TOJ #25: Do not be complacent about sins. [Matt. 5:29-30, 18:7-9//Mark 9:43-48] A soul who seems apathetic about striving for perfection may be a pseudo-Christian (TOJ #48) or a carnal Christian, who is likely to commit apostasy (TOJ #75). {John 5:14} If they do, they will be “cut off” {John 15:2} and “thrown into the fire” {John 15:6}. Actually, they cut off themselves and jump to their eternal death (Rom. 1:18-32).
Moral character is the crucial aspect of our humanity {Luke 13:27}. It is better to be beautiful morally than physically. An attractive person with an ugly personality is “like a gold ring in a pig’s snout” (Pro. 11:22).
>>>TOJ #48: Not everyone who claims to be a Christian really is one. [Matt. 7:21-23//Luke 6:46] A person’s words and deeds manifest his/her genuine Faith or values. Many so-called Christians seem not to hunger to LGW. (See TOJ #13.) One hopes that they have not accepted a pseudo- or semi-gospel and become inoculated against the real thing or full gospel. {Matt. 12:33-35, Luke 13:26-27}
>>>TOP #18: Those who ignore God’s urging of repentance will reap divine wrath on the day of judgment. [Rom. 2:3-5] God’s kindness or patience with sinners is meant to lead them toward repentance, which implies that sinners are able to repent because of God’s leading, and those who do not repent but instead stubbornly resist God’s leading are storing up wrath against themselves
>>>TOP #19: On Judgment Day God will enforce just punishment via souls reaping what they have sown or done. [Rom. 2:5-6, cf. TOP #83 & #141] Punishment is just because God does not show favoritism (TOP #22). This truth is akin to karma (Gal. 6:7-9).
>>>TOP #21: Those who are self-seeking, who reject God’s truth and do evil will experience divine wrath or spiritual death. [Rom. 2:8-9, cf. 6:23a] Self-seeking may be termed “I-dolatry”.
>>>TOP #35: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Rom. 6:23] Romans 6:15-23 describes s/e in terms of being slaves to whom one willingly obeys, whether to sin or to obedience of God’s teaching that leads to righteousness, which results in eternal life “in Christ Jesus our Lord”. For those who reject God’s gift, death is eternal.
>>>TOP #46: Those who reject God’s will/POS will experience His wrath and destruction. [Rom. 9:22-29] Sodom and Gomorrah are cited as examples, and Paul cited Isaiah saying (in Isa. 10:22-23) only a remnant of Israel would be saved.
>>>TOP #87: The wicked will not go to heaven. [1Cor. 6:9-10] This includes the same sinners listed in TOP #85.
>>>TOP #130: Aim for perfection. [2Cor. 13:11, Phil. 3:12-15, Col. 1:10] This does not refer to having righteousness via spiritual circumcision or faith (TOP #24&47), justification, redemption (TOP #25) or reconciliation (TOP #30) that is obtained or imputed at the moment of conversion/repentance, but rather to actual righteousness, moral renewal (TOP 34,36&55), conforming to Christ (TOP #41), becoming loving and ceasing to sin (TOP #68&69).
TOJ #26: You should not divorce. [Matt. 5:31-32a//Mark 10:11//Luke 16:18a] Jesus said that
the only permissible reason for legal divorce is marital unfaithfulness or when the sin of spiritual divorce signified by adultery has already occurred. {Matt. 19:6-9//Mark 10:6-9} See TOJ #104 on the meaning of marriage.
The divine viewpoint, which all humans need to acquire, is that
sexual intimacy should mean marriage, that divorce is a spiritual disaster before it leads to a legal dissolution, and that neither divorce nor a miserable marriage are moral options.
This leaves only celibacy or a happy marriage as permissible alternatives.
>>>
TOJ #104: Marriage is a spiritual union until death. [MT 19:4-6] The phrase about leaving one’s father and mother means that a man—and a woman—should be ready for marriage by attaining a sufficient degree of independence from their parents, both financial and psychological. They should be prepared to become parents themselves, even if they hope not to have a child for awhile, which means they should be rather spiritually mature, having the same love for each other as Christ has for His bride, the church.
The marital commitment is (or should be, cf. TOJ #109) signified by sexual union or becoming “one flesh” (GN 2:24), although it may be proper to fulfill legal and traditional expectations such as licenses and ceremonies for the purpose of avoiding being “a stumbling block to the weak” (1CR 8:9), who do not understand the essence of marriage. Obviously, that which must not be separated is the spiritual unity, so the sin of divorce also is a spiritual event and reality before it becomes a legal one. This realization should motivate spouses to work on the quality of their communication before serious problems develop in their relationship. (See TOJ #26.)
>>>
TOJ #109: Do not commit adultery. [MT 19:18] Certainly, this teaching could be viewed as part of TOJ #24, but our society stresses (idolizes?) sexuality so much that it is needful to reiterate that sexual intercourse is the act of marriage in the eyes of God (TOJ #104), so that anyone who has sex with a second partner commits both fornication (extra-marital sex) and adultery.
Much of secular society (music, movies, etc.) normalizes (and almost requires via peer pressure) sexual sins (“playboys”, “responsible sex”, “alternative lifestyles”, etc.). Such morally weak people should hope someone invents a pill (called “Cold Shower”?) that diminishes their libido and temptation to be promiscuous! {MK 10:19, LK 18:20}
>>>
TOP #90: Marriage is the right relationship for sexual intimacy. [1Cor. 7:1-5, 25-28 & 36-39] Jesus taught this truth in Matt. 19:4-6.
>>>TOP #91: Marriage is optional for those having the gift of celibacy. [1Cor. 7:6-9] Jesus affirmed the option of celibacy in Matt. 19:11-12.
>>>TOP #92: Believers must not divorce, although unbelievers cannot be forced to stay. [1Cor. 7:10-15] Jesus forbade divorce except for marital unfaithfulness in Matt. 19:8-9.
>>>
TOP #123: Do not be yoked with unbelievers. [2Cor. 6:14] This applies not only to marriage but also to friendships as mentioned in TOP #112.
>>>
TOP #174: Marriage is a man and woman leaving their parents and becoming one flesh. [Eph. 5:31] Paul compares the marital relationship to that of Christ and the church. Jesus taught this concept of marriage in Matt. 19:4-6, citing Gen. 2:24.
>>>
TOP #233: Overseers and deacons of churches along with their wives must be mature Christians. [1Tim. 3:1-13, Tit. 1:5-9] The parameters cited by Paul include: monogamy, temperate, self-controlled, able to teach, hospitable, sober, peaceable, not a lover of money, able to manage his own family, not a recent convert and having a good reputation with nonbelievers.
>>>
TOP #235: False teachings include forbidding marriage and abstaining from good food. [1Tim. 4:2-5, cf. TOP #227] The issue regarding food sacrificed to idols is TOP #96, but perhaps this teaching includes dietary restrictions Moses gave the Israelites, which Paul called “godless myths and old wives’ tales” (v.7).