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THE SIN OF SODOM AND THE GREATER SIN OF GOD'S PROFESSED PEOPLE - LOVERS OF PLEASURE [LEISURE] MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD
Revelation 3:19 ...'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.'
Many professed Christians when thinking about Sodom paint a picture of wickedness, a place that deserved to be destroyed by God. Many think that homosexuality was the one cause of Sodom's destruction. Yes, Jude 1:7 says concerning Sodom, that they "gave themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." So clearly fornication and homosexuality was a major problem. But many people do not know what God said Himself about Sodom in Ezekiel:
Ezekiel 16:48-50 ...'As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.'
Sound a lot like the "lukewarm Laodicea" church today?
Do you see the ROOT sin of Sodom? Was it homosexuality? No. And while that IS an abomination to God, the ROOT sin of Sodom was LOVE OF SELF - PRIDE - IDLENESS - ABUNDANCE - INDULGENCE - DOING NOTHING FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY. Does this describe God's professed people today? How quick we are to rebuke the wickedness of the world today. How quick we are to rebuke the sin of Sodom while we ourselves are living in the exact same way - pride, fulness of bread, abundance and idleness, doing practically NOTHING for God's kingdom and for those in need. We are good at 'doing church', hence the new term "Churchianity." But when it comes to actually LIVING the gospel message and FOLLOWING in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ, Oh! Lord have mercy on us! We are too 'busy' with the cares and comforts and desires of this life!
Luke 8:14 ...'And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.'
How much time do we spend studying God's Word compared with leisure activities? How much time do we spend in worship of God compared to watching TV, or playing games, or reading junk, going shopping, etc?? How much time do we spend in adorning ourselves with the latest fashion to make OURSELF look good, instead of adorning ourselves to bring glory to God? How much money do we spend on ourselves for clothes, food, holidays, cars, homes, etc, compared to helping those in need?? How much time do we spend talking about worldly nonsense and gossip, rather than talking heavenly things, and sharing the truth of the gospel??
Have you ever read about Jesus or the disciples of Christ in the Bible being concerned about their houses, how nice or big or modern or comfortable they were? No. Have you ever read about them being concerned about gaining more wealth, gaining more material things, going on holidays, filling their wardrobes with the latest fasions? No! So why do the professed people of God do these things today? We fill our lives with so much junk and care so much about how we look on the outside rather than the inside that Jesus is pushed out. It's time to repent and turn back to the Lord before it's too late.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 ...'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.'
Is having a 'form of godliness' going to do us any good? No! We have to be DEAD to sin, DEAD to the world and have true godliness, through Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20). Now look back at verse 48 of Ezekiel above. The Lord was speaking to Jerusalem - His people (Ezekiel 16:2-3). And what did God say to Jerusalem? That Sodom had NOT done what God's professed people had done. In other words, God's professed people had committed a GREATER SIN than Sodom! Think about it. What did God's professed people have that the people of Sodom didn't? LIGHT AND TRUTH of the gospel message. But what did God's professed people do with that? 'Professed' to accept it, but continued LIVING FOR SELF and the world. And what will be the outcome of that?
Matthew 11:21-24 ...'Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And THOU, CAPERNAUM, WHICH ART EXALTED UNTO HEAVEN, SHALT BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That IT SHALL BE MORE TOLERABLE FOR THE LAND OF SODOM IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, THAN FOR THEE.'
Wow! Are you seeing this? Capernaum represents God's professed people, who have been 'exalted unto heaven' through the light and truth of the gospel message. But look what will happen to them because of their love of self! Wake up! Wake up! And surrender your life to Christ!
"Oh but we are God's people, He will not leave us" ... Then you have better read this - "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 1:5). Pleasing SELF and holding onto this world and the things of this world is unbelief. So we had better learn to let go quickly!
Oh friends! Are you truly walking in the light? Are you truly living by faith? Or are you still living for SELF, in idleness, with 'fulness of bread' and indulgence and entertainment, doing virtually nothing for the kingdom of God? If we do not WALK in the light that has been given us, then we commit a GREATER sin than that of Sodom. While God is saying ..."This is the way, walk ye in it" .. Satan is saying .. "relax, take it easy and enjoy your life." The question is, who's voice are you listening to?
Jeremiah 6:16-19 ...'Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.'
