YOU CAN’T WIN AT THE GAME OF SIN
TEXT: II Peter 2:19-21
I. Cain Played A Losing Game. Gen. 4:2-13
A. He worshiped God the wrong way. 4:3-5
Cain followed his own way and not God’s way.
II Peter 2:2 "And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
II Peter 2:15 " Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam..."
Prov. 14:12 & 16:25 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
1. He worshiped in self-will not in God’s will.
2. He was a type of the religious natural man.
Jude 11 says "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core."
I Believe Dr. Scofield said it best about this verse and Cain.
Cain was the typical religious natural man who believes in a God, and in religion, but he is after his own will and is one who rejects redemption by the blood.
Cain’s Religion Was A Humanist Religion
B. He became angry with God.
That’s just like man in his heart he will say! Well it’s not going my way. Or Well it’s just not convenient to do God’s will.
C. He became a murderer.
Abel was a righteous and a godly man. He was not killed for any crime against Cain. No, Cain because of his works were evil and his heart was wicked, and he hate what his brother stood for killed him. Now that was a good reason to kill was’nt it?. Cain was the very first one to persecute someone for believing God’s way.
You Can’t Win At The Game Of Sin - Cain Played A Losing Game And Lost.
D. He became a vagabond on the earth. Gen. 4:12
He became as a street person he had no place to call home. One who would move from place to place. A beggar or thief. A Tramp, aimless drifting
II. The People In Noah’s Day Played A Losing Game.
A. There world was a wicked and a perverse one. Gen. 6:5
B. They were warned of impending judgment.
1. In II Pt. 2:5 It says that Noah was a preacher of righteousness.
2. In Heb. 11:5 It says that he condemned the world.
He did not cut them no slack brother, I believe that he just preached the word, God’s message, for 120 years.
He Is What You Might Call A Tree Stump Preacher.
C. All But Noah’s family perished Gen. 7:21, 23
III. Lot’s Wife Played A Losing Game
A. She knew that she lived in a condemned city. Gen 19:13,16
This world is Condemned and deep down in your heart you know it. You’ve been warned every time God’s word is preached but you still want to linger a little longer. May be next time!
B. She knew the way of deliverance, v17
Most of you also know the way of deliverance, but you chose to deny it.
C. But she disobeyed God and died. Gen 19:26
Over in Luke 17:32 Jesus said "Remember Lot’s Wife"
She looked back and thus disobeyed the express command of the angels. It is possible that in her mind she doubted whether Sodom would really be destroyed.
She looked back on the neighbors and friends, looked back on all she had left behind. Perhaps, maybe she was accustomed to luxury, and looked back with great distress about the loss of house and possessions.
But The Bible say’s, And she was struck dead and became a pillar of salt.
Matthew Henry said "She was struck dead in that place, yet her body did not fall down, but stood fixed and erect like a pillar, or monument, not liable to waste nor decay, as human bodies expose to the air are, but metamorphosed into a metallic substance which would last perpetually."
How wrong to hesitate when God says go!
How sad to look back at the past which is forbidden!
I remember when a man said he would follow Jesus, but, said he, "Suffer me first to go and bury my father."
And another wanted to take care of other things.
In Luke 9:62 Jesus said "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God"
People it is always wrong to contemplate sin, It’s wrong to consider sin, It’s wrong to cherish the thoughts of sin.
What I’m trying to tell you "It’s wrong to play with sin.
Samson played with sin until it took his life over.
Oh, we are reminded of the Lord, "Remember Lot’s wife."
IV. Haman Played A Losing Game.
A. He was King Ahasuerus’ prime minister. Esther 3:1 Your position Does not make it right.
B. He sought to destroy God’s people. vs. 6-9
C. He was hanged on his own gallows 7:9,10
V. The Rich Fool Played A Losing Game.
A. He was successful in material things. Luke 12:16-19
There are many commendable things about the rich man mentioned here.
1. He was a hard worker.
2. He was very careful to preserve what his fields had produced.
B. He never included God in his plans.
What a mistake he made.
He was ready to sit back and enjoy what he had earned.
He was ready to retire after all he was in good health, it was time to party!
He never thought about his eternal welfare of his soul.
C. He met sudden destruction 20
So God said he was a fool - A fool simply because he died unprepared.
And the lesson is this vs 21
VI. Every Unrepentant Sinner Plays A Losing Game.
A. His sin will find in out. The Sin of Unbelief.
B. His sin must be reaped.
Gal. 6:7,8 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting.
C. His sin will pay the wages of death Rom. 6:23
Wages is something you have earned.
Something you deserve.
