SABBATH THOUGHT 2025-03-08—KEEP THE FEAST WITH SINCERE SINCERITY

May God bless you on His Sabbath day!

God has purposed and desires a family of eternal children. Everything He has done is for that singular purpose, including the creation of angels, the heavens, and the earth with all its forms of physical life. Have you ever wondered why God decided upon this particular plan? Man was obviously made flesh so that He could destroy the rebellious before they were made eternal spirit beings. That suggests that spirit beings can never be destroyed. Certainly the Bible gives every indication that spirit beings are not subject to death, but can they be destroyed? It is hard to imagine that God does not have the power to destroy spirit as well as flesh, but will He? Is there an unrecorded promise that He will never destroy evil spirit beings? The Bible never says that, although it does say this about Satan the Devil:

REVELATION 20:10 The devil [Satan], who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet [were]. And they will be tormented [tortured] day and night forever and ever.

The Bible clearly states that Satan will be tormented in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone “forever and ever.” And there is a plurality in “they will be tormented,” which seemingly is a reference to demons having the same fate as implied here:

MATTHEW 8:28-29 When He [Jesus Christ] had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment [torture] us before the time?”

Whatever torment or torture awaits Satan and the demons is significant enough to cause them unknowable fear:

JAMES 2:19 [James wrote] You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe–and tremble!

This raises some questions. If Satan and the demons are tortured for eternity, how does that fit into the compassion and chesed mercy[1] of God? At some point, their torment will exceed the time of their existence before their punishment began. Perhaps, the eternity of their torture reflects the eternity lost to those humans who were deceived by them. While the compassion and chesed mercy of God is never in question, these are mysteries that will not be resolved in this age.

But it does bring to mind some thoughts. It is hard to imagine that God created angels and did not know (or even count on) 1/3 of them rebelling. If that is the case, why did He create them as spirit beings and not flesh and blood so that Satan and the demons could be destroyed instead of tormented for eternity? Their wickedness influences the hearts and minds of humans, but they could have done that whether they are spirit or flesh, although eternal wicked beings ensures a continual maximum evil influence throughout the age of flesh. However, from what I have glimpsed of the evil that humans alone are capable of doing, they do not require any assistance from the more powerful demons.

While all this will not be resolved in my lifetime, it was prompted by thoughts about the various types or categories of sin. The following list mentions seventy of them and is not even comprehensive:

1)       Abomination (detestable, disgusting)

2)       Adultery

3)       Anger (violent passion)

4)       Backbiting

5)       Bitterness

6)       Blasphemy (evil-speaking)

7)       Boasting

8)       Clamor (pandemonium, uproar)

9)       Coarse jesting (sarcasm)

10)   Condemnation

11)   Contention (quarrels, strife)

12)   Covenant breaking (untrustworthy)

13)   Covetousness (avarice, extortion, fraud, greed)

14)   Cowards

15)   Deceit

16)   Devising evil

17)   Disobedient

18)   Dissension (sedition)

19)   Drug sorcery (witchcraft)

20)   Drunkenness

21)   Effeminate

22)   Envy (ill will)

23)   Evil desire

24)   Extortion (exploitation, predatory, swindlers, violent greed)

25)   Filthiness (obscene)

26)   Filthy language

27)   Foolish (undignified) talking

28)   Fornication

29)   Gossip

30)   Greed

31)   Hatred (hostility)

32)   Heresy (factions, denominations, disunions)

33)   Idolatry

34)   Impious (God-haters)

35)   Incest

36)   Jealousy

37)   Kidnapping

38)   Lewdness (lasciviousness, licentiousness)

39)   Lying (deceit)

40)   Lust

41)   Malice

42)   Meddling (busibodies)

43)   Mischievousness (bad character)

44)   Murder

45)   Perjury

46)   Pride

47)   Prostitution

48)   Quarrels

49)   Revelry (carousing)

50)   Reviling (abusers, criticism)

51)   Rivalry (emulation)

52)   Selfish ambition

53)   Sexual immorality

54)   Slander

55)   Sodomites (homosexuals)

56)   Spiteful (insulting)

57)   Strife (wrangling debate)

58)   Talebearing (tattlers)

59)   Theft

60)   Unbelievers (untrustworthy)

61)   Uncleanness (satanic)

62)   Undiscerning

63)   Unforgiving

64)   Unloving

65)   Unmerciful

66)   Unrighteousness (treachery, injustice, wickedness)

67)   Wantonness

68)   Wickedness (depravity)

69)   Whispering

70)  Wrath

 

I doubt much on this list[2] comes as a surprise to anyone. One interesting point is that all sin seems to be universal; that is, it can be committed by spirit beings as well as flesh and blood. (While sexual sins are not directly attributable to demons, the motives behind them certainly apply.)

