We've been going through the book of Jude on Tuesday nights and we've been going back and re-reading the first few verses each time. And the purpose of that, if I haven't said already, the purpose of that is the book of Jude is not simply a book of one-liners that he wrote this letter to a people and he intended, because he was brief, he chose his words carefully, he wanted this letter to be short and easy to understand so that the reader would not mistake what was going on. He wanted this bell to ring crystal clear. So as we read through it, we're not just going to read each verse individually. We're going to go back and not rehash everything that's said, but we are going to catch the context. And I'm going to say this up front so I don't forget later. I told Gary we were discussing some of these things. The three groups that are that are put together here in Jude in verse 5 we're talking about the We had talked about those meant those spies who gave the false report the evil report Not that they lied that there were giants in the land because there were there sure were But the evil report came from swaying a group from trusting in God and to living a life of victory crossing over The second group we have here in chapter, in verse 6, we looked at last time. These angels which had already fallen, had followed Lucifer in the fall, but they had evidently followed this other creature, and they had, because they could not multiply within themselves, they had to go unto mankind, and they were, the sons of God, these angels were multiplying with the daughters of men. But they did so by recruitment. They could not duplicate themselves. And the people of Israel, overnight, could not duplicate the agenda of not following God. They had to use recruitment to do that. Now, today, tonight, rather, we're going to be looking at the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, we've heard the term Sodomy. due to the nature of what these things are, we're going to handle it lightly. To say it lightly, a sodomite is a person who is acting, boys are liking boys and girls are liking girls. They're acting in a way that is not compatible with married life. Can boys who prefer boys, can they get married? The United States says yes. The Word of God says no. But we know just by looking at the science of it that two men cannot reproduce and two women cannot reproduce. That they have to have recruitment. So they have to win people over to their idea, their way of thinking, and then they can continue. So that certain men who have crept in unawares have historically corrupted at least these three well-known groups by a system of recruitment. And Jude is telling us, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, excuse me, let's go to the Lord in prayer. Precious Heavenly Father, we ask that you would guide us in this service tonight. Lord, we ask that you would show us your glory in your word. We ask, Lord, that we would dare not take ourselves up in pride, Lord, thanking God we're not such as these. But Lord, we should beg for mercy. Lord, we should beg for mercy from our own sins, and Lord, all sin is sin against you. Lord, we ask that you would protect this congregation. Lord, that you would protect us from certain men who would collaborate. Lord, who would try to sway those of faith. Lord, we ask that you would protect us, Lord, and that we would be diligent about searching out the things of God, Lord, that we would identify error And Lord, that we would first of all identify any error that has been within ourselves. Let us be eager to learn. And Lord, let us be eager to be corrected by the word of God. Lord, teach us today. We ask in Jesus name. Amen. Jude here says the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to them that are sanctified by God, the father preserved in Jesus Christ and called. We know who we're talking to. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation of the way that we're all saved, he made speed in doing it. It was needful for me. I could not pass up this opportunity. I had to do it. It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." A few moments ago, Sister Hallie, and I know she didn't mean to do it, and it wasn't like she offended me in any way, but Sister Hallie, she just forgot. She clearly forgot. And I believe it was an honest mistake, and I don't want to beat her up. But she forgot. She was going to sing a song, and it was a beautiful song without that head covering. We need to be so diligent in our services that we inspect everything said, everything done. And if I say something even in a prayer that doesn't make sense, it would be the obligation of you men to pull me aside and say, what did you mean by that? If I say something behind the pulpit is the obligation of you Lex, you Gary, you Adam, you Logan to say, what did you mean by that? Because this is not Joey Newell Baptist Church. This is Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, the church of the living God. And there's not any one of us that is more important than the other. But the most important thing is the Word of God, even Jesus Christ Himself. It's to earnestly contend for the faith. Jude didn't say, except when it's mom or dad, or except when it's brother or sister, or except when it's whoever. He said earnestly contend for the faith. Jesus Himself said that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will turn father against son, mother against daughter, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and the whole shebang. We're to earnestly contend for the faith. It's also interesting, and Hallie again, I don't mean to embarrass you, she came up here with no shoes. A million times over, I'm glad she had no shoes on, that tickles me to death. Shoes, I don't care, this isn't a restaurant, no shoes, no service, no, come on up with no shoes. But we do need to take these things seriously. So, for there were certain men that crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness. What's lasciviousness mean? Lex or Logan, what's lasciviousness mean? This is now the seventh time we've read through this. What's lasciviousness mean? Either one of you. Covetousness? No. Logan, you got one? Adam says lawlessness, and that's the correct answer. Lasciviousness, write it in your Bible right next to it, lawlessness. