Cultural Compromise
Notes
Transcript
Handout
We quickly forget in this day and age that our God is holy. For some reason we come to the belief that because God is loving, He should be all accepting, and allow anyone into heaven.
We forget that narrow is the path that leads to heaven, and broad is the road that leads to destruction.
Our God is loving and gracious. But He is also just and holy. We as believers must learn how to live for Him alone and not compromise because of culture.
Righteousness of God
Righteousness of God
Gen 18:20-21.
God hears the outcry, sees the corruption. He knows what they are doing is wrong.
Psalm 5:4
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.
God cannot stand wickedness or evil.
For those who think that they can get into heaven with their sin, realize that God and sin don’t inhabit the same space.
The shameless acts of Sodom had continued long enough, God will end it.
All are Corrupt
All are Corrupt
v.4-5
The angels come down and enter the city. When they had, all the men in the town. Both young and old.
The corruption and shameless activity was taking place and age didn’t matter.
The older wise ones were joining in as well as the younger.
Lot tries to protect them, and they tell him...
v.9
GET OUT OF THE WAY!
Sin is rampant and the people don’t care.
The things that are shameful, they were doing out in the open.
How dare you try to stop us! they cry
v.7 Lot says that what they were doing was wicked. Lot didn’t know the words of our Lord yet, judge not lest you be judged......
For that is the cry we hear today.
Lot was doing what was right, trying to restrain the evil, yet they were shameless to commit sin, and didn’t care what Lot had to say.
Do we try to stand against the force of the culture? Do we say this is wrong! Stop it!
Or do we give into the culture that wants to say, “judge not, lest you be judged.”
Which I like Paul Washers rebuttal, “don’t mishandle scripture, lest you be like Satan.”
Or we might say, the culture doesn’t believe in God, how can we call them to follow God.
Sodom was not a town that believed or followed Yahweh. Yet the time came where God called their city to pay for their sin.
Many in America may not believe in God, but that doesn’t mean that America won’t be called to answer for the many sins that we have. Including the millions of babies that have been killed in abortion clinics.
Do we as Christians take a stand for the truth against the culture. Not in a violent manner, but not giving into the lies they are spreading.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak, is to speak. Not to act, is to act.” Deitrich Bonhoeffer
People in our community may not believe in God, but they will be held accountable to his word. Do we love them enough to tell them the truth?
Why was Lot in this position?
Compromise Leads to Compromise
Compromise Leads to Compromise
Have you noticed this, that once you begin to compromise, it leads to more compromise, then more compromise.
Genesis 13:11-13
Lot chose the Jordan valley, then moved closer to the cities, then went as far as the large city, Sodom.
v.1
Lot is sitting at the gate.
When we look at scripture, the gate is where the elders sat. This is where court was held, where decisions were made.
This is where we find Lot.
Some argue that Lot wasn’t there due to leadership, he was there to protect people.
Even so, if it was so bad that he needed to sit at the gate to protect travelers, why did he remain in that city?
v.8
They were living in an area where it was so bad, that Lot had to volunteer to give up his daughters for strangers.
Why remain there?
Some might state that it was to reach the people of the town, to be a voice for Yahweh.
Lot had failed to reach the town, and he was being sucked into their sin.
He wasn’t as far gone as they were, but he wasn’t unaffected by the culture he lived in either.
v.14
Lot had betrothed his daughters to the men of the city. Remember what type of men resided within the city.
We might make an excuse for them, “these were two of the good ones.”
They don’t believe Lot.
Because of the wickedness of their hearts, they were blind to the truth that was about to take place.
v.32
As further evidence of the corruption of the family of Lot, there is vs. 32.
(I am not going to read due to children in the room.)
This is evidence, that Lot’s very own children had been corrupted by the culture that they lived in.
It all started, with one compromise.
Where do we stand as believers?
Do we compromise one thing then another?
It begins with harboring anger.
With pride
With jealousy
With gossip
What are the ways that the culture is influencing our lives?
What is the standard for your life?
Is it God’s word, or the culture?
Maybe it is what we believe is right at the time (that makes you the god).
Are we giving away our kids to the culture as Lot did?
Who do your kids hang out with?
What movies are they watching?
What books are they reading?
We as Christians need to be developing our own culture.
Getting together, spending time with one another.
God rescues Lot
God rescues Lot
I see this story as a representation of the righteousness and justice of God, but this is also a story of the grace of God.
v.15-22
God removes Lot, by dragging him out before the city was destroyed.
God by his grace, saved Lot and got him out of the city!
Isn’t this the way that our lives go so often?
God being the one who saves us. Though we are perfectly content in our state of sin, He loves us to much to leave us there.
God shows us through His word that we are sinful.
Then He gives us a desire to no longer sin.
The action He calls for, is for us to repent from our sins.
Repent from the paths of wickedness.
And turn to Him.
For He is the one, who is pulling away from the city of destruction.
By God’s grace we don’t have to face the fire and brimstone.
Surrender all of your life to Him. Remember we serve a God who is holy, we must be holy and properly reflect his glory. Follow God and don’t compromise with the culture.
Homework: Read Genesis 20-22