This evening we will begin a three week look at Psalm 22, 23 and 24. These Psalms paint a beautiful picture of Easter. It begins with Psalm 22, what has been referred to as Calvary's Psalm or the Psalm of the Cross, in this great Psalm, the Good Shepherd dies for his sheep. In this great Psalm we have the picture of the death of Jesus, given to us in great detail, centuries before the event.
In Psalm 23, probably one of the most recognized Psalm. In this Psalm, the Great Shepherd lives for His sheep and cares for His sheep. The Great Shepherd walked through the valley of the shadow of death and lives!
Finally in Psalm 24 we have the Resurrected Lord, the Good Shepherd, ascending to His proper place, the King of Glory and the Lord of Host, mighty in battle!

Tonight we are going to focus on Psalm 22.

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. 10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. 11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

I want to first remind us of the words of Christ while on Calvary:

Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

A direct quote of this Psalm. But also, look at the last phrase of the last verse in Psalm 22, “that he hath done this.” This phrase, in the Hebrew is one word which means finished!

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

This Psalm was written by David, but there is no moment in his life that can match the details of these events. This is obviously the work of the Holy Spirit inspiring David, giving him and us a glimpse into the future sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Shepherd dying for His sheep.

Psalm 22 depicts the horrific Good Friday scene where the Sufferer was:

Forsaken by God (Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34)
Abused verbally by men (Ps. 22:6-7; Matt. 26:67-68; 27:27-31)
Ridiculed by men for His trust in God (Ps. 22:8; Matt. 27:39-44; Mark. 15:29-32; Luke 23:35, 39)
Surrounded by enemies (Ps. 22:12-13, 16; Matt. 27:27-31, 39-44; Mark 15:16-20)
Weakened physically (Ps. 22:14-15; Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26)
Thirsty (Ps. 22:15; John 19:28)
Pierced in His hands and feet yet bones not broken (Ps. 22:16-17; Matt. 27:39-44; John 19:31-36)
Stared at by the people (Ps. 22:17; Matt. 27:55-56; Luke 23:35, 48-49; John 19:20)
Humiliated as lots were cast for His clothing (Ps. 22:18; Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24)
Afflicted yet prayers answered (Ps. 22:21, 24; Heb. 5:7-8)

Easter According to Psalm 22, 23 and 24 - Part 1- Clint Patronella


This Psalm reminds us of the truth, Jesus died for our sins.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Easter is a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We celebrate that because it means that He was successful in what He came to do, seek and to save that which was lost. In order to do that, the one that knew no sin became a sin sacrifice for us. The promise that is given to us all is now:

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

My prayer for each of you is that you have personally experienced the victory of Easter.

Bro. Chad Higgins

We come to church every Sunday and one of the most important reasons that we come to church is so that we can study our Bible. We promote that everyone should be reading their Bible's. It is our understanding that the Bible is God's Word, it is God's message for us. Today we are going to look to the Bible to learn the truth about suicide.

Here is my simple outline for today.

First of all we are going to look at some common lies. Today people politely say myths or misunderstandings. But if it is not the truth than it is a lie. The devil does not want you to have the truth.

Next we are going to look at some Bible verses that give us hope. This world can take you to a point where you think you have no hope, it can take you to a place where all you see is despair and I want to remind us from God's word in the worst moment, you have hope.

Finally I want to end today just by reminding us of the simple truth of the Gospel. The devil's goal is to take you as far away from God as he possible can. He does that through your circumstances, he does that through drugs and alcohol, he does that through your relationships, he does that through your family. He can do that through so many ways.

But the Good News is that God loves you!

First we will look at the lies.

We need to know the truth. When a family is facing this they need to know the truth. When a person is having these kinds of thoughts, they need to know the truth.

Proverbs 13:14 (KJV) 14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Lie: Suicide is the unpardonable sin.
Suicide is the unforgivable sin
Christians who commit suicide lose their salvation

Truth is:

Below is the passage in The Gospel of Mark in which many people will claim states that there is an unforgivable sin and then they will claim that suicide is that sin.

