Perverting the Grace of God with our Sexuality
Jude • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Missions Moment:
1. Remind us where you minister and what your role is?
2. Tell us what you currently see and sense God is doing in the region you help lead and oversee?
3. What are some of the challenges you face? And what are some ways we can be praying for you and your ministry? (don’t forget picture on screen?)
Please turn to the book of Jude.
which is the 2nd to last book, right before the book of Revelation.
Just a warning, I mentioned this last week, we will be talking about sensitive things regarding sexuality. My goal is to talk honestly and openly yet sensitively. I will talk about rated R things but not in a graphic or rated R way. I think the Bible is our model with that.
Parents, feel free at any point if I am saying too much to take your kids out.
My suspicion is though that most of your kids if not all have been exposed to these things, heard about them at school, on the bus, or online.
Jude 1-8, and we will focus on verses 7-8.
I will remind you of the purpose in Jude 3-4
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend (what’s it say?) for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
There are 2 BIG errors the NT confronts.
One is LEGALISM. That’s the idea you have to earn or work for your salvation and forgiveness before God. In the book of Galatians, Paul confronts this because they were saying “Yes believe in Jesus, but you need to follow the OT law and be circumcised and work for your salvation.”
Another error, the one we see here, is License—or Licentiousness. It’s the idea that because I am saved by God’s grace, I can do whatever I want. God will forgive me. I have a license to sin.
and then Jude gives examples of those who started well but didn’t finish well...and examples of God’s judgment
vs. 5 - the Israelites saved out of Egypt but not into the PL
vs. 6 - the angels
in verse 7—he says this:
7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.
so false teachers have come in—and it is causing problems.
I want to take a little time and focus on verses 7-8 which bring up the true Old Testament story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
why?
Not because I am picking on anyone, but it is simply the next verses in the text. this is one of the advantages of preaching thru books of the Bible. It brings up all sorts of issues
I think this topic that Sodom and Gomorrah brings up is extremely relevant for all time and especially today and connects to this false teaching of perverting God’s grace—licentiousness.
I know this is not just a theological issue but a personal one. there are people here struggling in this area or you know someone living a lifestyle that goes against God’s vision for sexuality and that’s painful. so I will do my best to be sensitive
Possible outline:
4 parts today...
1. Part 1 - vs. 7 -- what was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah (just to be clear)
Let’s turn to Genesis 19. and read part of the story.
In Genesis 19, we read about Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family who are living in Sodom, a wicked culture.
and we learn of 2 angels in human flesh are investigating the city to see how wicked it is in order to bring God’s judgment. and these angels reveal this to Abraham, and he pleads with them to not bring God’s judgment if they can find at least 10 righteous people
1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.
4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house.
5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
now, your translations may say “that we may “know them...” but we know they are talking about sex because the Bible uses that language of so and so knew his wife. and we will see in vs. 8, it is clear.
6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.
8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man (literally never known a man). Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”
now, if this makes you cringe in disgust even more, it should.
The whole situation is wicked.
9 “Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
10 But the men inside (the angels) reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.
11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.
and if you keep reading the story, the 2 angels agree—the city is wicked. It needs destroyed by God’s judgment and that’s what happens.
so skip to verse 24.
24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens.
so what is the sin Sodom and Gomorrah are judged for?
49 “ ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
certainly that is part of it...
but Jude 7 is explicit
7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
gave themselves up to sexual immorality...the root word is pornew—where we get our word porn.
It’s a catch all term that refers to engaging in any sexual thought or activity outside of God’s design for sex—that in a marriage relationship between a man and a woman.
and then Jude 7 uses the word perversion—your translation may say they pursued unnatural desire or went after strange flesh.
so what is the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? you know--before I answer--this passage has been under attack and really re-interpreted. some people would re-interpret it and say homosexuality is not a sin--but violent homosexual behavior is a problem--so if somebody wants to be in a committed, consensual homosexual relationship then that is a totally different story.
but not so fast--because of Jude 7. Jude 7 makes even clearer what Gen. 19 is about. there are at least 2 reasons why Jude 7 makes it clear that the sin is question is not just homosexual gang rape, but any homosexual activity of any kind. 2 reasons (from Kevin Deyoung)
1. Reason #1: in Jude 7--it says they pursued unnatural desire--literally, “other flesh”. now some would say--well maybe Sodom and Gomorrah was in trouble because these men pursued sex with angels? But I would argue--the men of Sodom did not know they were angels. they thought they were men. so the other flesh they were seeking--was same sex activity with men
2. Reason #2: in addition--in Jude 7--it says “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire. as one scholar says “are we to think that these surrounding cities pursued sexual relationships with angels? it is more probably to conclude that the sin designated by other flesh is homosexual activity.
so yes--part of the problem in Sodom and Gomorrah is this gang rape in homosexual activity--but Jude makes it clear that another part of the problem is that they pursued other flesh--they pursued same sex activity.
