The Path to Corruption
As In The Days of Noah • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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According to the ancient mythology, when Hercules wrestled with Antaeus, every time he was thrown, he jumped up again stronger than ever, gaining fresh power from every contact with the earth. Hercules conquered him at last only by holding him in the air away from the source of his strength, until he grew weaker and weaker and finally became exhausted. This morning’s message is about believers who lose contact with their source of strength.
The morals in our society sure have changed in the last 100 years. Think about what we know about society as it was in 1923. Divorce was an exception not a rule. Women were modest and men were faithful husbands and fathers. Most main stream denominations still preached salvation by grace and still believed in the Bible. Homosexuality was still a sin and the few perverts that existed were still hiding their sin in the closet.
My how times have changed! 100 years has taken our culture into a very dark and godless direction. The events of this last week and my exposure to the well meaning, but twisted methods of our educational system have reminded me of what a slippery slope we are sliding on. What do you think it will be like for our great grandchildren in 2123 if the Lord should terry?
We can learn a lot about how social morality declines by studying the passage before us this evening. Let us all take a long and sobering look at eh Bible’s description of the path to corruption.
Social corruption starts with unequal marriages.
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
A. The Sons of God
1. Were not angels
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
2. Were converted souls
a. Of the line of Seth
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
b. Bible term for converts
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
c. Accepted God’s promise for deliverance from sin
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
d. Understood that atonement comes through the shedding of innocent blood
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
B. Daughters of men
1. Unsaved women
2. Probably daughters from Cain’s line
3. They were not taught to call upon the name of the Lord
C. Unequal marriages
1. Based on physical beauty
2. God the Holy Spirit fought with his children to prevent this
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
David Slagle, a minister at a small church in Atlanta, tells the story of a woman in her late 20’s. The woman had befriended a man living in her apartment complex. Slagle and his wife asked whether the two were dating. The man in question was a known atheist. The young woman answered, “No, I’m not going to date him. He’s just a good friend. We’re just hanging out. I could never date someone who didn’t value what I value.” A few months later, she announced that they were dating, but she would not get engaged to him “unless he becomes a Christian.” A few months after that, Slagle says, she “did an about face on that one too.”
Social corruption continues with corrupted offspring
Social corruption continues with corrupted offspring
A. Children from these unequal unions
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
B. These children grew to places of fame, influence, and leadership
C. These children were wicked
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
1. In deed
2. In thought
D. These children cause God to regret ever having made man in the first place!
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Years ago I received a tract entitled, " The Unequal Yoke - Will It Work? (1). " The key scripture associated with this tract is:-
2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”
The Christian woman who wrote the tract confessed that she married an unsaved man. She said she didn?t wait long enough to get the Lord?s will in the matter. Even the pastor of her church, who was a well known conference speaker, encouraged her to go through with the marriage.
After she was married her spouse brought his unsaved, drinking friends into the home and caused her a lot of grief. Over 25 years later she stated we are still married but the husband is not yet saved.
In this tract the woman relates her bitter experience when she chose her own way and ignored God? s Word. She said, " I expected he would walk with me in the ways of the Lord ... but I watched my husband going deeper in sinful living. "
Not mentioned in the tract is the fact that a yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals, such as oxen together. Once they are joined, they cannot go in separate directions, but must work side by side.
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1. Shields, Sara P., " The Unequal Yoke - Will It Work? ", Evangelical Tract Distributors, P. 0. Box 146, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 2G9
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 6:14
Social corruption can be reversed
Social corruption can be reversed
A. Noah found grace
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
1. Applied the blood
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
2. Had faith that accessed grace
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
B. Noah married correctly
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
1. Perfect in his generations
2. Raised his children to fear God
C. Noah and his regenerate family were used to give mankind a second chance.
We have been drilling down a little deeper to see what Jesus meant when He said this:
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Today we fond out that part of what was going on in the days of Noah was marriages that were unequal… believers marrying unbelievers. We have clear Bible warnings about the devastation that can come from this sin. yet… we flirt with the compromise of perhaps dating an unsaved person… swearing that we would NEVER actually marry until they get saved… or we entertain the convenience of a business partner who thinks like us, but is not saved. Then we end up in a divided home and raise children that get just enough gospel to be vaccinated against it leading to a generation more corrupt than the one that preceded it. This is what the days of Noah were like. How about you? Are you flirting with an unequal relationship? Remember it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark… but it was coming. Let us be warned and avoid the path to corruption.