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, or lawlessness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. That's a huge statement. It's blasphemy is also what that is. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, under the judgment of the great day." So that's two groups of very, very definite, very final outcomes there. Now verse 7, Even as Sodom, or exactly like Sodom, the same experiences, just like them, even as Sodom and Gomorrah, 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. It's a very drastic thing we're looking at. A very terrible thing that we're looking at. He remembers the common salvation. He exhorts to earnestly contend and also the reason that certain men have crept in unawares and lasciviousness. that we have three groups. Those in Israel, those are the fallen angels, and those now in Sodom and Gomorrah. And in succession, the Israel, they were in destruction, they were destroyed. The angels, they're under everlasting chains, under darkness, under the judgment of the great day. And now we have a third group that shall suffer for an example. They're set forth as an example to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. These are not three groups that you would like to pattern yourself after. Definitely not. So Jude is exhorting us today, right now, to pay attention. Because these are the extremes of what can happen. But this can happen. This can happen. So what did happen? Let's look at the account here. Turn back in Genesis. We might know these things, we might not. It's interesting that we've been looking at the book of Genesis now since early April and we're going to, it's actually not this week but next week, we're going to be looking at this same chapter more in depth. It's concerning Lot and the people of Sodom. And it's interesting also that we're now on month two of looking at Jude and we're coming to the exact same place at time. I love that kind of harmony within the services. And trust me, I'm not that skilled to plan that kind of thing out. So Genesis chapter 18, please. Genesis chapter 18, and the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre, that's Abraham, and he sat in the tent in the heat of the day. And he lift up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the front door, from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground. Why am I backing up to this? Because there's some very interesting groundwork that we're gonna look at here. And said, my Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant. This is, again, Abraham speaking to these three, two angels and the Lord himself. Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort you your hearts, After that you shall pass on, and therefore are you come to your servant. And they said, so do as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran into the herd to fetch a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man. And he hasted to dress it, or to prepare it for the meal. And he took butter and milk and the calf, which he had dressed, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree and did eat. And they did eat. So why did I read all that? Because I want you all to know who he's talking about. And they said unto him, where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, behold, in the tent. He said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life, or according to the time of pregnancy. And lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. So he's talking about they're going to have a child, and of course, what it takes to have a child. So that is a contrast to what's going on in Sodom. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. She was too old to have kids. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure in my Lord being old also? So it's possible for women to have children in older ages, but it's less likely, the longer you go in life, the less likely for a first child to have a child. And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child which am old? Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laugh not. For she was afraid, and he said, Nay, but thou didst laugh." So we're talking about an omniscient being here. That's what you need to know. We're talking about an omniscient God who knows the thoughts and the minds of man. So nothing escapes Him. So if He can perceive the thoughts of laughter in the mind of Sarah, you better believe He heard the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sinner, do not think you can hide a thing from God. That's why we're reading these verses. Little jewels that are hidden in that. And the men rose up from the fence and looked towards Sodom, and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him. Adam, Lex, Logan, you are to be young men who lead your families after the Lord. That is your responsibility. Does it start at 10 and at 12? Yes, it does. Yes, it certainly does. Adam, I don't know how old you are, but yes, it does. That the time has already started you are to command your children and your household After you and the things of the Lord and they shall keep the way of the Lord We're not going to read it tonight But if you look at this when Abram was taking up Isaac to the mountain Isaac says we have the wood we have the altar But where is the sacrifice Isaac knew what it took to worship the Lord Abraham had taught him So, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment. And the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he had spoken of him. Yes, I'm going to tell him because he's mine. God reveals his will in his word. He declares his will. I don't know what God wants in my life. Well, what's his word say? That's a good place to start. And the Lord said, because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grievous. So all sin is bad. All sin is worthy of condemnation. All sin, my sin, put Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. So the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah To say it's more sin than my sin is a pretty arrogant