Recently, I signed up for another streaming service so I can watch Picard. In recent years we’ve become inundated with streaming services that promise us more.
We’ve bitten the apple that promises to satisfy us more because something is wrong beneath the surface of our hearts (Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 17:9). Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my new service and Disney+, but there is a spiritual battle going on inside of us. It has been since Satan deceived Adam and Eve by promising them more than God had already given them (Genesis 3:1-7).
Deception promises us more; Satan takes God’s word out of context and twists it to satisfy our desires. I’ve already shared in a previous blog how false teachers cherry-pick Scriptures and take them out of context to deceive others by promising more than what God said (Deuteronomy 13:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:13, 2 Peter 2:1-3,) great are you, Lord. Context means everything to the gospel because the gospel needs nothing else to make it the Good News.
The world is focused on having a good time, not the Christian lens of the good news—the gospel. The things of this world are fading. This is why we must pay attention to the things going on around us (inside of us, in our homes, communities, and churches).
In writing, context means everything, because context can change the meaning of a word or phrase depending on where it is placed. Context is defined as the setting within which a work of writing is situated. The role of context is to bridge the gap between authors and their audiences. This is why we must look at the Bible from the perspective of its original audience, not the culture we live in today.
The Old Testament was written to the Jewish people facing many trials while they waited for the Messiah. The New Testament was written to the Jewish people and the early church about the arrival of the promised Messiah if you believe.
Everything about the Bible points us to the Messiah and God’s kingdom, not this world and its treasures. To take any Scripture out of its context changes its meaning and the gospel.
In the book of Matthew Jesus sheds light on the importance of the gospel by stating that those who reject it will face worse punishment than Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment (Matthew 10:15,) an act of God, not man.
Sodom and Gomorrah are the standards for evil for humanity. The Jewish people understood its symbolism because it is part of their history. They knew the cities refused to listen to Lot and repent, and then when God sent angels as messengers, the people wanted to rape them. God told Lot and his wife not to look back; both cities were destroyed and experienced physical death. Later in the book of Jeremiah God’s prophets joined the nations in rebellious sin, instead of urging them to repent of it and see the light. And God says their judgment will be worse than the physical death of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jeremiah 23:14.)
A.W. Tozer explains, “Any man who by repentance and a sincere return to God will break himself out of the mold in which he has been held, and will go to the Bible itself for his spiritual standards, will be delighted with what he finds there.”
If your Bible is like mine, there is a heading over Matthew chapter 10 that states “Sending of the 12,” here Jesus is sending the disciples as messengers of the Gospel out with warnings. The people, just like Sodom and Gomorrah will refuse it and even attack the disciples like wolves.
The true gospel isn’t as feel-good as that of the world and we don’t get to live happily ever after in our sin. When I was growing up, we sang about how to make room in our hearts for Jesus. As an adult, I understand He gets all of my heart and life when I surrender.
The lost, like Sodom and Gomorrah, won’t let go of the pleasures of this life. Many in the church today, believe they can still hold on to some of their sinful ways as long as they have fire insurance.
Jesus makes the comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah’s judgment because the people understood how horrible it was. Jesus’ warning about those who refuse to turn from all sin is more about the need for the gospel, than about sin, because only Jesus saves us from the second death!
A few years ago John MacArthur explained the spiritual significance of the second death and only one way to Heaven, “The second death is eternity in hell separated from God.” False teachers don’t want us to think we won’t die because of our sins, same ’ol game as Satan.
I am old enough to remember the Hell, fire, and brimstone preachers of the 80s and 90s. Their approach was fear, now churches are focused on God’s love. And rightly so, the Bible is clear that God wishes no one would perish (Ezekiel 18:32, 2 Peter 3:9,) this is how I thank you, Lord. But, we must keep in mind; that Hell is real and much hotter than these extreme days!
Scripture is clear those in hell will feel physical pain for all of eternity (Malachi 4:1, Luke 16:19-31,) but nothing is worse than being separated from God who is in Heaven with His people for the remainder of eternity. Jesus warned His disciples to leave whoever doesn’t accept the gospel and “Knock the dust off of their feet.”
The Hebrew term “Knock the dust off of your feet” meant more than leaving the presence of those who reject the gospel, it meant to disassociate with, not go back, I won’t look back. Remember Lot and his wife? Today we say things like, “burn bridges.” Because these people have rejected the gospel when they turn to the gospel+!
4 Comments
I heard a sermon not too long ago about avoiding the Gospel+ attitude that is prevalent on social media. It’s the gospel plus things like patriotism, political beliefs, or musical preference. In other words, in order to be a Christian you need the Gospel + whatever they believed, but the Gospel is all we need. Good reminder.
You remind us that the Old Testament and the New Testament were written for others besides us, the Jewish people of the time period (and later for the Gentiles of that time period). That is true; however, I believe those scriptures were written to be a lasting guide for all God’s people, “God’s Word is living and breathing” therefore it is applicable to us as well. If we were to accept the fact that early scripture was only written for one segment of people (and we don’t fit in that category), we would close our Bibles and never open them again. But Jesus came to save the world (John 3:16), not just one group. Thanks for you thought provoking message.
Yes, we can apply Old testament scripture to our lives, but we still must understand the context it was written in.
God’s word is a living and breathing truth relevant for every generation. But we must study it and absorb it in order to stay true the faith as God intended it. Thanks