Delivered out of Temptations, or Reserved Under Punishment? #1805

“then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:9, NKJV)

We all need rescuing from the powerful surge of sin that sweeps souls away from God into eternal punishment. God delivers sinners from sin’s bondage and death through the gospel of His Son (Rom. 1:16; 6:17-18; 6:23). God also knows how to deliver godly ones from the trials and temptations they face from “the unjust.” God both delivers the godly while reserving the ungodly for punishment. God “did not spare the angels who sinned,” but cast them into the abyss awaiting judgment (2 Pet. 2:4). God punished the ancient world with a flood while saving Noah and his family (2 Pet. 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:20-21). God turned Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes because they “gave themselves over to sexual immorality” and had “gone after strange flesh” (2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7). In that moment of judgment God delivered righteous Lot from being “oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked” (2 Pet. 2:7-8). These examples serve to boost and secure our faith in moments of doubt and spiritual struggle. God does not abandon the righteous, nor does He forget the wicked (2 Thess. 1:4-10). The Lord’s day of judgment is coming when the unjust will reap their just punishment. The gospel call from God is to repent while you have the time and the ability to do so. Do not harden your heart. God does not want you to perish, He wants you to repent and obey Him to be delivered from sin’s terrible penalty of eternal death (2 Pet. 3:9).

Love’s Warning #794

as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7, NKJV)

If you saw a loved one running into a burning building, would you warn them and try to stop them? Of course you would. Why then, when we warn homosexuals of their sin and its punishment of eternal fire, are we charged with being hateful bigots? It is a false and scurrilous  charge. However, we know why some make it. Sinners hate the light of truth, and are willing to compromise with other sinners so their own sins will not be exposed (Jno. 3:19-21). Therefore, they let them run into the fire without warning – and call it love. What a selfish approach to take toward the reality and eternal destruction of sin – any sin – including the “sexual immorality” of homosexuality. We cannot stand by and watch souls run headlong into the punishment of eternal hell fire without sounding God’s warning. Love demands it. Jesus sounded warnings against sin (Mk. 9:42-48). Was Jesus a hateful bigot? No. We will follow His example, and in love we will warn sinners to repent, and thereby escape the punishment of eternal fire.