Mark 3:29 (KJV) 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

Mark 3:22 (KJV) 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

What I am about to give you is the traditional understanding of this scripture within the Baptist Church.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, however, is something else. Nobody can commit that sin today. It was a sin peculiar to those who lived when He lived and who heard His marvelous teaching for themselves. It was a sin reserved for those who saw His many matchless miracles, those who had looked into His eyes, experienced His grace, and felt His power. It was the sin of those who then—out of sheer malice, envy, hatred, and determined wickedness—accused Him of conspiring with the Evil One. Such a sin revealed a state of soul beyond the possibility of redemption, so it was unpardonable.
That was how Caiaphas and his crowd conspired against Jesus. They bought Judas and then brought the Son of God before their judgment seat. They mocked Him, abused Him, and falsely accused Him. They hired perjurers to distort His teachings. They condemned Him to death because He claimed to be who He was. They handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified. Then Caiaphas and his cronies sealed up His tomb—just in case. Worse still, when confronted with His resurrection, they bribed the guard to lie about that monumental, historic event and persecuted His disciples for proclaiming the truth that Jesus was alive from the dead and mighty to save.
Such was the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The John Phillips Commentary Series – Exploring the Gospel of Mark: An Expository Commentary.

Now let me share with you some truth about the idea of losing your salvation.

A Christian is redeemed.
1 Peter 1:18-19 (KJV) 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

The word redeemed refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. We were purchased at the cost of Christ’s death. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase of the individual for whom He paid with the precious blood of Christ.
A Christian is justified.

Romans 5:1-2 (KJV) 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

To justify is to declare righteous. All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and “un-declare” what He had previously declared. Those absolved of guilt would have to be tried again and found guilty. God would have to reverse the sentence handed down from the divine bench.

A Christian is promised eternal life.
John 3:16 (KJV) 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.

Eternal life is the promise of spending forever in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.” For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be redefined. The Christian is promised to live forever. Does eternal not mean “eternal”?

A Christian commitment is kept by God.
2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV) 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed. My salvation is not based on how tight I can hold His hand. My salvation is guaranteed because of how tight He can hold my hand.

Lie: A deeply committed believer would never commit suicide.

Truth is:

Job - Job 3:1-3 (KJV) 1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2 And Job spake, and said, 3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
Jeremiah - Jeremiah 20:14-18 (KJV) 14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. 15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad. 16 And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; 17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me. 18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?
King Solomon - Ecclesiastes 2:17 (KJV) 17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Elijah - 1 Kings 19:4 (KJV) 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Jonah - Jonah 4:7-8 (KJV) 7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
Paul - 2 Corinthians 1:8 (KJV) 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

This lie and this myth is very similar to the lie that some people claim that a strong Christian cannot be depressed.

What this lie does is it makes the person that is suffering feel alone.

I am the only one that feels this way.
I am the only one that thinks this way.
I am the only one this
I am the only one that

When the devil gets you by yourself and gets you to believing these alone thoughts then we can get into real trouble.

The truth is that you are not alone.
You are not alone in your feelings
You are not alone in your thoughts
You are not alone in your fears
You are not alone in your burdens
You are not alone in your worries
You are not alone in your struggles
You are not alone in your pressures
You are not alone in your sins
You are not alone in your failures
You are not alone in whatever you are facing.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV) 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Now I just want to give you a few more verses that will remind you, even if you think you are alone and everyone else has left you, God promises to always be there.

Deuteronomy 31:8 — And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Joshua 1:5 — There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
1 Samuel 12:22 — For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
1 Chronicles 28:20 — And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
Psalms 37:25 — I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Psalms 37:28 — For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Isaiah 41:10 — Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:17 — When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Acts 18:9-10 (KJV) 9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

Next we are going to look at some Bible verses that give us hope.