attitude. And to say that it deserves more judgment than any other person's sin is also an arrogant attitude. And it's all treason against the Lord. But what makes this so different, this sin? We'll look at it. I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which has come unto me. And if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence and went towards Sodom, but Abram stood yet before the Lord. So Abraham was trying to talk the Lord out of destroying the city. That's what happens in the rest of the chapter. And he started at a high number and he worked his way down. What about this? What about this? What about this? And God says, yeah, if there's that many, then I'll spare it. Look at verse 31. He said, behold, now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord peradventure, or perhaps, or maybe there shall be 20 found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for 20 sake. And he said, oh, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak yet. But this once peradventure, or perhaps, or maybe 10 shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for 10 sake. Or if there's 10 just people in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, I will spare them. You know, people tease me. where I work, how many people were there? Well, the people that are here, we could have spared Sodom and Gomorrah, the members. I'm sure Sodom and Gomorrah would love to have 10 believers in their city. Kind of sobers it up a little bit, doesn't it, Gary? And the Lord went his way, and soon as he had left continuing communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned unto his place. And there came two angels to Sodom and Eve, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. That's where they did business. And Lot, seeing them, rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground and said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servants' house. Why? Why the urgency? Why did he grab these two complete strangers and said, You better get in here and tarry all night and wash your feet and ye shall rise early and go on your ways. And they said, Nay, but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly. He had no idea who they were, but he apprehended them. No, you can't do that. And they turned in unto him and entered into his house, and he made them a feast. He created a great banquet for them and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. But before they lay down, the men of Sodom even the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed or surrounded, compassed means surrounded, they surrounded the house round, both old and young, old and young, all the people from every quarter, from every part of the city, old and young men. And they called unto Lot and said unto him, where are the men? which came into thee this night. Bring them out unto us, that we may know them." We may know them. Turn over to Genesis chapter 4. Verse 1, And Adam knew his wife, and she conceived and bared Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. This knowledge is a knowledge of intimacy. They wanted to know these men. They wanted to know these men. They wanted to know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them and shut the door after him. So he went out into the city, shut the door, the men are inside, it's just Lot outside. And said, I pray you, brethren, do not sow wickedly. Behold, now I have two daughters which have not known man, Let Me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye unto them as it is good in your eyes." Do a thing that is still evil, but do a thing that is convenient. Do a thing that was created from the first, male and female. Only unto these men do no thing. for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof." Because they were strangers in the land and He was hosting them, Lot, they were under Lot's responsibility. And it was such a responsibility as it was in the custom of that day that he would rather give over his daughters to this mob than a stranger to this mob. And they said, stand back. And they said again, this one fellow came to sojourn and he will need to be a judge. Lot, he's not even from here and you're going to judge me? They said. Now we will deal worse with thee than with them. If you thought what we were going to do to them is bad, we're going to do it to you worse. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand and pulled Lot into the house to them and shut the door. And they smote them that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door. They literally had blind in them. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou hear any besides, or is anybody else here? Son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place. For we will destroy this place, because of the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, ye out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But he sinned as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law." Christians. Church people. Be very careful over your witness, that when you have something urgent to say, someone will believe you. That someone sees the matter. That's something that I definitely need to work on. I enjoy a good joke, but when it's time to get serious, if I joke too much, maybe someone won't hear what I had to say. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two sons, which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city with fire, like Jude told us about. And while he lingered, the man laid hold upon his hand and upon the hand of his wife, these two angels, and upon the hand of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful unto him." It wasn't that Lot was so great, it was God showed mercy unto him. And they brought him forth and set him without the city. And it came to pass when he had brought them forth abroad and said, Escape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou all the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. Skip down to verse 21. