“And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them” (Leviticus 20:23)
In the context of this passage, God had described a long list of sexual sins that the nations that were currently in the Promised Land, which Israel was about to inherit, had committed. These sexual sins included adultery (Leviticus 20:10), incest (Leviticus 20:11), homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13), and bestiality (Leviticus 20:15-16) among others. Because these nations had committed these sexual sins, among other sins, God was casting them out of the land and was going to let Israel inherit it. The iniquity of the Amorites was complete (Genesis 15:16).
We live in an age where sexual immorality is rampant. We are bombarded with commercials that exploit people’s weaknesses to give into sexual lusts. Society has taken what God has said he abhors (e.g. adultery and homosexuality) and not only tolerates it, but promotes it!
It is a challenge to strive to live a Christian life in such an environment and not allow this to weigh you down. Sometimes the tendency as a Christian is just to focus on condemning the world for practicing these things. The result is we come across as being judgmental and this doesn’t exactly attract people to want to follow Christ.
The truth of the matter is these sins are just among many sins with which mankind struggles. While these sexual sins are sins which God abhors, God abhors the sins against which we all struggle. All of us have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).
I thank God that He has provided a way through His Son to know His truth, have the opportunity to repent, and be forgiven of my sin (John 14:6). I am also thankful for my brethren who strive to live godly lives in a world where we are constantly bombarded by ungodliness. As long as we are in the world, we will live in the midst of ungodliness. Don’t let the ungodliness around you to diminish your ability to be a light for God to show others who struggle with sin the blessings Christ has brought into your life. May God bless you as you strive to live for him today!
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15).