So Sodom and Gomorrah pursued sexual immorality in general, and homosexuality activity in particular--and this led to God’s judgment.
and Jude says they serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
now, it’s worth pointing out I am talking about same sex activity.
some of you have or know someone who experience same sex attraction. that’s different. I don’t think attraction is sin or even temptation. but somewhere along the line with attraction turns to lust—whether that’s heterosexual or homosexual, that’s sin (Jesus-sermon on the Mount) and any sexual activity outside of marriage between 1 man and 1 woman.
and this takes me to part 2...
2. Part 2 - what is the point between perverting God’s grace, having a license to do whatever we want and our sexuality.
if we pervert God’s grace...twist it...if we think “Oh I am covered by God’s grace...I can do whatever I want...”
then one of the areas of our lives that is quickly affected is our sexuality—how we view it, and how we use it.
We think, “I can do whatever I want—God will forgive me. so it doesn’t matter how I live with my body.”
if Jesus is only your Savior and not your Lord or King like Jude says in verse 4—you will start to do whatever you want.
one of the signs that Jesus is not your Lord is that you are doing whatever you want with your sexuality. You are calling the shots, rather than submitting to God’s beautiful vision for sexuality.
for a short book, Jude focuses quite a bit on sexuality:
vs. 4—the words license for immorality—is often found in the NT in connection with sexual sin
vs. 6 - angels possible sexual relationship with women
vs. 7 - Sodom and Gomorrah
vs. 8 - Pollute their own bodies—we think is a reference to sexual sin.
there is this connecting between perverting God’s grace and our sexuality...
An article came up talking about this connection..the author said this...
“So Who Are You Sleeping With?”
an old college pastor associate of his used when catching up with college students who were home from school. He’d ask them to grab coffee with him to catch up on life. When he’d come to the state of their spiritual lives, they’d often hem and haw, talking about the difficulties and doubts now that they’d taken a little philosophy, or maybe a science class or two, and how it all started to shake the foundations. At that point, he’d look at them and ask one question, “So who have you been sleeping with?” Shocked, their faces would inevitably fall and say something along the lines of, “How did you know?” or a real conversation would ensue. This professor (Keller) pointed out that it’s a pretty easy bet that when you have a kid coming home with questions about evolution or philosophy, or some such issue, the prior issue is a troubled conscience. Honestly, as a Millennial and college director myself, I’ve seen it with a number of my friends and students—the Bible unsurprisingly starts to become a lot more “doubtful” for some of them once they’d had sex.
And it makes sense, right? When you’re engaged in behavior you’ve been raised to believe is wrong, but is still pretty fun, more than that, powerfully enslaving, you want to find reasons to disbelieve your former moral convictions. As Keller pointed out, Aldous Huxley famously confessed in his work Ends and Means that he didn’t want there to be a God and meaning because it interfered with his sexual freedom. While most of our contemporaries haven’t worked it out quite as philosophically as Huxley has, they’re spiritually in much the same place.
see what he is saying? if Jesus is not our master and lord, it become pretty easy to justify any sexual behavior. If we engage in sex in a way that dishonor Lord--it becomes pretty easy to “not believe” in Jesus. or even take advantage of the grace of God. They go together.
if we struggle with any type of sexual immorality, lust, pornography, sleeping around, living together before marriage--it becomes much easy to justify Jesus is not our Lord. it becomes much easier to pervert God’s grace--like Jude 4--“Oh God will forgive me.” “I am already saved.” we look for ways to naturally justify our behavior.
so let’s go to parts 3 and 4—what is the culture’s view of sex vs. God’s
Part 3: Culture’s view of Sex:
Sex is not a big deal (sex is nothing; sex is appetite) It’s biology. If I am hungry, I eat. If I am tired, I sleep. If I desire sex, I engage in that. and if I forbid that desire, I will be unhealthy or harmful to myself. it’s not a big deal. It’s just sex. this is a very low view of sex and goes against that God created sex—as holy.
Sex is a big deal (sex is everything; sex as self-fulfillment) I use sex for my own self-fulfilment. or self-expression. or even deeper—sex has been elevated to an identity. I am my sexual desires. I have a sexual identity. It’s a way to be myself and find myself. and this is dangerous, too, b/c it’s made sex an idol. and some people go back and forth between both views. It’s like riding a wooden roller coaster in your 40’s—it’s herky jerky and confusing. “Sex is not a big deal; it is a big deal.” and you get sick.
Sex is dirty—a necessary evil to have children (some extreme religious views view this way). it’s a necessary evil for the continuation of the human race. You will sometimes see this in extreme conservative views—we don’t talk about sex...it’s less important “spiritual” matters. this is harmful, too. because God made sex.
Part 4: God’s vision for Sex.
God Designed Sex for...
