Why Some People Will Be Lost

1 John 2:15-17

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The Bible clearly states that it is not the will of God for any to perish.

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Revelation 22:17

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

I can confidently stand here this morning and tell you that if God had His way about it, there would not be one soul that would be lost!

It is the absolute, unequivocal, definite will of God for every man, woman, boy and girl in the world to be saved and live in heaven for eternity!

The promise is to everyone, the invitation is given to whosoever will, the love of God extended to everyone, and it’s not the will of God that any should perish.

But, will everyone go to Heaven?

Will everyone be saved?

Will everyone partake of the precious promise?

Of course we know that they won’t, but why?

Why will some be lost when salvation is free?

Why will some go to hell when it’s the will of God for everyone to go to Heaven and spend eternity with Him?

Here’s the simple answer, some will be lost because they simply love this present world!

Some will be lost simply because they can’t get their sights set on heaven!

Some will burn for eternity in a lake of fire, simply because they loved the present, temporary pleasures that this world has to offer!

THE DRAW OF THE PRESENT WORLD HAS CAUGHT MANY UNSUSPECTING CHRISTIANS IN IT’S TRAP.

The scripture is littered with the stories of people who started out with a strong spiritual purpose and anointing, but got sidetracked by this present world!

People like:

Samson

A man whose birth was announced by an angel, much as the birth of Jesus. A man of whom it was prophesied, “He shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines”

A man with Godly purpose, and divine design on his life. A man who was blessed with strength above any man.

A man whose actual birth is recorded in scripture thusly:

Judges 13:24-25

24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Now, if this was the last recording we have of Samson, we could safely assume that he

kept his focus,

fulfilled his purpose,

Allowed the spirit of God to use him.

But, sadly enough, this is not where his story ends.

Without explanation, or a lot of historical backdrop, Chapter 13 ends, and here is how we find the man Samson at the beginning of Chapter 14:

Judges 14:1-2

And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

Now, in all of this, God continued to move thru Samson, and maybe that’s what fooled him.

In time, he loses this wife to a friend.

But, he’s gotten a taste of the world now, and next we find him visiting a harlot.

He’s experiencing the temporary pleasures of sin.

And, soon after his visit to Gaza, we find his eye being caught by a young lady named Delilah.

You know the rest of the story, I don’t have to recount it for you today.

But, let me say this: The full potential of a God-anointed life was never realized for one reason:

Samson loved this present world!

He could never elevate his sights heavenward.

They continually were on this present world!

Ironically, the Bible tells us that the Hebrew meaning of the word Delilah is “feeble”.