The truth is, life is hard.

We face all of this and anyone is capable of having moments where they lose their hope. I want to take a moment and remind us of the hope that we have as Christians.

God loves you!

Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) 3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
John 3:16 (KJV) 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.
1 John 4:7-10 (KJV) 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

When you get to that place where you think you have lost all hope, know that the God that created this world loves you.

When you get to the place where you think you are worthless remember you have worth just because you are loved.  God created you and He loves you!

God offers real solutions for your problems.
Sometimes when you don't know how to solve a problem, you can feel helpless because you have no direction. For example, if your wristwatch stops, you may not know how to fix it, but a skilled watchmaker would. The One who created the universe with all its intricate parts—the One who created you with all your intricate parts—knows how to fix whatever is not working. He will direct you in the way you should go.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

God offers the solution for your sin.
The Bible says sin separates us from God. But Jesus doesn't want you to be separated. He desires to have a meaningful relationship with you. Jesus, who is God, took on human form, came to earth, lived a sinless life and chose to pay the penalty for your sins. When He was crucified on the cross, His blood was the purchase price to pay for the full forgiveness of your sins. Today, you can receive forgiveness when you humble your heart, confess your sins and trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

1 John 1:9 (KJV) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Finally I want to end today just by reminding us of the simple truth of the Gospel.

John 3:16 (KJV) 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.

John 10:10 (KJV) 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (KJV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 3:23 (KJV) 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23 (KJV) 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 10:9-11 (KJV) 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

An article on the understanding of the “perseverance of the Saints” or as it is often referred to “once saved always saved.”

We are a Southern Baptist Church and so I will begin by looking at the Bible and some of the passages that teach us about the security of the believer. Next I will share the Baptist Faith and Message's statement concerning the endurance of the believer. Finally I will examine one of the passages of scripture that Christians with other views claim to teach that you can “lose your salvation” or “fall from grace.”

I want to begin by sharing some of God's promises given to us in His word that offer great security to the believer that they have an eternal home.

John 5:24 (KJV) 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 6:36-40 (KJV) 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 10:27-29 (KJV) 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Romans 8:28-31 (KJV) 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Ephesians 1:11-14 (KJV) 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
These passages and so many more give us a promise of eternal life, a promise of being sealed, and a promise of not being lost.

Now I want to share with you this understanding as presented in The Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

V. God's Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.

All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.

My summary statement is simply that salvation is a work of God not of man. We as Christians are secure, not in our work but in the work of Christ. Our belief is not that we will ever be good enough or righteous enough but that Christ was and that He offered to us a free gift of salvation and with that comes the promise of eternal life and a promise of ultimate glorification. One way to put it is that if God does not do what He promised then He has failed us. It is not a matter of whether or not we fail Him because we fail Him all the time!

I want to conclude by looking at one passage that people have questioned me about over the years. I hope to bring some clarity and understanding to these passages. I am looking at this passage particularly because I have recently been asked about it.

Exodus 32:30-35 (KJV) 30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. 34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. 35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Psalm 69:27-29 (KJV) 27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. 29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

The first two texts I want to take a minute to deal with is concerning the book or the book of the living found in these two passages in the Old Testament. My first thought is that these books are God's books and not our books. In other words the Bible does not go into great detail about these books so we need to be careful and not build a theological truth from a few obscure passages that with an even more obscure book that no man has seen or read.

The second point I would like to make is that God has many books.

Revelation 20:11-12 (KJV) 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

In Revelation God is seen as opening several books (v. 12) and another book, the book of life. I simply want to point out that in light of the promises above we cannot definitively say that the books mentioned once in Exodus and once in the Psalms is the same as the “Book of Life” mentioned in Revelation.

Within the Christian Church there are numerous interpretations and understandings of the meanings of the book of living and God's book in Exodus. Most traditional scholars equate these books with life and the living. Moses in Exodus makes a proposal to God, remove me from among the living. The Psalmist, David, is asking God to remove his enemies from the living.

As with all scripture we must read them and understand them, as best we can, within the context of the Bible as a whole.

In conclusions there are Bible verses that seem to promote the eternal security of the believer and there are passages that seem to promote a falling away. Now does this mean that God is contradicting himself? No, this means that we must examine the scriptures carefully and prayerfully and determine, with God's help, the truth.

As I read the scriptures I believe absolutely that God secures the life of the believer for all eternity. One of the arguments from scholars against this is that this becomes for many a license to sin. If I know that God will never kick me out of His family then I can just believe and then sin all I want. The Bible also addresses that argument:

1 John 2:3-4 (KJV) 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Romans 6:1-2 (KJV) 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Those that have had their sins forgiven and have been given a new life will not be comfortable in their sins. It doesn't mean they won't sin, it just means that they will have the Holy Spirit convicting them and making them miserable in their sins.

I would just encourage you to read God's Word and see what saith the Lord!

Bro. Chad Higgins

Below I have some resources that have been helpful to me in answering this question.

http://www.gotquestions.org/

https://carm.org/

The Bible and Homosexuality

My purposes for this article:
1. To help Camp Creek understand what the Bible teaches us about sexuality, homosexuality in particular.
2. To help Camp Creek have an informed conversation with those that disagree with us.

Our Supreme Court just legalized same-sex marriage. This creates for Christians that rely on God's Word for our instruction, for our guidance and for our way of life a great challenge.

Before I get into the Bible's understanding of sexuality and some of the new interpretations around the passages dealing with same-sex relationships I want to make a few statements.

1. God is still in control. This ruling did not catch God off hand nor did it surprise Him!  Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. 
2. We are to be Christlike in our response! When I make this statement I am talking about Jesus message to the world He was in. Yes Jesus sat with sinners, Jesus ate with sinners, Jesus lived His life in and around sinners but while He was with them He called them to repentance and change. Jesus did this with great grace and mercy, may we do the same.  Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man (Jesus) is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
3. Our Goal is not to win an argument but to win souls! There is already much debate on the news and on FaceBook and other media outlets. We do not need to lose our testimony of forgiveness and grace. We also do not need to forget that the battle we fight is not over sexuality but it is over souls.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

With that being said I am going to take the remainder of this article to focus on God's Word. We are going to take a look at a few passages that deal with homosexuality. I want to help us become familiar with the passages and how to properly interpret them.

In the Beginning – The Genesis Passages

Some argue that the Bible only mentions homosexuality only a few times, that is wrong. The Bible may not mention the word homosexual, that word was not a part of the Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic language proper, but the practice was and the descriptive terms leave no room for doubt to someone who is truly trying to understand God's word.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Nowhere in these passages are the words Homosexual mentioned yet in these verses God gives the foundation for sexuality, marriage and the family. God created a man and a woman. A man and a woman then leave their (man and woman) parents to come together for the purpose of marriage and family.

The Law – The Leviticus Passages

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination.

This is as plain a statement as can be, but it is complicated by its placement in the Old Testament Law.

Leviticus 11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

In these two passages you have God telling the children of Israel that homosexuality is an abomination and you have God telling the children of Israel that eating any fish without scales is also an abomination!

So is homosexuality an abomination or not? Is eating shrimp an abomination or not? How do we answer this and other questions like it from the Old Testament?

It is important to understand that there are three types of laws in the Old Testament:

1. Moral laws
2. Ceremonial laws
   
3. Civil laws

Under the New Covenant, the ceremonial laws were abolished, since Jesus Christ Himself negated the need for the sacrificial system. The Civil laws were intended for the nation of Israel in that particular time and setting. The Moral laws remain timeless and permanent.

The Moral Laws

These are the laws that were given to the nation of Israel to teach them what pleases and displeases God. The Ten Commandments are the greatest examples of them.

