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God's
judgement - Fire and Brimstone
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Wickedness
will not go unanswered
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Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, 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. Likewise also these filthy
dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion,
and speak evil of dignities.
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Jude
v7-8
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A
cry is gone up
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Then the LORD said, "Because the outcry against
Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is
very grave,
I will go down to see whether they have done altogether
according to the outcry which has come to me;
and if not, I will know." So the men turned
from there, and went toward Sodom;
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Gen
18v20-22 (RSV)
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Genesis 18-19 is the context
The following describes the way of life in Sodom and
Gomorrah -
• Consciously disobeying God - Gen 6v11
• Immoral, lusting people - Gen 19v5
• Bent on the satisfaction of their own lusts -
Jude v7
• Unaware of God, they carelessly carried on with
their daily routines - Luke 17v28
• Excessive eating and drinking - Ezek 16v49-50
• Idle, ignoring the poor and the needy - Ezek
16v49-50
• Proud and committing abominations - Ezek 16v49-50
• Much trading resulted in greed and trust in material
wealth
Isn't this just like today?
Freedom of speech and expression was practised long
ago, and anyone who tried to impose any constraints
on society was hated and opposed. 'And
they said again, This one fellow (Lot) came in to sojourn,
and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse
with thee, than with them.' - Genesis 19v9
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Life
without God results in death
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Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they
did eat, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it
rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed
them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when
the Son of man is revealed.
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Luke
17v28-30 (RSV)
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Yet
again Christ brings to our attention that life has to
be lived with a knowledge and love of God. To enjoy
a godless life is unacceptable and well deserving of
God's wrath.
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The
natural state of man
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The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins,
even to give every man according to his ways,
and according to the fruit of his doings.
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Jeremiah
17v9-10 (RSV)
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Contrary
to popular belief, the Bible frequently states that
man is naturally sinful, and that it is only by seeking
after God that one's ways can be corrected.
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Naturally
a sinner
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The wicked are estranged from the womb: they
go astray as soon as they be born, speaking
lies.
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Psalm
58v3
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| ...all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God; |
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Romans
3v23
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Is
there still hope for anyone?
But
of course. In our next case study we read of how a hopeless
situation was reversed and why.
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