Judgement and Preservation

• • Many will follow _____ <examine sensuality in a minute>
    • • We can say they are NOT following Christ
      • God has given this warning before
        • • Moses said, after my death, many will turn aside and do what is evil
          • Long history of Israel
      • Jesus said enter by the narrow gate
        • • Many will fall away and many false prophets will arise
          • They will perform great signs and wonders
  • Who is them?  
    • • The false teachers who follow their sensuality??? –
        • • Sensuality – The enjoyment, expression, or pursuit of physical, especially sexual, pleasure.
          • Lasciviousness“; – lewd; lustful
          • Vulgate Latin version renders it, “their luxuries“;
          • The Syriac version renders it, “their impurity“;
          • The Arabic version, “their unchastities“;
          • The Ethiopic version, “their lust“
      • They are CALLED Christians
        • • How do we know this?
          • because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
  • We like to see the best in people, especially at a funeral
    • • Have you been to a funeral where someone wasn’t going to heaven?
        • • Chances are not everyone is going to heaven
            • • The road is broad leading to destruction???
      • Ministers guide tells us not to speculate on the person’s destination
      • The Bible tells us only God knows the heart
        • • BUT, what else does the Bible tell us???
          • Does the Bible give us warnings?
            • • There is a STRONG warning in this text
              • Judgement will come for these people and their followers
              • Also in Jude — parallels

1. 1. The judgement of the ancient world of Noah’s day
   2. Israel’s judgement
   3. The judgement of the angels
   4. The judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah
      1. 1. If these are judged so are the false teachers

• • To these people, Jesus is ONLY our saviour, not LORD
    • • Profess one thing and do another?
  • We are teaching the Commandments on Wednesday
    • • The commandments are deeper than most Christians think

• • Why is the “way of truth cursed,” (blasphemed, NASB maligned)
    • • Answer is in the text
      • Because of them
        • • How would you like to meet God and hear him say, “Because of you, people curse my truth!”
  • I am a friend of God – Many sing this song
    • • Friends, KNOW you?
        • • They know what you like and what you hate
          • God hates sin, God will not punish the sin but the sinner

• • Can a Christian live like the devil’s child?
  • What do we mean when we say “way of truth?”
    • • Way to Christ
      • Christ is the truth

• • Self-serving, greedy preachers
  • Are you mad enough to sell your soul to hear flattering words??? – Calvin

 

THIS SHOULD BE THE PRAYER OF OUR HEARTS

• • They were ALREADY condemned
    • • Before they had committed any evil
        • • Just like in Romans 9 with Jacob and Esau
  • What about this text?
    • • They are vessels of wrath prepared for destruction

• • Judgement from long ago, and grace from long ago

• • The MAIN POINT is if all 4 examples were judged (Angels, Noah’s day, Isreal, Sodom and Gomorrah)
  • The word for hell is Tartarus  tart-tar-us
    • • Peter borrows from Greek mythology to describe this place
      • The term is only used once in the Bible
      • Greek – Think of a place where the worst of the worst prisoners would go, this is one level below that!
      • Some make the mistake of NOT equating this to people but ONLY angels, COMPARE:::

• • We can ONLY trust in God!!!  NOT ourselves!!!
    • • God preserved Noah
      • God preserved Lot
  • Noah, a herald of righteousness
    • • Simply means preacher
      • Noah preached repentance!
  • Interesting:  How many listened to Noah???
    • • Was Noah a failed preacher?
      • Where was Noah’s revival?
      • Will we see another revival?  Up to God
        • • Man can not generate a revival
          • A revival without changed people is false
  • Hypercalvinist – no need to evangelize???
    • • What will be will be
      • How is someone saved?  By hearing the Gospel
      • Evangelism is required

• • Size of a church:  Small church podcast
    • • Often can’t support a full-time pastor and his family
      • At least we have more than Noah, Lot and Luther

• • Simple math:
    • • 1 = 5, 10 or 20% of the church body
      • Everyone must do their part
      • Everyone must evangelize
        • • How God has blessed us
  • There are large churches who have remained true to God’s Word
  • There are also many large “popular” churches who have not remained true
    • • God will preserve His Church

• • Do you sometimes think you are alone?
    • • Think about Lot and Noah
        • • It tormented Lot
      • Does sin bother you?  It should!
        • • The other day, Facebook message, forward to 30 friends and God will reward you.  God has a gift waiting for you.
            • • This is blasphemous, using our God in vain
              • Using our God for pleasures of the flesh
      • The flippant use of God, and Jesus Christ as a curse word
        • • • • Start using Muhammad
      • All the celebration of out of wedlock babies
      • The identification of a person with sin and the pride associated with it
        • • The waving of the rainbow flag, a symbol God gave after he destroyed people for blatant sin
      • And the list goes on and on…
        • • But God, rescued Lot…
          • How did God rescue Lot?
          • How did God rescue Noah?
            • • He DESTROYED the wicked and made a way of escape for the righteous
  • Our way is Christ
    • • Anyone not in Christ will be judged
        • • They will depart to the eternal destruction
  • It’s NOT following a list of do’s and don’ts
  • It’s NOT saying a few words and living like the Devil’s child
    • • It’s a changed heart that ONLY God can provide
      • It’s living according to the Spirit and not the flesh
      • It’s having Jesus as both LORD and SAVIOUR

• • Believe… not in someone, not in yourself
  • Believe, in God and Jesus Christ
  • Anyone who does not have Christ’s righteousness will meet eternal destruction
  • There are no magic words
  • There are no rituals
  • There are no works
  • There is only belief in Christ
    • • Then live by the Spirit and not the flesh
      • Do not be mad enough to sell your soul to a greedy false preacher