Now the question becomes how do we discern between the laws. How do we know if the laws given in the Old Testament were only for the nation of Israel for that period of time. The answer is simply are the laws repeated or reinforced in other areas of scripture?

For example nine of the ten commandments are restated or reaffirmed in the New Testament. The only one that is not is, keep the Sabbath!

Ceremonial Laws

When Christ came and presented Himself as the sacrifice, once and for all, for all our sins the Old Testament ceremonial laws ceased to be needed. They were there to point us to the perfect sacrifice which is Christ.

Hebrews 9:8 ...that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

The Civil Laws

God gave the nation of Israel specific laws that were for that nation and that nation alone. They were God's unique nation. These laws will be the unique dietary laws, grooming laws, civil and criminal laws that were unique to the nation of Israel for God's purpose for His people for that time. We are not the nation of Israel living in the time between slavery in Egypt and the coming of Christ.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ...20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18:23-33 – Abraham intercedes on the behalf of Sodom. God determines not to destroy Sodom if 10 righteous can be found.

Genesis 19:1-11 – The story of Sodom and Gomorrah's fall.

Remember, my desire as we are studying this issue is to help you discuss the Biblical truth with Christians that read the same Bible as we do yet come to a different conclusion. Christians that try to say the Bible does not speak to a homosexual lifestyle as we know it will try to say that this passage condemns the Sodomites for their inhospitable ways.

“Basically the issue lies in the meaning of the word that is translated as “know.” ‏יָדַע ‎ -yād̠aʿ: A verb meaning to know, to learn, to perceive, to discern, to experience, to confess, to consider, to know people relationally, to know how, to be skillful, to be made known, to make oneself known, to make to know.

The simple meaning, to know, is its most common translation out of the eight hundred or more uses. One of the primary uses means to know relationally and experientially: it refers to knowing or not knowing persons (Gen. 29:5; Ex. 1:8) personally or by reputation (Job 19:13). The word also refers to knowing a person sexually (Gen. 4:1; 19:5; 1 Ki. 1:4).” Complete Word Study Dictionary, The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament.

"God punished the people of Sodom and Gibeah for breaching the rules of hospitality, not for threatening homosexual assault."

It is true that a breach of hospitality was gravely serious in that culture, but this argument does not bear close scrutiny. Much of the discussion here centers on the exact meaning of the men's demands to bring out the visitors so they could "know" them (Gen 19:5).

D. S. Bailey, in his widely quoted book Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition, argues that the men of Sodom and Gibeah asked "to know" (Hebrew yād̠a) the men in the sense of "to become acquainted with." This Hebrew word occurs 943 times in the Old Testament. In only a few cases does it refer to sexual intercourse, and then always to heterosexuality.” Coming Out of Homosexuality: New Freedom for Men & Women.

There is a major problem with this argument: the response to the men's demands strongly supports a connotation of sexual violence. Lot protests,

Genesis 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

rāʾaʾ is a verb with the predominant sense of "to act wickedly," "be wicked, bad or evil" throughout most of its nearly one hundred occurrences, as well as associated nuances such as "harm" or "punish."

This answer seems inappropriate to protest a breach of hospitality, as opposed to rape; they certainly make no sense if the men merely wanted to become familiar with the visitors.

Furthermore, Lot uses the same word, (know), in his next statement,

Genesis 19:8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man.

Obviously the implication is sexual.

"Bailey's interpretations have been extremely influential... despite the fact that most biblical commentators do not agree with him," says Ronald M. Springett, professor of religion at Southern College in Collegedale, Tennessee. "Most scholars consider his interpretation to be ingenious but unconvincing since it fails to do justice to the immediate context.” Other biblical passages list the sins of Sodom, but don't mention homosexuality. Some verses mention sins like arrogance, unconcern for the poor, and encouraging evildoers, but other passages link Sodom with sexual immorality, perversion and “filthy lives of lawless men.” God judged the city for a wide variety of sins, including homosexuality.” Coming Out of Homosexuality: New Freedom for Men & Women.

