This past Sunday night our Pastor taught on the Biblical worldview of family regarding sex. As he shared on this topic in light of the Scriptures he taught from Leviticus 18, Deuteronomy 22, Romans 1, and 1 Corinthians 6. As you read through and hear out loud the things that God is having to pin point in Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22 that the Israelites are not to do, it is almost flabbergasting. God is having to flat-out tell the children of Israel that this is unacceptable. He is having to flat-out point it out because these are the things that the people in the land have been doing and are doing.
Many times our girls will read the warning labels on items. After learning some of the warnings they will look up at their Daddy and ask why on earth that certain thing had to be listed. Their Daddy simply replies, It’s on there because someone did it, and because that person or persons who did it probably sued the company because it didn’t work out for them. Now they have to put this specific warning label on it.
Our Pastor shared that unredeemed man (as in mankind which includes we women) left to themselves, their imaginations are evil and corrupt, and there is no depth to the depravity. For me, this is where the “do not judge” thing applies. No one else’s sin is any worse than my sin. We all, apart from Christ, have no limits to our ability to sin with the best of them, so I am not to write any soul off. Who am I to determine the limits of the grace and mercy of God? I am to share the Way, the Truth, and the Life with every soul in hopeful expectation of their eternal salvation.
As I read once again the words of Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22, my first gut reaction was to shudder and think not here, but that is thinking way to highly of the people of our modern day nations. All I had to do is be still long enough to think about some of the news headlines of the last ten years and reality hits like a brick in the face.
How does a person get to such a depraved state?
I am reading through the book of Genesis again and as I came to what I consider one of the hardest chapters in Scripture, Genesis 19, I saw some very familiar things… some similarities to our day.
Genesis 19 is the famous story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
In Genesis 13:13 we are introduced to the wickedness of Sodom.
In Genesis 19:3-5 we discover that the men of Sodom are sexually perverted and violent,
Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.”
In Ezekiel 16:49 we find out more about Sodom,
“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy“
There was more to Sodom than homosexuality. It was place of great selfishness and self gratification. It was also a place of people who refused to be corrected. This is what I believe is the true root behind the great sin of Sodom. There is not much left to do for a person who refuses to listen.
When you read through the first chapters of Exodus, you will see a phrase repeated over and over, he did not listen. It didn’t matter what God said or did through Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen. His refusal to listen led to his destruction. No wonder Jesus, so often said, he who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Now, we know from other verses of Scripture that Lot was a righteous man living in an unrighteous place. I, at first, just thought Lot was a complete idiot for choosing to move to Sodom, but I now believe that God allowed Lot and his family to move there as one final witness of righteousness to the people of this city. God was giving them one more chance to listen. However, the final words of the people of Sodom would be, HOW DARE YOU JUDGE ME!
But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, they said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door.
Genesis 19:9
Does this sound familiar?
Now, to what have the men of the city accused Lot of “passing judgment” on them? What horrible thing has Lot said to lead them to pull out the “do not judge” card?
But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.”
Genesis 19:6-7
Yep, that’s it. There it is. Lot’s exact words. Simply, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.”
As I met with a group of Children’s ministers this week, one of the questions asked was, what is the most quoted verse spoken by Jesus in the world today? My answer, do not judge, lest you be judged…
Yes, that’s it.
I have even seen people with the phrase, Only God can judge me, tattooed on their bodies.
I don’t know about you… but I don’t want God to have to judge me. Have you read the end of the book? Did you read what happened in Sodom when God had to judge?
God sent His Word and THE Word into the world so that we would not have to be judged, but so that we could find grace and receive mercy and be saved from judgement.
But we have to be willing to be corrected, to listen, to repent, if we are to be saved.
For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:3-8