Designed for one man and one woman in the context of marriage
right after God made Eve from Adam’s side and brought Eve to Adam—Adam says this:
23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
that one flesh unity, that nakedness—is showing a sexual relationship that is designed to mutually encourage one another. to be the most open relationship—not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. their one flesh unity is a reunion of the Creation account. we know this is talking about sex—because Paul will quote this passage about one flesh in 1 Corinthians 6 when they are sleeping around with prostitutes—they are becoming one flesh.
so Hebrews 13:4
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Designed for fulfilling God’s vision to fill the earth
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
it’s amazing that God allows married couples to be co-creators with Him. this doesn’t guarantee that you will have children. Many of you know the pain of infertility—but God’s context for having children is marriage.
Designed for marital pleasure
Song of Songs
18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
Designed for marital unity and intimacy
sex creates deep intimacy, closeness and union between 2 people--one flesh, the Bible says. which is more than just physical union--1 Corinthians 6:16-17 --
16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”
17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
this is remarkable Paul says. Sex is not just sex--even so called casual sex with a prostitute, one time--that unites you to that other person in a way beyond the physical. as one scholar says--“In short, sex with a prostitute is wrong because every sex act is supposed to reflect an absolute and complete covenant unity that God designed.”
There must be no physical sexual union unless there is also every other kind—a legal, economic, personal, emotional, and spiritual union (in other words—marriage!). There must not be one unity without all the rest.” it does not makes sense to have sex with someone with giving of yourself in every area of your lives. even those who may say--we are living together, we are committed...you are giving of yourself but not all--you are not married. you are still giving yourself a back door out. you are not fully committed. you are not honoring the Lord by being married.
In all this, we are meant to model Christ--Christ gave of himself completely to us in his life and death--he initiated a new covenant with us--thus--in sex--we only give of ourselves in that way--if and only if we have given ourselves in a covenant of marriage. sex is a way of saying I belong completely and utterly to you.
this is why sex only makes sense in God’s design for marriage. God uses sex to unify us as husbands and wives together and deepen the marriage covenant.
(side note—this is why sometimes when problems show up between a husband and wife in the bedroom—it’s a symptom of something deeper going on in their relationship)
God designed sex:
Designed to reflect the Trinity - and Jesus’ relationship with the Church
you know we may look at Genesis 19—and say of course that is wrong. it’s a violent gang rape. but if 2 people of the same sex love each other and want to be in a committed relationship, why does that matter who is that harming?
3 responses:
The Bible actually gets more specific about—just read passages like Romans 1. Romans 1:18-32 is perhaps the strongest language.
but let me read a shorter passage: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
This passage is pretty explicit that how we use our sex lives matters—Jesus must be Lord of our sex lives. All deviations outside of a heterosexual marriage are wrong.
and at the same time, I would argue the Bible is not mainly about being against homosexuality. if you look at that list—Paul says—there are several sins that if we continue in them—if they define us—we are in danger of not inheriting the kingdom of God!
the last thing I will say—is that God uses marriage and sexuality to point to greater realities. marriage and/or sex are not the final goal. They are meant to be a picture—pointing to the ultimate reality of 2 great things:
The Trinity
and relationship between Jesus and the church.
Think of the Trinity—
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
God is one—there is a unity to Him yet He is 3 persons—Father, Son, and Spirit at the same time. It is an amazing reality about who God is that’s hard for us to nail down.
that very same word of “one” is used to describe Adam and Eve’s one flesh relationship.
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Marriage is a wonderful way to illustrate the Trinity—no it’s not 3 and 1. but 2 and 1. sameness yet difference. there’s a unity in difference in the Trinity. same in marriage—a unity in difference.
2 men cannot display this picture of the Trinity, nor can 2 women. God has designed that only 1 man and 1 woman illustrate this sameness yet difference within the Trinity.
Why did God set it up that way—I can’t answer that. because He’s God and He has the right and glory to do so.
but I am trying to get at what is at stake with doing sexuality God’s way—our understanding of the Trinity!
think also of Jesus and the Church.
Look at Ephesians 5:31-32
31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Paul compares marriages between 1 man and 1 woman to Jesus and the church.
Sam Allberry says “It is a union of complementary entities. The church is not the same as Christ and Christ is not the same as the church. And it is because Christ is different to his people that he is able to draw them to himself, pledge himself to them, and have them be united to him. Human marriage is a reflection of this supreme heavenly marriage between Christ and his people.”
And he goes on say “It is one of the reasons why Christians are resistant to allowing marriage to be defined in such a way as to include gay couples. a man and a man, or a woman and a woman cannot reflect the union of Christ and the Church.”
Ending...
Time of Reflection...
How is God calling you to respond today?
Here is the good news—God did not come to save perfect people—but messed up sinners like us.
If you are struggling in this area of sexuality and made a mess of your lives—there is good news. You can confess that to the Lord, agree you have sinned and receive his mercy and grace b/c of what He did on the cross, and be forgiven, and by His Spirit, commit to not taking advantage of God’s grace anymore.
Think about Jesus—even if you struggle in this area—or don’t like what the Bible says—I bring it back to Jesus. If I know He loves me and died for me, I will follow this. It’s worth following Jesus and His Words b/c I get to know Jesus.
may we not pervert the grace of God.
