Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Yesterday we looked at two of the warnings that God gave regarding apostasy. Apostasy is not a good thing. Rejecting the only hope of man is not a good thing. The faith once delivered unto the saints is important. The Bible is clear that there is only one body of truth and that is the Bible. Not just any Bible. For the English speaking world it is the King James Version. The Bible is also clear that there is only one true God. That God is described in the Bible as the godhead. The godhead consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Bible is also clear that there is only one way of salvation and that is through repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no shortcut to salvation. Many think there is, but they are wrong. Follow God’s way and be forgiven and saved. You will be blessed in doing so.
The saints of Jude’s day were in danger of becoming careless with the faith once delivered unto the saints. The third illustration that God used to warn the saints was that of Sodom and Gomorrha. God states their sin was that of fornication. Fornication is a sexual sin. God described it as going after strange flesh. That strange flesh is described in Genesis 18 and 19. The men of Sodom lusted after other men. That is described as an abomination to God. God created man as male and female. He designed a man to marry a female and be fruitful and multiply. God did not design a male to seek intimate relations with another man. God did not create a woman to seek intimate relations with another woman. Beastiality is another level of wickedness. Romans 1 states that sodomy is the result of the rejection of God.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
We are living in a time when sodomy is being pushed by ungodly governments and by society in general. Sadly, there are many religions that claim to believe in God that also either endorse or accept sodomy as a natural way of life for some. Most people are willingly ignorant of God’s truth and they just assume that sodomy is a natural thing.
There was an article in the news this week reporting that anthropologists were facing a fight over whether bones were transgender. Transgender is just another way to skirt around God’s clear condemnation of sodomy. The intent of this article is to suggest that people are born in some type of a fluid state and they choose their gender. One country is considering a law that will allow its citizens to choose their gender once a year. Talk about wickedness. When a person rejects the true God, they have no foundation to build upon. There is no certainty. The only thing these wicked people are certain of is that they cannot be certain about anything and thus they reject anyone who would state that a person is born either male or female according to God’s design.
In Genesis 18 Abraham tried to intercede for the people of Sodom. He pleaded with God to spare the city if there were a minimum of 10 righteous people there. The sad reality is that there were not even 10 righteous people there. Lot had moved into Sodom by this time. He was of no help to the people. He is described as a just man by God, but God also tells us that he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. He knew they were doing wrong, but he was quiet about it. What a shameful place to be.
Genesis 19 tells us that two angels came to Sodom and Lot did not recognize them as angels. Angels do not need to appear like some supernatural entity. These angels were indistinguishable from other men. In the Bible angels are always presented as men.
The men of Sodom proved their wickedness while Lot entertained these two angels. Lot was in such a compromised state that he was willing to give the vile men of Sodom his two daughters for them to defile. What a sad state of affairs. The angels intervened in Lot’s foolish plot and they pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door and smote the men outside with blindness. They were already spiritually blind and now they were struck with physical blindness. There was no reasoning with those men. They were so far gone that the only solution was their destruction. Lot was told to get his family together and get out of the city.
Even after all that Lot had witnessed, he was reluctant to leave that wicked place. The angels had to take him by the hand and lead him and his wife and two daughters out of the city. Lot was told where to flee to, but he argued with the angels about that as well.
Jude was told to use this illustration to warn about the result of turning away from the faith once delivered unto the saints. We noted in Jude 1:5 that the saints were becoming careless in their walk with God. We see here that God does not tolerate carelessness among His children. He addressed it and gave these warnings.
Those men of Sodom and Gomorrha chose wickedness and the wrath of God was upon them. Due to their wicked choice there is no hope for them.
It is important to understand that there is no second chance for man after death. Death is final. When the wicked die, they only have the great white throne judgment awaiting them. They are immediately cast into hell at death. They are in torment there until the great white throne judgment. There is no trial to see if someone is “mistakenly” in hell. All those who are there will be exposed for their wickedness and then cast into the lake of fire.
God does not want anyone to end up in hell nor does He want anyone to end up in the lake of fire.
II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The people of Sodom and Gomorrha are set as an example for all of humanity. In today’s society, ungodly people have tried to twist the account of Sodom and Gomorrha, but that will not save them. The truth is there for all to read. Jude was told to write it down here. Evangelists, pastors and teachers are required to preach the Word. We cannot be politicians. We must be God fearing men who love people enough to warn them even if they do not want to hear it.
Society does not determine truth. The loudest voice does not determine truth. God has already declared truth and those who are wise will submit to God’s truth and be forgiven and saved. Those who are saved need to be reminded of the importance of contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints. By the time a religion has come to accepting sodomy as legitimate, they are already apostate. You do not need to wait that long before you leave it. If you are saved you will know that.
The illustration of the frog in the pot comes to mind. A true church will never allow the water to get hot and harm the “frogs.” A true church will continually teach the truth and part of that will be warning against the temptations of the devil.
The pastor may not be popular, but he will be blessed by God. That is what counts. The few who are seeking to grow will also appreciate a man who loves them enough to teach the whole counsel of God.
Pastor Bartel