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, and I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken. So Lot escaped to a neighboring city, not the mountain. hastily and escaped thither, for I cannot do anything till thou come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar." That's a good example of a pre-tribulation rapture. God cannot destroy the city until God's people are taken out of it. The sun was risen upon the earth and Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. He wasn't joking about it then, he's not joking about it now. And he overthrew those cities and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But then verse 26, But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt, and Abraham got up early in the morning. to the place where he stood before the Lord. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt." Does God mean business? He sure does. These men, what they had exactly done, they had exactly scoffed at the natural order that God had set forth from the beginning. We read part of what Peter said about this last time. Look at 2 Peter 2. It says in verse 1, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you. Sounds a lot like Jew, doesn't it? Who privately or in a side under the table gathering a consensus and a cohort and recruiting folks shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow in their pernicious ways." What does pernicious mean? Destructive. It means destructive. Cancer is pernicious. It eats and it kills. Pernicious. Destructive. "...by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." You mark these people, young men. I keep referencing the men, Adam and Lex and Logan. Yes, it is the duty of you ladies, too, to be looking for these things, Jill, Charlesie, Hallie. But ultimately, under headship guidelines, it's you men that have responsibility to mark these people and flush them out. And through covetousness shall they be famed or boasting or lifting words make merchandise of you. They will come in and they will flatter you. They will tell you how great you are, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not." Or that condemnation that they were ordained unto from long past, it's not far away, it lingers not. And their damnation slumbereth not, the fire is kindled. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly." Now look, verse 6, "...and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow." It's an example of destruction. making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly. And delivered just Lot vexed or troubled." The word vexed means troubled. Troubled with filthy conversation of the wicked. Because Lot was in the gate and he knew the men right away as strangers, he knew the wickedness of the men of Sodom and he grabbed these people and said, get in the door. It troubled him. Not enough to move, because remember Lot favored the plane when Abraham said, you go one way, I'll go the other. Lot favored the plane, but it did trouble him. For the righteous man dwelling among them and seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. What's unlawful about what they were doing? Indeed. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. The Lord, by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, knows how to deliver from temptations, through conditions of adversity, through afflictions or trouble. But ultimately, He knows how to deliver from the wrath to come in Jesus Christ. and to reserve the unjust under the day of judgment to be punished." That word, reserve, that we read in 2 Peter, is the same Greek word used in Jude 6, when it said that He hath reserved those fallen angels in everlasting chains under darkness, same word. So He reserved the unjust under the day of judgment to be punished. Verse 10, but chiefly, chiefly, most above all, them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, those that walk in the lust of lasciviousness, lawlessness, lawlessness. They walk or behave in flesh or depravity of humanity, in a lust or desire, craving, uncleanness, defilement and pollution. They despise government, Despise means to disdain or to think little of. But government means much more than poles that they're talking about today. It means much more than civility. The word government also has a context meaning of dominion, power, and lordship. So read it again. But chiefly, or above all, they walk after the flesh or the depravity of their human lust or desires of uncleanness or defilement and despise dominion, power, and lordship." Homosexuality does all that? You better believe it does. We'll show you in just a moment. Presumptuous. What in the world does that mean? Lex and Logan, get your pen out. That's a big word. Presumptuous. It means daring. It means failing to observe limits of what is permitted or appropriate. Failing to observe limits. You could cut the definition off right there. Failing to observe limits. Well, who set the limit? That's an excellent question. They're presumptuous, are they? Self-willed. Well, guess what? If they're ignoring limits, well, who sets the limits? Well, they do, because they're self-willed. Remember a fool, his ways are right in his own eyes? These people are self-willed. They're foolish. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Self-willed means self-pleasing. They're arrogant. They're only concerned with their own desires. Not afraid means no fear, no dread, no trembling. Well, the fool has said in his heart there is no God or God would have to conform to him, his own self. But these men, doing whatever they feel like they need to be doing, they were not afraid in the least. They were not afraid. And speaking evil, they reproachfully rail or blaspheme the lordship and the dominion and the power that they so despise. These dignities, it does concern judgment or an elevated person, but it also considers splendor and brightness, such as the sun and the moon. It describes in the Greek a majesty as pertaining to God and supreme rule and perfection in deity." This doesn't just mean that they defy the local magistrate or the local constable. They were defying and speaking evil against God by their actions. What could be so terrible? The Most High. The Most High in a glorious condition in an exalted state. That's what these dignities, speaking evil of dignities. So how does this apply to what Judah is saying? In Ecclesiastes chapters 1 and 2, We're not going to read the whole thing, so please breathe easy there. Solomon, the preacher, speaks of the vanity of life. In chapter 3, he speaks of the seasons of life. To everything there's a season, a time and purpose under heaven. But the context of life is being fleeting and vain. All life is vain, he says. Vain, vain, vain. Life is vain. All is vanity. And then, to everything there is a season, a time and purpose under heaven, a time to be born, a time to die, and so on. The ups and downs of life. It's fleeting, it's vain. In chapter 3, verses 12 and 13, he speaks of the fleeting joys of his life are a gift of God. We can read that. Look at Ecclesiastes, please. And we'll read a piece of chapter 3. Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verses 12 and 13. He says, Then I saw wisdom. That's chapter 2. Still there. Chapter 3, in verse 12 and 13, and I know there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life. There's no good in being born and being dead, a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together. It's all fleeting. It means nothing long term. Verse 13. and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God." Well, the first thing, these men that speak evil of dignities, they are denying the Lord that gave every man in his season the joys of life along with the sorrow. He's denying these things. He denies that these sinners, they deny that God reigns on the just and the unjust alike. Chapter 3 and verses 14 and 15, I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. We're talking about an eternal being, an omniscient being, an omnipotent being, an omnipresent being. It's always right now to Him. They deny these things. And again, he speaks of the denying that God would even give them air to breathe and water to drink. So Jude, what is he saying here in verse 7? The people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities round about them. It wasn't just a local thing that happened here in verse 7. Even Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities round about them, the cities about them in like manner were destroyed by this fire. A little sin spoils much, and a little leaven leaveneth a whole lump." Do you see the urgency of why Jude is saying, be alert, be diligent, and watch out for these men, for they shall creep in unawares. They have crept in unawares, he said. And like men are similar to those in Israel and the fallen angels, they gave themselves over to a lust, the lust of their hearts, and by recruitment they gave themselves over to fornication. Fornication translates to be unchaste, to give over to certain desires. A quick definition, fornication is outside of marriage, adultery is inside of marriage. So know those two words. They're different. It's the same thing, but they're different. Sodomites can never be married and sodomy, according to God's definition, is outside the bounds of marriage. That's why He says that they gave themselves over to fornication. Because a sodomite cannot commit adultery. It's impossible. Why? Because they can't be married. Right? You see that? So they gave themselves over in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication. To what? Going after strange flesh. Strange flesh. Other or opposed to former person or a thing. In the same class, nature, or form. Okay? So just in general, we are homo sapiens. Homo means same. Hetero means different. So two things, male and male, cannot coexist. Not for long, anyway. So, what do we do with this? Romans chapter, please look at Romans chapter one. And I know you ladies looked at Romans chapter 1, but there's a good bit in here that Paul specifically writes concerning the behavior of homosexuality. Romans chapter 1, please. And we'll begin reading in verse 16. Romans chapter 1 verse 16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, whereas the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. So salvation, God through the work of Jesus Christ, all manner of people, not without exception, but without distinction. There's no type of people that God won't save through the work of Christ, is what he's saying. So thank God for salvation because as we read these different kinds of sins, every one of us fit into these categories. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. Well, who's just and who gives faith? Those are all God matters. He gives faith and He justifies people. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who the truth in unrighteousness Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it unto them. So God presents Himself, even for the folks who don't have the gospel to them, God has presented Himself as God. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. All you have to do is look up in the night sky and you know there's a God and you know He has power and you know He always existed, just by looking up. That's the conclusion you should come to. So that they're without excuse. Because that when they knew God, who's they? Adam and Eve. When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. Neither were thankful. Adam and Eve were not thankful. So what'd they do? but became vain in their imaginations. They wanted to be gods themselves. Genesis chapter 3. And their foolish heart was darkened. They fell in sin, professing themselves to be wise. Hey, I got this figured out. I can be like a god. They became fools. A fool's way is right in his own eyes, right? And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man. So God was God, and man was made in the image of God, and now the image of God was made corruptible. Why? Through sin. And to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and creeping things. So they went from worshiping God to worshiping themselves, and you can see they worshiped beasts. And before you know it, when they're in Egypt, they had gods that were flies, and grasshoppers, and all kinds of things that crawled. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves." And that's what we're talking about today. The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Who changed the truth of God into a lie. What's the truth of God? We're gonna look at that. What's the first command that he gave Adam and Eve? We'll look at that. And worship and serve the creature more than the Creator. Themselves, they worship themselves more than the Creator who made them, who was blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. They lusted after things that should not be so. For even their women did change the natural use into which is against nature. We're going against nature. Well, who set the bounds of nature? Who set the limits? And to go outside those limits, guess what? It makes these men presumptuous. And I'm not gonna lie, I'm a presumptuous sinner too. I exceed limits all the time. Thank God for grace. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, sodomy, and receiving in themselves that recompense or payment of their heir, which was me." What's meat for that? Sin that's meat for every other thing. Every other sin. Destruction. Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they wanted to put the idea of God. Don't tell me about God. Don't tell me what God likes and doesn't like. Don't you quote the Bible to me. God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. It's not appropriate. It's out of bounds. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, and lenity, whisperers, and I'm a lot of these, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, that grabs us all, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. And he says in verse one of chapter two, therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges, for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judges doest the same things. Yes, we do. So does that let us all off the hook? Now that we've all done the same things, what's the bother? Forget about it. Let's all be friends and do whatever you want. Is that what Paul teaches in Romans? Not at all, not at all. But what he did say back there in verse 27 and 28, that these people, they put away the natural order of things and put their own way of doing things. There to be an example for us, a specimen or pattern to learn from, to follow or to avoid. If I see somebody walking in traffic and getting hit, that's a pattern for me not to follow. If I see someone using their manners, And they're served at a table and someone not using manners and the waiter avoids them. Well, there's a pattern there. Looking at two different things. Sodom and Gomorrah, there's a pattern here. So what's the example? Those that turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. All right, second time. Lecture Logan, what's lasciviousness? Lawlessness good in stereo and denied the Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ through the lust of their flesh They turn the city to Accepting the behavior they recruited Others of like behavior and it might have started out with one or two oddballs over here But then they had a mob that was able to completely surround the house of lots And they rejected the provision of God. And what Jude is also saying, because of these things, that they suffered, they will suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. Suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. Let's see. There is one place I want to look before we go any further. Genesis chapter 2, please. We're almost finished. Genesis chapter 2. I had it in my notes and I don't know what I did with it, so I'm going to go back and catch it. Because we have to get this. If we don't get anything else, we have to get this. Genesis chapter 2. In verse 26, and God said, let us make man in our image. And remember man and Adam translate the same. Okay, so Adam means mankind and mankind means Adam. So you have to look at it. Let us make man or Adam or mankind in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the flesh of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, created Him. Male and female created He them. And God blessed them and God said unto them, male and female, that we just read in verse 27, be fruitful and multiply. He didn't say recruit, He said multiply. Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the flesh of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." These people, how in the world does Jude come to the conclusion that they denied the Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ? Because they denied the first commandment given to mankind, to be fruitful and multiply. They denied His natural order. and deny the natural order, you're denying the person who makes the order themselves, right? So if we have, if you have rules in school and you disobey the rules in school, what are you saying? Whoever made the rules doesn't mean a thing to you. These people in Sodom and Gomorrah, they have gone after strange flesh and are set forth for an example of what? Of what? What's the example? Of suffering. Suffering. To be held under. To be punished. How many people like to be held down? I don't. Held under judgment or punishment. Suffering. Agony. The word agony is used one time in the New Testament, and that's when Jesus, sweating drops of blood, He was in agony. Well, the perpetual state of those in Sodom is now a perpetual state of suffering, of agony, and vengeance, suffering the vengeance. What's vengeance? It's justified judicial condemnation. Vengeance, guilt. It's what happens under penalty of guilt, is vengeance. The execution of a sentence. Jesus said, vengeance is mine. The Lord did. Vengeance is mine, thus saith the Lord. Romans chapter 12, verse 19. It's eternal. Look at it. He says, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. We can look at John chapter 3 and know that those who believe not are condemned already, John chapter 3. And this fire is from a Greek word that means what? Fire. Fire. Vengeance of eternal fire. Not something you want to play around with. The practicality of what Jude is saying and what we're supposed to do with this, these three groups, all three groups preferred their own lusts over the direct command of God. God had made a general call of grace unto all three groups. He had said unto Israel, trust in me and enter into rest. He created an estate for angels, which they turned their back on. And He created a convenient