Of greatest importance is how each of us individually views sin in our lives. With the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread drawing near, having an acute awareness of sins is vital. Most likely do not give a second thought about sins such as witchcraft, incest, fornication, and murder. These have a grave level of evil attached to them and they likely apply to very few, if any, of the ekklesia. Some of the more common sins are anger, contention, lust, lying, et al.

The struggle against sin is often hampered by self-imposed blindness; that is, intentional ignorance. It is difficult to examine our own weaknesses and admit our sins, especially to ourselves. Hopefully, most at the very least repent to God but that does not completely fulfill the commandment for many sins. Why? Look at that list again. All sin is against God[3] but many bring evil upon people. Even sins such as idolatry, that are usually considered to be only against God, can tempt or offend others as well. When sin affects others, it results in offenses whether or not they were intentionally directed at them.

And that is the stumblingblock (pun intended[4]) for overcoming many personal sins. Offenses are some of the worst sins as emphasized by Jesus when He said, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” (Luke 17:1-2). This is why God’s children are commanded to reconcile ALL offenses[5]^{, [6]}.

But there is a misperception about sin. How many pay serious attention to sin? Some of the ekklesia truly believe they have repented of all their sin. Let that sink in. Aside from offenses, many of which never seem to be reconciled, complacency can set in. With each sin that is overcome, we feel liberated. It is wonderful when there is victory over a sin. The problem is that overconfidence can completely blind us to ‘less’ significant sins.

Think of it this way. Upon your death, will you be completely sinless? I doubt most believe they will. Obviously, that is one reason we must always be under God’s grace, compassion, and chesed mercy. You will never run out of sins even if you spend a lifetime overcoming them. Look at the list again. A very common sin today is heresy. Really? Yes, many think heresy refers to false or contrary teachings; however, the Greek word actually describes factions, denominations, and disunions such as Paul addressed:

1 CORINTHIANS 1:11-13 For it has been declared to me [Paul] concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

These days Paul might put it this way: “Each of you says, “I am of UCG,” or “I am of LCG,” or “I am of COGWA,” or “I am of CBCG.”” These are, according to the Bible, heresies, which cause contentions according to Paul. What is the outcome of contentions? Division and offenses[7]. Heresy is separation of brethren by organization, ‘doctrines’, etc., whether in thought or deed.

But there are sins in the list one might have and not give much thought to the harm they cause. Consider the sins of gossip, meddling, sarcasm (coarse jesting), and foolish or undignified talking. (Yes, according to the Bible, all four are sins!) These are typically considered to be ‘less’ egregious than others in the list, but are they? The Bible is clear that stumbling in one point of the law makes us guilty of all[8].

The expectation of God’s work in us is not that we are to overcome all ‘major’ sins and ignore the continual eking out of perfection by scrubbing out the ‘minor’ ones that remain. No one should work hard on their big sins and then sit back and say, “Soul, you have [overcome many sins these] many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:19 paraphrased). As long as there is sin, our struggle must continue. That includes looking back on past sins to reveal any unreconciled offenses, which can result from many of those sins in the above list. Offenses require more than going to God. Reconciliation must happen between an offender and victim as well.

All of this is to say, never stop examining yourself for sins. This is the greatest and, perhaps, hardest, part of keeping your vow to the New Covenant everyone makes with God. So, do not lose hope because salvation is in the overcoming—not in the number of sins over which you have been victorious or in the number of those remaining. It is in continuing to overcome—large or small. One. By. One.:

GALATIANS 6:8-9 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Sincerity and truth expose all sin, which is why they are the foundation for keeping the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. But they require examining ourselves and being sincere and truthful with OURSELVES as well as God:

1 CORINTHIANS 5:7-8 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The last part is literally, “with the unleaven of sincerity and truth.” But the Greek word for unleaven figuratively means to be sincere. Now it reads, “let us keep the feast … with sincere sincerity and truth.” Sincere sincerity and truth—exactly what is required to overcome!

May God’s grace and peace be upon you!

Steven Greene

https://sabbathreflections.org

sabbathreflections@gmail.com