Society That Abandons Truth Is In Trouble

A SOCIETY THAT ABANDONS TRUTH (THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD) IS IN DANGER OF BEING ABANDONED BY GOD TO GROSS SIN AND IMMORALITY

Introduction: Examples of Sodom and Gomorrah; Roman Empire;

what is the present state of decadence in the U.S.?

1. (:24-25) Sexual Impurity is God's Judgment for Idolatry

a. How did they abandon truth?

1) Exchanged the truth of God for a lie

2) Idolatry -- worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator

Illustr: How can we tell whether our focus is on God the Creator and heavenly priorities? What would you do with 2 days alone and no respons. or accountability?

b. How did God judge them?

1) Gave them over to the natural outworking of the sinful desires of their lustful hearts

2) Life of sexual impurity rather than the beauty of holiness

3) Life that is physically degrading

2. (:26-27) Homosexuality is God's Judgment for Worshipping the Human Body

a. How did they abandon the truth?

1) Rejected natural sexual relations for unnatural

Illustr: kids messing up the house: "You are acting like animals" -- even animals don't stoop to this level

Illustr: "Mom, who broke the baby?"

the standard always exists for what is natural and what is not

2) Rejected decency for indecency

3) Rejected truth for perversion

b. How does God judge such a society? with homosexuality

"shameful lusts" "inflamed with lust" "indecent acts"

not a legitimate sexual orientation, but an unnatural perversion that is living proof of God's wrath

3. (:28-32) Unrestrained Total Depravity is God's Judgment for Casting off the Fear of God

a. How did they abandon the truth?

you either value God's light or you ignore it and become your own guide thru life

b. How did God judge them? Unrestrained total depravity --

a whole smorgasbord of sin stemming from a depraved mind

Conclusion: If we insist on living an immoral life that we know is opposed by God (or if a society does so), we are in danger of God abandoning us

Illust: looting during heavy snowstorm manifests inner depravity once restraints are removed

Illust: removing grass from a hillside leads to erosion and a mudslide

Illust: society operates like a Yo-Yo; we drift down and then recover for awhile; danger is God might cut the string