Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works; evil works do not make a wicked man, but a wicked man does evil works.

The two prosecutors also delved into the president's personal life. How often did he cheat on his wife? With whom? How were trysts arranged? What were the president's sexual interests?

The church is often called a killjoy for protesting against sexual license. But the real killing of joy comes with the grabbing of pleasure. As with credit card usage. the price tag is hidden at the start, but the physical and emotional debt incurred will take a long time to pay off.

Since sin, the consequence of idolatry, is what keeps humans in thrall to the nongods of the world, dealing with sin has a more profound effect than simply releasing humans to go to heaven. It releases humans from the grip of the idols, so they can worship the living God and be renewed according to his image.

Sin," then, is not simply the breaking of God's rules. It is the outflowing of idolatry.

The first thing that is missing from the usual line of thought, then, is any attempt to show how Paul deals not just with "sin" itself, but with the idolatry that lies behind it and the ensuing loss of "glory.

idols get their power because humans, in sinning, give it to them. Deal with sin, and the idols are reduced to a tawdry heap of rubble. Deal with sin, and the world will glorify God.

Idolatry occurs when anything created to point you to God replaces God in the thoughts and desires of your heart.

those who are in the flesh cannot please God." — ROMANS 8:7-8

They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing after his neighbor’s wife.

Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,

Yet she multiplied her promiscuity, remembering the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt