is not morally acceptable. This ruling was intended to make the church more welcoming to same-sex couples. 

          This new ruling begs the question, ‘Does God bless those who continue to sin?’ The answer can be found in the account of the woman caught in adultery. According to John 8:3-11, the scribes and Pharisees brought this woman before the Lord Jesus and asked Him, “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” After Jesus responded, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” all the accusers were convicted of sin by their own conscience and departed. In the end, Jesus told her to go and sin no more. 

          Throughout this entire account, there is no hint of the woman being blessed by Jesus. The gracious words in verse 11, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” are not a blessing but a command for her to stop living in sin. But there is good reason to believe that she was blessed if she willingly obeyed this command. Hence, the answer to the above question would be, ‘No, God blesses only those who heed His command not to continue to sin.’ There are two details in the account which support this answer. 

The Acknowledgement of Sin 

          Is there any indication that the woman acknowledged her sin of adultery? According to verse 10, Jesus looked up and saw no one but the woman. All the rest had left the place while He was writing on the ground. Only the woman had stayed behind. This brings out one question – Why did the woman stay there when there was now nothing to keep her from leaving? She had been brought there forcefully by her cruel accusers. She had been frightened by their plans to have her stoned to death. She had waited in terrible suspense when Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Surely after going through such a harrowing experience, she would not miss her golden opportunity to make a quick escape when everyone had gone and Jesus was looking down. What was it that made her stay there before Him? 

         I would suggest that there is only one thing that could have kept her there: She was convicted of her own sin of adultery. She was willing to face the Judge because she knew that she had sinned and that she deserved to be judged for her sin. This means she must have had the right view of her sin. It was not merely caused by a momentary lapse of good judgment. It was an inexcusable act of rebellion. She was not merely the helpless victim of someone’s irresistible seduction. She was an active and willing participant in adultery. 

The Great Mercy that Was Given 

          Why did Jesus say to the woman, “Neither do I condemn thee”? Does it mean that He was saying that she had done nothing worthy of condemnation? No, not at all. The fact that He told her to sin no more shows us that what she did was a sin worthy of condemnation. These words only mean that Jesus was willing to withhold the condemnation her sin deserved because of His great mercy. He who should cast the first stone at her willingly spared her from being stoned. Thus, the merciful Judge pardoned her and told her to go and sin no more. As God has said, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7) 

          Nothing more is mentioned about the woman after verse 11. It is likely that she truly repented of her sins and never went back to her old ways again because she had been deeply touched by the great mercy she had received from the faultless, wise and merciful Judge. 

          But the same cannot be said of her accusers. This event took place about six months before Jesus was arrested, falsely accused and delivered to be crucified at Calvary. What these scribes and Pharisees had failed to do to Jesus in John chapter 8, they finally succeeded in doing 10 chapters later. They had gone from the place where they had accused the woman, but they had sinned some more. 

The Application 

          Thus, we have seen that God blesses only those who heed His command not to continue to sin. Hence, anyone who blesses same-sex couples would be acting contrary to God, because they have no intention to cease their sinful behaviour. God has prohibited same-sex relationships in Leviticus 18:22 – “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” (cf. 20:13) 

          God’s view of such relationships is also given in Romans 1:26-27 – “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.” The awful destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which is described in Genesis 18 and 19 stands as a testimony to God’s hatred for the rampant same-sex activity in them. 

          However, God will show great mercy to those who acknowledge that their same-sex behaviour is sinful, and cease to continue in it. They alone have the blessing of knowing that He says to them, “Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more.” 

          Dear Reader, perhaps your sin may not be one of same-sex behaviour, or of the woman who was caught in adultery. Perhaps yours may be the sin of lustful thoughts, or the sin of pride, or of covetousness, envy, dishonesty, hypocrisy, gossiping or lying. Whatever your sin may be, it deserves the same treatment from you – You must acknowledge it fully and repent of it before the Righteous Judge. Only then will you hear Him utter those blessed words to you, “Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more.”

– Pastor

Appointments for the Week

Monday, Jan 15

        7.30 pm     ERBL: OT Prophetic Books (Rev Charles Seet)

Tuesday, Jan 16

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (Bro Mok Chee Cheong)

Thursday, Jan 18

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

        7.30 pm     ERBL: Bible Geography (Ms Lilian Lee)

Saturday, Jan 20

        3.00 pm     LTF / YLM

Sunday, Jan 21

  8.00 am     From This Day I Will Bless You (Haggai 2:10-19) by Rev Calvin Loh, with Holy Communion

  8.00 am Choir Practice

  9.15 am Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  9.40 am Sunday School / Catechism Class

10.15 am Coffee Corner

11.00 am From This Day I Will Bless You (Haggai 2:10-19) by Rev Calvin Loh

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service (MPH)

11.00 am Filipina Service (Rm 1-6)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6)

Announcements

Membership Roll Update Exercise 2024 (7 to 28 Jan)

If you are a member of Life B-P Church, please update your particulars or download the physical form at https://www.lifebpc.com/update (even if all the information is the same as during last year's exercise), for the purpose of the Annual Congregational Meeting.

The deadline is 28 January 2024.

The physical forms are also obtainable at the front entrance of the sanctuary. Please drop the forms into the box provided at the front entrance after worship services or mail to: 10 Gilstead Road, Singapore 309064.

Holy Communion Elements Preparation

Lifers are invited to serve in the Holy Communion elements preparation, clean-up and washing. Those interested may contact Jenny or Wendy.

Door to Door Evangelism

21 Jan 2024 (Next Sunday). Meet in Beulah Room 2-11, 12.30pm. Contact: Desmond or Amos .

Seniors Fellowship Activity Day

Calling all seniors! If you are in your 50s and above, join us in our Seniors Fellowship Activity Day on 24 Jan 2024 (Wed), 10am-2pm. Venue: Rooms 4-4/4-5. We will have a time of devotion, simple resistance band exercise and board games. Lunch is provided. This Activity Day is held every 4th Wednesday of the month.

Church Camp 2024

will be held from June 10-14 (Mon-Fri) at Resorts World Awana, Malaysia.

Speaker: Pastor Tan Soon Yong.

Theme: Truth Matters.

Registration opens soon!

Traffic Wardens

Lifers are invited to serve our Lord as Traffic Wardens on Sunday. Kindly contact Dn Choong or Bro Kelvin if you are available.

Exploring Christianity

25 Feb – 24 Mar 2024

9.30am – 10.45 am @ Beulah Rm 2-1

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ExpChr2024

For enquiries, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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