Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Hamartophobia

Fear is sometimes appropriate

If a homophobe is a person who is opposed to the practices of homosexuality, then I am a homophobe. The same is true for being an Islamophobe. In fact, all faithful Christians fit those categories, if we define the term in the common vernacular. In our current culture, the words above are used in order to intimidate people. Many do not want to be seen as intolerant, so they back off and refuse to lovingly tell the truth.

Let’s look at the definition of phobia. Phobia actually means a dread or fear. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says it is something that causes one to flee in fear. It is a strong word. In that sense, I am not a homophobe or an Islamaphobe. They concern me, but I am not ready to run in terror over them.

What I am trying to train myself to be is an hamartophobe though. That simply means one who is terrified of SIN. How easily we feel comfortable being near it even though its very presence should cause us to flee in fear. The dread should exist because of its ability to influence us. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Even more than that, we should fear because of the justice and wrath of God!

If we stop to think of the end result of participation in sin, we will want to run in terror from it. Do not be fooled by it. Satan can entice you with it: make you see it as something that will benefit you, make you wise, and even make you closer to God. In the end you will be removed from the blessings of God’s favor. Let us not fear (phobia) what men do (Matthew 10:26), but rather let us fear their influence and God’s reaction to sin—even if it means we will be called names as a result.

Providing for Your Own Destruction

Are you engaging in self-destructive behavior?

Alcoholics and drug addicts have stashes. That is a rule. They have “one last bottle” in many hiding places throughout their living quarters. Most of them have one or two caches that are expendable. They are not stupid. They know that sooner or later they are going to meet an end with their loved-ones. They know that family will eventually demand that they clean up their lives. These addicts will then cry, weep, and make all kinds of confessions. They are very convincing. They will even admit hiding stashes. They will swear to “turn over a new leaf”. They will even show their loved-ones the caches and pour out the offending substances. Those caches are the expendable ones. The “good stuff” is hidden much better. But their new-found decision to change and the pouring out of the expendable caches keep you from looking too closely for any more.

Why do they have caches? It’s usually because they are afraid of giving them up. They are afraid of living life without their drug of choice. So they keep it “just in case”. They make provision for their addiction.

Some people will go to great expense to hide their sins. They will often go to great expense to nurture their sins too. For example, a child molester will spend days, weeks, sometimes years “grooming” potential victims.

But what about people who are not addicted to drugs? What about people who are not pedophiles? What about “ordinary” people living ordinary lives? Do you ever do similar things?

Do you “conveniently” show up at parties where drinking takes place? Maybe you go with the determination not to drink. But do you find that somewhere deep inside a part of you hopes that the temptation would overpower you? Do you secretly hope that you would get caught up in the moment so that you “just can’t help” yourself? This situation will end badly. You are providing opportunity for your own fall.

How about going on a date and sitting in a parked car or in some other place where temptations are bound to occur? You may want to be good, but you put yourself in a position where it is very difficult to be good. Are you secretly hoping to get caught up in the moment? If not, then why put yourself in that situation? You are merely providing for the opportunity to sin.

How about making vague promises? Do you tell someone you will do something but couch it in language that allows you an “out” later if you change your mind? Do you place hidden loopholes in your words? This is providing yourself a way to escape your responsibilities and still to salve your conscience. You are providing for the fleshly mind.

What about living under the false idea that your explosive temper is “just the way you are”? Or what about making excuses for your children by blaming the “teen year dramas” when they do something wrong? Or what about finding things to do at work so you don’t have to attend worship? You know the “work” excuse will keep people off your back, but was it legitimate? Or did you invent reasons to stay there? You are providing opportunity for your own desctruction.

These are a small fraction of the list of ways we provide for the fleshly mind. The Bible clearly condemns it, too. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:14).

The Path of Sinners

Know where a path goes before stepping on it.

“Thus says the Lord to this people: ‘Thus they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet.’ Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, and punish their sins” (Jeremiah 14:10).

Restraint is a part of life. It must be learned and it must be based on principles from God for life to be worthwhile. Unfortunately, many people fail to learn to restrain themselves beyond what is acceptable in society. The reason that is a problem is because what is acceptable in society is not always what is acceptable to God.

A wise person will look at his ways and live according to the Word of God. Proverbs 1:15-16 is part of a warning to avoid the enticements of sinners to do wrong. “My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood.”

It is unfortunate that we often walk on the path with sinners until the path becomes too evil for us. We will go so far, but we have "standards". We set arbitrary limits. We will only have so many drinks. We will only go so far in “making out” with a boyfriend or girlfriend. We will only say certain words. We will only drive so fast. We will only walk in small steps toward hatred. We will only say so much about others in gossip. We will only walk toward sin until we start to feel guilty, then we will hurriedly flee that path.

The problem with going down that road is that the next time it does not feel as uncomfortable and we do not feel as guilty. So we travel a few more steps.

Look carefully at the road you are on today. Where is it going? What are the results of your choices in life? Are you on the path of sinners?

Notice how one of the wisest man to ever live said we should treat the way of sinners. “Keep your foot from their path.”

Why do we push limits and see how close we can get to sin before we are punished? It is usually because our hearts are at the end of that road, caught up in the desires for sin. When separated, our hearts and our bodies will move toward each other. The heart will pull the body unless the body remains steadfast. If our hearts are caught up in sinful desires, we will find a way for our bodies to arrive there.

Keep your heart focused on Jesus and upon His word and keep your feet from the path of sinners.