way of life for sinners to rest, enjoy, and multiply in. And even for a little while, until this vain life would come to an end, they would spend eternity thereafter. But He had given all three groups space. He had shown a measure of mercy to them. But these three groups, they had people creep in unawares, who were ordained to condemnation, they turned the grace of God through recruitment of others as presumptuous men overstepping bounds into lasciviousness and lawlessness." They may have said something like this, do whatever you want, it's okay. God is love and we haven't been destroyed yet. Boy, ain't this fun. There's no need to fear. God would not destroy us for such things. God is love. See, others haven't been punished for it. Remember in Sodom it said there were old men and young men. These old men had evidently taught these young men some things. Who's teaching you, young men? Hopefully you're being taught through the Word of God. Hopefully. These three examples are extreme cases, but these are types of things that happen. all the time. These three groups of certain men destroy things all the time. Certain men corrupt churches. They corrupt families and businesses and nations. I'm convinced that certain men have crept into this nation, which at one point allegedly was a God-fearing nation, but certain men have crept into the point where if a senator or a congressman or even the president declares himself to be a believer in God, that they're mocked. by media and by their opponents and by even their friends sometimes. They reject the grace of God. They turn the grace of God into lawlessness. And they reject the fact that we are to love the Lord with all our heart and soul. And they reject the fact that we are to love our neighbors. The examples of what happens to these types of men are clear. All three groups suffer what? Look, in verse 5, destruction again. Verse 6, everlasting chains under darkness and the judgment of the great day. Verse 7, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Judgment. Child of God, church member, earnestly contend for the faith. Watch out for men who will say, sway the faith of others unto destruction. You watch out for folks. And if it's me, stand up where you're sitting and say, stop. If it's me, I sure don't want to be wrong, but if I say something that's wrong, you stand up and stop. Say stop. You watch out for those who will attempt to pervert the gospel into such a case that they would change who God is. That's exactly what the people of Sodom did. They changed God into a God that would approve their lifestyle. Otherwise, they said, there is no God. And in their minds and in the minds of their followers, they did not fear. Remember, they had no fear and they despised government. They had no fear. Why would they? Because they've changed who God is apparently. Watch out for these men. Watch out for men who disregard the limits of God that God has set and present their own new set of limits, particularly. If I'm going to change rules and say, well, that's how they used to do it. Well, times are different now. You know, well, Paul didn't know what I know when he wrote the things he did. If I'm setting my own new set of limits, you all better say something. particularly limits that are established by the works of the lust of the flesh. You know, if I say, hey, you know what, we need to, we need to, this is entertaining. We need to get involved in this. We need a softball team. We need to do all kinds of stuff to get folks over. Remember the focus of Jude, verses 24 and 25. We may get to these two verses in some of y'all's lifetime. He says, now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, Falling what? Falling for these certain men who creep in unawares, but falling from grace also. He keeps us from falling. We cannot fall from the grace that we have in Jesus Christ through the preservation of God the Father, the sanctification of God the Father rather, preservation of Jesus Christ and the calling of the Spirit. Now unto Him, Elohim, Jehovah, El Shaddai, now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy, He's happy about it. To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever." That's quite a bit to be excited about. But if anybody changes any of that, if anybody changes any of verse 1 or any of verse 2, how God saves, why God saves, our response to salvation, If anybody changes any of that, your ears ought to pick up on it right now as counterfeit. He focuses us at the end of his letter for that, and I did want to remind us of that. But sinners also, remember, verse 4, condemnation, verse 5, destruction, verse 6, everlasting change of darkness, verse 7, suffering vengeance of eternal fire. The alternative to the grace of God in all circumstances. The alternative to the grace of God, the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ, is lasciviousness or lawlessness and denying the Lord and our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, what does that result in? Destruction. Hellfire. What do we do? We believe God. Believe God, sinner, and believe the Lord. Believe the report that Jesus, Son of God, came in the flesh, He died, was buried, and He rose again. That's the report. without per, what's the word I'm looking for? Without changing it, you know, that's it, without perversion. Believe the report concerning the Lord, the Lord's Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved from such things. If you have been told by any other measure or if someone has tried to recruit you in any other thing than the gospel of Jesus Christ, and you put those men away. They are ordained to condemnation and don't you follow them. Don't follow them. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. These judgments, they're real. These accounts, they're real. They're not bedtime stories to scare anybody into morality. They're real. And the God that's spoken of is a real God. And the salvation that's promised in the finished work of Jesus Christ, it's real. It's real. I can't wait to find out how real it is. It'll be something. Brother Gary, would you please come and lead us in a time of invitation? Church, diligently, diligently.