Jeremiah 23:14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

2 Peter 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

“The tragic fact about many false teachers is that they are successful-people listen to them and follow them and their shameful ways (aselgeis), which Peter also used in 1 Peter 4:3 ["debauchery"]; 2 Peter 2:7 ["filthy"]; v. 18 ["lustful"]). (Cf. aselgeia in Rom. 13:13; 2 Cor. 12:21; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:19; Jude 4.) It refers to debased sexually immoral practices.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

Lot lived in Sodom and apparently was a man of some importance there, for when the angels went to take Lot from the city, they found him sitting in the gateway of the city, where city officials met. "Licentiousness" means open and excessive indulgence in sexual sins. Licentious people have no sense of shame or restraint. Life Application Bible Commentary - Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Peter and Jude.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Fornication - ekporneuō is a rare verb found only in Jude 7, referring to the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah who had "given themselves over to sexual immorality." Porneuō is a verb found eight times meaning "to practice, indulge in immorality" in a sexual sense... Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts.

Going after strange flesh, Marg., other. The reference seems to be to the peculiar sin which, from the name Sodom, has been called sodomy. Comp. Romans 1:27. The meaning of the phrase going after is, that they were greatly addicted to this vice. The word strange, or other, refers to that which is contrary to nature. Doddridge, however, explains it, "going after strange and detestable gratifications of their pampered and indulged flesh." Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical.

Jesus did not mention Homosexual behavior, so therefore He must approve!


Jesus gave us His understanding of Marriage in Matthew. In this passage He refers back to Genesis and reinforces the truth of one man with one woman for life.
Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Jesus is a part of the Godhead, He is eternal. When we let the world try to put more emphasis on the particular's of what Jesus says verses the rest of God's Word we lesson the eternalness of Jesus. Jesus was there when Moses wrote Leviticus. Jesus was there when Sodom and Gomorrah fell and He did not object. Jesus was there when Paul wrote Romans. The Bible is God's complete revelation and the Gospels, even though they give us the earthly life story of Jesus, are only a part of a complete revelation.


Romans

Romans 1:19-32

"Natural" is the important word here—Paul uses it in verse 27, and the opposite term, "unnatural," in verse 26—because it explains why this stage is a further step along the downward moral path.

Let me elaborate on that statement. Fornication and adultery (which are in view in verse 24) are not "unnatural" sins, for they are not against nature. Of course, they are true sins, for they break the moral law of God. They result in "impurity" and in the "degrading" of our bodies, as Paul says. But they are not unnatural. On the contrary, they are in one sense quite natural. They are accomplished by using one's body in a natural way. Not so with homosexuality! Homosexuality is "unnatural," and it is accomplished by using one's body in an unnatural way, that is, against nature. In the first case, we may well need the Bible to tell us that fornication is wrong. The popular song asks, "How can it be wrong when it seems so right?" But in the case of homosexuality we do not even need this special revelation. A look at one's sexual apparatus should convince anyone that practices of this kind are not normal. They were not meant to be. Boice Expositional Commentary - An Expositional Commentary – Romans, Volume 1: Justification by Faith (Romans 1-4).

List of Resources, Websites and that might help.

www.afa.net – This is the site for the American Family Association and they have several articles and helpful information.

www.probe.org – This is a Christian Apologetic s (Defense) site which has articles on this and other issues.

www.genesiscounseling.org – This is a counseling site that provides resources in an effort to “reclaim Godly sexuality.”

Desires in Conflict: Hope for Men Who Struggle with Sexual Identity , Joe Dallas, Harvest House Publishers, 2003.

When Homosexuality Hits Home: What to do When a Loved One Says They're Gay , Joe Dallas, Harvest House Publishers, 2004.

