Part 6 of this series on talking about sin using Revelation 21:8, which is partially repeated in 22:15 (those without). Following is the verse from different translations as well as the direct Greek translation. This list does not comprise all sin, it’s a short list, please take the time to study other lists as well that are found in both the Old and New testaments. NO sin: one or many, small or big, can come into the presence of God (heaven): it is Jesus’ blood that takes away our sin and allows us to come before God.
— But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. — Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
— But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. — Revelation 21:8 (NIV)
— τοῖς δὲ δειλοῖς καὶ ἀπίστοις καὶ ἐβδελυγμένοις καὶ φονεῦσιν καὶ πόρνοις καὶ φαρμάκοις καὶ εἰδωλολάτραις καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ψευδέσιν τὸ μέρος αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ τῇ καιομένῃ πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ, ὅ ἐστιν ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερος. — Direct Greek
— tois de deilois kai apistois kai ebdelugmenois kai phoneusin kai pornois kai pharmakois kai eidololatrais kai pasin tois pseudesi to meros auton en te limne te kaiomene puri kai theio, ho estin ho thanatos ho deuteros. — Direct Greek with Roman-lettering
Continuing on with the next one on the list is: idolaters. From the direct Greek text, the word is “εἰδωλολάτραις/eidololatrais” which is translated to: idolater, image-servant, image-worshipper.
We covered idolatry back in “Post #11 – The Ten Commandments Part 2”.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God” — Exodus 20:4-5 (KJV)
Please take the time today and reread or read “Post #11 – The Ten Commandments Part 2” if you haven’t.
The key thing in that post was one of the definitions of idol: “One that is adored, often blindly or excessively”. The second commandment goes hand in hand with the first; you cannot read it without thinking about the first commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”. In the age of social media too many people make influencers, celebrities, politicians, sports figures, you name it, just about anything but God their most adored and sometimes even follow them blindly. Additionally, people will do the same with family, put them on a pedestal and God on the floor, and even feel righteous indignation in doing so; as if the creator of their soul and one who gave them all (family included) breath is a third wheel.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. — Matthew 10:37 (KJV)
Make sure you are not making Him jealous and most of all not hurting Him with other things or people in your heart. Sometimes that means you will have to yield (give up) the thing you love the most.
I write about yielding or submitting to God a lot, so please take the time and ask yourself if you really know what it means to yield to God? But, before you can even answer that question though, you must first answer a few others. Namely, how do you even believe in or view God? Is God just some nominal thing or a reality to you? Is He a concept or a person? Are His teachings just opinions and theories or are they the way, the truth and the life?
If God is not a real person, where His will and teachings are the way, the truth and the life, then there is not much for you to yield to… However, if He is a real person and His will and teachings are the way, the truth and the life, then we need to acknowledge that. And, that acknowledgment is the beginning point to start yielding to Him.
Willfully giving up our will in the form of opinions, desires, traditions, compromises, idols, etc. (to deny ourselves), in favor of His is to yield to Him. In post #22 we talked about “The most important sentence and word in the bible“:
Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. — Luke 22:42 (KJV)
Even Jesus had to yield/give up His will to the Father and we need to do so too. The kingdom of God is neither a democracy nor is it an anarchy; it’s an absolute monarchy where God the Father is in charge and in control. If you cannot or will not accept that, then you cannot yield to Him. And if you cannot yield to Him, then you have no part of Him.
If you are not saved/redeemed please do so today.
Come to God open, empty and without statements.
Ask him to be real to you and believe in Him.
Humble yourself before Him, confess who you are, and tell Him that you are sorry for your sins.
Ask Him to forgive you and to come into your life and start a personal relationship.
Believe this and be born again!
May God bless and keep all who read this.
May God bless and keep all brothers and sisters, new and old in the faith, in his name.
With his love and mine,
Chrom