Lessons from Sodom and Gomorrah (Part 2)

Genesis 19
Pastor Conrad Mbewe
SBFYC 2007 Session 4 - Wednesday PM

We continue tonight our series in lessons from Sodom and Gomorrah. We continue to look at the effect of sin in this chapter. Again, the three lessons are:

1) The power of passion - sin manifests itself in uncontrolled passion, leading to destruction
2) The blinding effect of unbelief - sin manifests itself in stubborn and blind unbelief
3) Sin manifests itself in worldly attachments

Tonight we look at the second lesson, the blinding effect of unbelief.

There is a sense of urgency from Lot to leave the town. However, we turn to the sons-in-law and we find them holding their sides laughing. How do we address this situation.

1. God often blesses people with single, unique spiritual blessings.

God often visits His people through various means. Sodom and Gomorrah is no exception. Their gross sin did not begin after Lot went there but long before. But in the providence of God, through Abraham and Lot, God addresses the situation in placing a righteous man named Lot in their midst. That was not an accident. God does that again and again before judgment falls.

These two sons-in-law were drawn to their position of unique spiritual blessing. They meet and fall in love with Lot's daughters. They were already engaged and had entered into the inner circle of Lot's family. They sensed their relationship with God, their worship of God. These things were displayed before them day after day. Remember, they come from a background of paganism and now they are given the privilege of seeing the people of God. They had also already benefited from the family of Lot. They were protected from the heinous sexual sins of the men of the city. They were not homosexuals and they did not suffer the consequences of the other men. Another virtue was that they had not yet slept with their future wives. Lot announced already that his daughters were virgins. These men had the common grace of God exhibited in their lives. And there is yet another virtue. God sends Lot to them to pronounce the destruction of the city and their need to escape. They were privileged to hear Lot cry out at the eleventh hour for them to flee!

Never take for granted the things God may have done for you in bringing preacher after preacher to you, for the privilege of growing up in a Christian, the opportunity to have a Bible and to read it. Never take these privileges for granted. Not everyone had had these opportunities. In other parts of the world these privileges are rare. If God has done that for you, recognize the privilege that He has given you.

2. Unbelief neutralizes all the spiritual privileges that you currently have.

When Lot went to his sons-in-law and pleads with them to leave Sodom, they thought he was joking. We know what happens shortly after that. But let's unwind time and join them in that point in history. The fire has not yet been started and we hear Lot's announcement and their side-splitting laughter. Then let us ask ourselves, "Why did they fail to believe Lot?" Let us ask ourselves, in light of the Cross and the love of Christ and the coming judgment,"Why should we still be unbelievers of God?"

It seems to me to be because they had never come to see the holiness and justice of God. If you believe in a God that laughs at your childish pranks, you have a wrong view of God. The angels in heaven do not worship Him as "love, love, love" but "Holy, Holy, Holy." There comes a time when sin must be paid for. The dark cloud of God's judgment is hanging over you and the only reason it does not burst upon you is because of His grace. God is holy. God is just.

Because of their failure to recognize these truths about God, they became insensitive to things around them. They did not recognize how much there society had changed. Not so with Lot. In 2 Peter 2:2-10 we read the difference in the judgments of the righteous and the wicked. Lot showed the sign of true righteousness, he was distressed by the sin and wickedness around him.

Does this describe you in America? With all that goes on in your country, do you think this nation will not face this judgment. Abortion, the ruining of the marriage institution, etc. Do you think the God of heaven will not respond? Is your soul not even moved? Don't you tremble when you see the gross immorality on your TV screens? Do you honestly think that God is indifferent to that?

When you begin to think that sin is normal, that man and woman can continue as if sin is normal, then look at the Cross. If there is any event that never should have happened if God did not hate sin, it is the Cross! But when God laid our sins upon the innocent Son of God, nothing, absolutely nothing, not even the relationship between God the Father and His darling Son, nothing could stand in the way of the judgment of God on sin, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" If you are indifferent to the holiness and justice of God, then I plead with you, gaze at the Cross! God must punish sin.

3. These men discovered it when it was too late.

The Bible tells us in Gen. 19:25 that all those left behind were destroyed. The neutralizing effect upon spiritual privileges must inevitably result in your eternal condemnation. Lot's sons-in-law represent individuals like you and me who must finally deal with the question, "Shall we believe God or shall we not?" They did not, and they perished. In that statement, including all those living in those cities, we have included individuals who were so privileged. He sent witness upon witness upon witness like torrents coming upon their souls, "He is a just God and must punish sin. He is also a loving God that warned through Lot, "Flee! Not tomorrow or the next day. No more witnesses - flee!" And their bodies lay under the ashes. What a sad testimony, that under the brimstone should have been individuals who had enough witnesses but it was their unbelief that cost them their lives.

When eternity dawns and we are all gathered as a sea of humanity before the judgment of God and the angel Gabriel makes his way in that sea of humanity under the command of God and comes to you where you are and drags you before that awful throne where your eternal destiny must be determined, I wonder if your excuse will be that you had a lack of witnesses, a lack of opportunities, a lack of the unique privileges, or whether God will say to you, "It is your unbelief that is going to cost you an entire eternity. Angel Gabriel, tie him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." What sorrow should be upon your soul on that occasion! Jesus would say, "You know what? It is going to be much more tolerable on Sodom and its inhabitants than for you because they did not have the opportunities you have. Therefore your punishment will be worse - much, much worse because of your own unbelief." (See Luke 17:26-30)

Do you believe this? That what stands between you and eternity is simply the will of God? God has never promised that we will live to be sixty, seventy, eighty, or ninety. He doesn't. Judgement came upon Sodom suddenly. If I could plead with you, beware of the blinding effect of unbelief! Without faith it is impossible to please God. If God is to receive you now that He rewards only those who seek Him diligently. Do not sleep until you know that you are safe in the arms of God through Jesus Christ. That is all He asks - "Believe!" Turn from your sin and turn to His Son the Lord Jesus. Believe and receive Him into your life now! Not tomorrow, not next week, now, and you will be assured a place in heaven.