Can You Be Gay and Christian?: Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality , Micheal L. Brown, Frontline, 2014.

YouTube Video, Search for: Ravi Zacharias, Acceptance of Homosexuality in Christianity-Ravi Zacharias Answers Question:settled! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx7ALlEtg2c

Genesis 11:27-32 (KJV) 27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

2 Peter 2:7-9 (KJV) 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

If the Lord had not seen fit to put this little phrase in the New Testament and you and I had only the accounts in Genesis of the life of Lot we would most certainly declare Lot a lost sinner that died without hope.  But you see God chose to put into our Bible the story of Lot, in all his wickedness, in all his faults and in all his failures to give to us a warning.  Now in this warning there is also hope, but I believe the emphasis is on the warning, not the hope.

1.                  Lot had a troubled start.

We all know the story of Abraham and Sarah but have you ever thought about why their nephew Lot went with them as they left their family and followed the Lord.

Genesis 11:27-32 (KJV) 27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Haran, Lot's father and Abraham's brother, died young.  We have no mention of Lot's mother.  At the beginning Lot's grandfather took Lot and then eventually Lot went to live with his uncle Abraham. 

2.                  Lot had a Godly influence.

Genesis 12:1-4 (KJV) 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

Romans 4:1-3 (KJV) 1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

We have little information about Lot's early life except that his parents are out of the picture and that he goes from his grandfather to finally staying with his uncle Abraham. 

It isn't long into the narrative that we see Lot beginning to make the wrong choices.

3.                  Lot separated himself from that Godly influence.

Genesis 13:5-13 (KJV) 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

There is a struggle, there is a feud, there is a disagreement and Abraham presents to Lot an easy solution.  You go your way and I will go mine.  Simple enough.

            First Wrong choice - Separation

This is the first wrong choice that is recorded by Lot.  He chose to leave his Godly influence.  Abraham no doubt was like a father to Lot.  Lot is now choosing to go out on his own and he is obviously not ready.

There is going to be strife in families, in churches, with friends and loved ones.  We must be careful and in our moments of strife not to disconnect ourselves from our Godly influences.

How do you think Lot's life and family would have turned out if at this critical moment instead of separating from his Godly influence Lot had said, wait a minute Abraham, let me go and sell my herds and lesson my possessions and make sacrifices to stay with you.

            Second Wrong Choice – Self Reliance

When you read the story of Abraham you see often the communication between Abraham and God.

Abraham is building and alter, Abraham is praying, God and Abraham are entering into a covenant.

When Lot separates from Abraham and looks at the green plains of Jordan we are not given any indication that Lot sought the wisdom of Abraham or of the Lord.

Don't you think if Lot had simply turned to his uncle and said, which way would you go.

Don't you think that if Lot had consulted with the Lord that the Lord would have told him to stay away from that wicked place.

            Third Wrong Choice – Satisfying Self

Green Pastures and the city life!

The more that Lot moved away from God the more comfortable he became with wickedness!

1.                  Lot Lost his belongings – would have been a good time to turn back to Abraham

Genesis 14:11-12 (KJV) 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.



Matthew 16:26 (KJV) 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

2.                 Lot Lost his influence

Genesis 18:23-33 (KJV) 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 19:1-11 (KJV) 1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Genesis 19:12-14 (KJV) 12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

In the wicked city Lot lost his influence.  We have no record in God's word where Lot influenced one person much less won one soul to the Lord.  How many people have you influenced for the Lord?

3.                  Lot Lost his family

Genesis 19:30-38 (KJV) 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Lot lived like the world, died like the world. 

All of this wickedness, all of this loss, all of this chaos and the Bible says that right in the middle of it was a just man.

2 Peter 2:7-9 (KJV) 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

After looking back at the life of Lot the only one that knew that he was a just man was God himself.  What a pitiful testimony.

Let me ask you here this morning, are you a Christian?  Does anyone besides God know it?