I've come across many atheists who refer to sin as a "victimless" crime, while the Bible clearly portrays at least three affected parties...
First and foremost, the one who made the law that was broken; God, is more of an offended party than a victim per se. Much like a parent whose child disobeyed a household rule (about a million times) He is offended by our lawlessness when we sin.
Then there's the sinner - the Bible says that the wages (payment / reward / just desserts) for sin, is death… Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, the soul that sins shall die… And then, the judgment…
And finally, there is the person(s) against whom the sin was committed… So maybe you haven't stolen a particular person's prized possessions (I love alliteration) or killed anyone, or skipped a day of church in your whole life, etc… HOWEVER… if you were to step outside of your own skin and look at the bigger picture, you would see that ANY sin you commit, whether seemingly big or small, can and will have repercussions on a scale that is far wider reaching than your small point of view…
For example - today I went in to my local "Blood Bank Donation Center" because I wanted to share what God has so graciously given. Before they even took my blood pressure, I had to answer a whole page of questions that wanted to know practically everything I'd ever done, including a question that asked whether I was feeling well enough to give blood…
I thought to myself, "I'm here, aren't I? It made me wonder who gets to that question and thinks to themselves, "Well, now that I've made this appointment, taken time out of my day, driven down here and answered the first 20-or-so questions on this form, ya' know? I'm feeling a little out of it, and probably shouldn't donate today…"
But one question in particular that struck me as I was coming to the conclusion of the questionnaire was this one - "Since 1977, have you had sexual contact with a member of the same sex, even once?" Which brought the thought to the tip of my mind, "How often, in the debate over 'Don't Ask/Don't Tell' 'Gay Marriage' 'The Homosexual Movement' in general, is the topic of blood donation EVER brought up?
Sure, there are the religious aspects of homosexuality, whether or not it is a sin, or, as one popular speaker puts it, "Not God's Best." But when are we ever reminded that the homosexual community, no matter how big or small, cannot DONATE blood? Make no mistake, in an accident or medical procedure where they require any amount of blood whatsoever, they are able to RECEIVE as much as is needed… However, if they've even had sexual contact with a person of their same sex ONE TIME, no matter whether they liked it or not, without any consideration of what body part went where, they are not able to donate blood to the public supply.
It's interesting to me that even though our gov't and military are willing to turn a blind eye to an issue that is contentious and worthy of a pass when it comes to official, sweeping endorsement, that the medical community still looks at the issue for what it is; a health risk. One that is so very sensitive that it is not even worth considering on a case-by-case basis. If you have had sexual contact with even one person of the same sex, even one time since 1977, then they simply do not want/cannot use your donation, and will not even bother to take, your blood. For the sake of the life of the person who might have an actual life-or-death NEED for your blood, just ONE act of sexual sin is enough for them to cordially show you the door…
The Bible states clearly that just ONE sin is enough to warrant a death sentence from God - His Laws are THAT holy… Your local, and our national blood donor centers are adamant about just ONE sexual encounter with someone of the same sex - your blood is THAT valuable to the person who needs it today… In the same way they cannot allow you to give blood if you've had even one same-sex(ual) encounter, God will not allow you in to His kingdom if you've broken even one of His commandments…
(Un)fortunately, that is where the similarities end - you cannot "un-do" your sexual past, and regain your opportunity to donate blood. However, you CAN be forgiven of ALL of the sexual sins you've committed. And not only those, but the lies you've told, the seemingly insignificant items you've "borrowed" the disrespect you've shown your parents, that person who "did you wrong" and the contempt and bitterness you hold for them.
The Bible states that God is willing to forgive you of those offenses - it is the very reason why Christ was hung on the cross. One person suffered the punishment that we all deserve. While the blood bank cannot take away the potential effects of our sexual exploits, God can, and will forgive your offense against His holy law… If you did not know before, you now know - you are no longer ignorant of the facts.
Do not wait for the Day of Judgment to come before you examine the state of your soul only to find that your blood is insufficient for the payment due. Only the blood of Christ will save you - yours is tainted by sin and will not be accepted.
To learn Hell's Best Kept Secret and what it has to do with you, click
HERE.
