A Chilling Moment

For days now, a sermon has been building in me, the outline shaping itself in my thoughts. The facts of today's situation are so clear. We are clearly in the days of apostasy spoken of in the Book of Jude. A false Christianity which will not stand fast in the times of trouble is now deceiving many, dividing families, friends and workers. Indeed, it is dividing our nation. This was spoken of long ago:

19 These are the people who ·divide you [cause divisions], people ·whose thoughts are only of this world [who are worldly; or who live by natural instincts/desires], who do not have the Spirit [C living within them and guiding them]. (Jude v. 19 EXB)

The issue at the forefront of this division and apostasy (literally falling away) is the demand for not just tolerance but indeed acceptance and celebration of the acts and lifestyle of homosexuals. While the meaning of the certain passages of the Book of Jude were murky in past generations they are crystal clear now in light of current events:

7"Also remember the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah [C destroyed by God for their evil; Gen. 19; 2 Pet. 2:6] and the other towns around them. In the same way they were full of sexual sin and people who ·desired sexual relations that God does not allow [pursued sexual perversion; L departed after different flesh]. They suffer the punishment of eternal fire, as an ·example [warning] for all to see.

8 It is the same with these people [C the false teachers; v. 4]. They are guided by dreams ·and make themselves filthy with sin [and live immoral lives/pollute their bodies; or to defile the flesh]. They ·reject [despise] ·God’s authority [L authority] and ·speak against [insult; slander; blaspheme] ·the angels [celestial beings; L glorious ones; 2 Pet. 2:10–11]. 9 "(Jude v. 7,8 EXB)

Like Jude the brother of Jesus whose icon is a club, I wanted to declare the true salvation that only comes when Jesus Christ is Lord of ALL of your life including the workplace and public square. I wanted to warn of the watered down false salvation that, like a vaccine, inoculates the recipient from the true strain. I wanted to write about the costly grace spoken of by Bonhoeffer which led him to the gallows but saves the soul and warn of the cheap grace he described which leads to destruction of both the body and the soul. But, when I came to write from the scriptures this morning, I had a chilling moment. For the first time in my life I was restrained. When I went to the scriptures for guidance this verse came to me:

20 My people, go into your ·rooms [chambers; inner rooms] and shut your doors behind you. Hide in your rooms for a short time until God’s anger ·is finished [has passed by]. 21 [L For look/T behold] The Lord ·will leave [is coming out of] his place to punish the ·people [inhabitants] of the world for their sins. The earth will ·show [reveal; disclose] ·the blood of the people who have been killed [L its blood]; it will not cover ·the dead [its slain] any longer.(Isa 26:20 EXB)

Judgement is coming. Are you ready?