Does God get Upset by our Sins

Sermon Topic, Sunday 2/24/13
Our service this morning was streamed live from India. It was opened by Apostle Smith Brickhouse, message by Elder Dennis Trudgen. The opening included a beautiful song presented by Brother Surat (please correct my spelling if needed). The subject of the song is, O Lord, what can I give you in return for all you have given me? … which is excellent food for thought for all of us.
Pastor Dennis started by recounting a sermon he had heard on the radio. The statement was made that God does not get upset by our sin, that He doesn’t care if we sin. There are a multitude of Scriptures that say otherwise.
Alma 1:16 The arrival on the scene of Nehor … v.11 he began to contend with [Gideon] SHARPLY, that he might lead away the people of the church….(Jude 16, Prov. 6:16-19 msl) Modern religious liberals tell us that we should not “be contentious”. Our brother Jude, who was Jesus’ half-brother, tells us in verse 3 that we are to EARNESTLY CONTEND for the faith once delivered to the saints (Greek epagonizomai, to labor fervently on behalf of). The verse in Proverbs tells us that God hates those who stir up DISCORD among brethren, not those who speak the Truth to false teachers.
A look at the website of the organization that authors the radio program tells us things like “you’re saved by saying the sinners’ prayer” and “if you don’t have faith, you never were saved”; and that if your sin is bothering you it’s because you are lacking in faith.
True repentance is CHANGE, not merely saying “sorry” and going right back to the sin.
Many of these preachers also maintain that once you’re saved (by saying the sinners’ prayer), you’re always saved, no matter what; you just need to have faith.
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. The Greek word there is “adokimos” which means “rejected”. This same word is used in Romans 1:28 – And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God GAVE THEM OVER (adokimos) to a reprobate mind….
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall FALL AWAY, to renew them again unto repentance…..
There are those who claim that this refers to those who merely profess Christ, and fall short of actual salvation. The Greek word translated “tasted”, is used to support this position. However, this same word is used in Hebrews 2:8 of Jesus, who did “taste death for every man”. And in Revelation 3:5, God promises the overcomer that his name will not be blotted out of the book of life….someone who came short of salvation would not have had their name written there in the first place.
Alma 19:8 (also 2 Nephi 13:18) … For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once hath had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it; behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable. (See also Matthew 12 … the Pharisees blasphemed the Holy Ghost by calling Him the devil msl)
One thing that God does not usually do is to supersede human will.
2 Nephi 12:10 … predicts the latter day attitude of “eat, drink, and be merry” … some say there is no God so do whatever; some say there is a God but don’t worry, He’ll forgive you a little sin, you may get some minor punishment but we’ll all be saved in the end. MANY would teach after this manner … such as the above website and program.
John 3:3-7 Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus … you must be born again, of water and the Spirit. The liberal would argue that that does not mean water baptism, it’s merely your physical birth … but see verse 6, “that which is born of the FLESH is flesh, referring to physical birth.
Dennis also read from Barnes’ and Clarke’s Bible Commentaries, and there are many quotes from early New Testament Church fathers testifying of the necessity of water baptism (from Greek “baptizo”, a laundry workers’ term: to immerse, to make fully wet). There was no disagreement with these principles until modern times and the advent of what is called “easy believe-ism”, and no way to understand “baptizo” to mean dabbling a few drops of water on the forehead, or anything other than full immersion in water.
2 Nephi 13:16 Yes this is in the “Old Testament” period of Book of Mormon history, but Nephi is prophesying of Christ (Messiah) to come and what He would institute at His coming, and calling his (Nephi’s) people to faith in Messiah. The Jews in OT times also practiced ritual washings in the Mikva … the Law contains many commands to a person made unclean, to wash himself; and John the Baptizer, the forerunner of Messiah, baptized people unto repentance until He came.
Mosiah 11:129 … For behold, this is my church: whosoever that is baptized, shall be baptized unto repentance.
Alma 16:138 … Or rather, in other words, Blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart …..
Alma 17:21 …But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been BORN OF GOD (see also Alma 3 msl)
2 Nephi 13:7 If the Holy Son of God was baptized in water to fulfill all righteousness, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water. He set us the example, and commands us to follow it.
Romans 6:4 … BURIED with Him by baptism into His death, and raised up into new life. This is your FIRST STEP.
Philippians 2 … humbly living the Christian life. (see Micah 6:8 msl) He talks to us and encourages us. The tribulations of life are great blessings, when handled correctly, to keep us humbly walking with God. God blessed His people in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon when they humbled themselves, and judged them when they lifted themselves up in pride.
Matthew 7:13 … the narrow gate
2 Nephi 13:23-32 … enter in at the gate of repentance and baptism by water, walk in the straight and narrow path to eternal life.
3 Nephi 3:68-70 … before the coming of Christ, these people were baptized in water unto repentance --- like John’s baptism in Judea
There is no disagreement between the King James Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the early New Testament fathers about the necessity of water baptism, and about the laying on of hands afterward for the Holy Spirit.
Apostle Brickhouse closed the service with the statement that God NEVER changes, and expressed his (and our) thanks to God for the Scriptures and for the ability to preach them around the world, thru modern technology; and closed out with prayer.
Have a wonderful week, in Him!