How many are "rejecting God's law" today? MOST professed Christians are rejecting God's law today by worshipping the false trinity god of Rome in place of the one true God of the Bible. And by keeping the sabbath of Rome (Sunday) in place of God's 7th day Sabbath as per the 4th commandment. Wake up dear friends! Wake up!
"The fearful doom of Sodom stands forth as a warning for all time, and ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE LAST DAYS. The destruction of Sodom was a symbol of the destruction that will come upon the finally impenitent, when tempests of fire come from above, and fountains of flame break forth from the crust of the earth. THE FATE OF THIS ANCIENT CITY SHOULD BE A WARNING TO ALL WHO LIVE FOR SELF, and who corrupt their ways before God. The sin of Sodom is the sin of many cities now in existence, that have not been destroyed as was Sodom. Ezekiel says, 'Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me; therefore I took them away as I saw good.' The warning that was given to Lot comes down to us who live in this degenerate age,--'Escape for thy life.' [But] the voice of the tempter is crying peace and safety. The evil one would have you feel that you have nothing to fear, and bids you eat, drink, and be merry. WHICH VOICE WILL YOU HEED, THE VOICE OF HEAVEN, OR THE VOICE THAT LURES YOU TO DESTRUCTION? The Redeemer of the world, the compassionate Friend of man, discloses to our eyes the fact THAT THERE IS A SIN GREATER THAN THE SIN OF SODOM. IT IS THAT OF SINNING AGAINST GREATER LIGHT. To those who have heard and have not heeded the gospel invitation to repent and have faith in Christ, the sin is greater than was the sin of Sodom. To those who have professed the name of Jesus, who have professed to know God, and to keep his commandments, and yet who have misrepresented Christ in their daily life and character, who have been warned and entreated, and still dishonor their Redeemer by their unconsecrated lives, the sin is greater than that of Sodom." (Signs of the Times, Oct.16, 1893, par.6-7)
So what are we counselled to do? ... Philippians 2:5-8 ...'LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: BUT MADE HIMSELF OF NO REPUTATION, AND TOOK UPON HIM THE FORM OF A SERVANT, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.'
Please think about this friend. The Son of the Most High God, who was 'equal with God' made Himself of 'no reputation', humbling Himself, becoming a SERVANT and 'obedient unto death.' Jesus gave His ALL to save us, becoming a man for all eternity (1 Timothy 2:5) - FOR US! THIS IS THE MIND WE ARE TO HAVE! Do we see the SACRIFICE that has been made for us? Well, do we then see the SIN, the UTTER SIN in 'accepting' that sacrifice and then continuing to live for SELF in leisure, idleness and abundance? This would make us no better than those of Sodom! And the result will be as Christ said to the Laodicean churches - "I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Rev.3:16). I hope you are seeing the important of this.
"Giving Christ, God has given everything. Nothing greater, nothing more costly, could He bestow. IN GIVING HIS SON, HE GAVE ALL HEAVEN, not because of any goodness or righteousness that we possess, but because He loved us." (Manuscript Releases, Vol.18, 337)
Are you giving YOUR ALL in return for what God has given for you to save you?
Romans 12:1-2 ...'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.'
Mark 8:34-35 ...'Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.'
Do you understand what these verses are saying? What does it mean to 'present your body a living sacrifice'? What does it mean to 'deny self and take up your cross'? Look at what Jesus did and how He lived. He gave HIS ALL for us. He gave HIS ALL for the poor and needy. He gave HIS ALL to share the truth. Look at how the apostles lived. They gave THEIR ALL for the gospel. Are you? This world and everything in it is passing away, soon to become dust. So what are you holding onto? Are you holding onto dust or eternal life? Now it's easy to say ... "Oh I'm holding onto eternal life!" ... But does your life SHOW that you are? Are you turning away from all sin, allowing Jesus to change you into His character? What are you spending your time on? The kingdom of God or this world (the kingdom of Satan)? ... "Ye shall know them by their fruit." (Matthew 7:16)
Galatians 2:20 ...'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'
Is Christ truly living IN YOU? Or are you still living for SELF and the world? Remember the sin of Sodom? "PRIDE, FULNESS OF BREAD, AND ABUNDANCE OF IDLENESS WAS IN HER AND IN HER DAUGHTERS, NEITHER DID SHE STRENGTHEN THE HAND OF THE POOR AND NEEDY." Jesus is coming back soon, and the only way that we will be ready for Him and for heaven, is for us to DIE to self and let Christ live His holy life in us.
Please also see our page CHRIST AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS