SESSION II - - THE WAGES OF SIN

Even as we rejoice in the Lord we remain mindful of the reality of the wrath of God. As He has throughout history, God sees everything that happens on Earth. Though He may remain silent for a season, when situations reach a certain point of seriousness He will step in. His stepping in can be a fearful thing. He has given us the opportunity to manage and enjoy His creation. Now, because we have been so ungrateful and have sought to become "god" ourselves, He (the Real God) steps in and deals with us. He did it unto Saul. He did it unto Jezebel. He did it unto Haman and He will do it unto those that are unrepentant and rebellous today. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31 [The Holy Bible]).

The United States of America is my country. Americans are my countrymen, However, I have become much like Jeremiah - - A prophet seeking to call his people back to God (while simultaneously warning of impending disaster). Jeremiah was called the "weeping prophet". I understand how he felt. He knew that salvation was in God but he also knew that his people were unlikely to repent so that disaster could be avoided. It is sad indeed to have and offer the perfect cure but have few if any takers. Sin simply cannot win (in the end). Sin often appears to have won but eventually justice and righteousness will triumph.

Americans are fed constant servings of sin. It is often couched in commentary, advice, news and/or entertainment. Americans are eating poisonous foods (concernng morality, God, ethics, etc.) and they seem to be too naive to differenciate between truth and error; between the things that are of man and things that are of God. As I (and others) cry out in the wilderness of sin and unbelief, most continue going on their "merry" way, seemingly giving little or no thought to the seriousness of their actions. These are indeed characteristics that Jesus said would be manisfested during the time of the end. Jesus said:

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Luke 17:26-27) The Holy Bible

There is a concerted effort in America to disavow God. It is not of recent vintage. There were efforts of "expel" God during the nineteenth century. The latter part of the twentieth century saw many such campaigns. However, crossing the line in the marriage area (same sex "unions" and "domestic partnerships") will probably activate both passive and active expressions of God's wrath. Americans do not seem to realize that God's wrath is not always "active" as we define activity. When God does "nothing", that can also be an expression of His wrath. That is a "passive" expression of His wrath. For example, on September 11, 2001, God could have decided to become "more active". In other words, God could have exerted His power and prevented those planes from reaching their targets. However, He apparently decided to allow America to have a "wakeup" call. I see that as being an expression of the wrath of God. God is justified in what he did because the United States of America had become exceeding sinful (and now we are even more sinful). So, if God's inactivity (or passive wrath) allowed the death, damage and destruction of September 11, 2001, it is most distressing to even imagine what an expression of the "active" wrath of God would do to our country. Paul is correct; it is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the livng God. Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul explained an aspect of God's wrath as follows:

MOREOVER, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (I Corinthians 10:1-12) The Holy Bible

We can talk about America (and other nations) but in the final analysis, it is what you and I do individually that will make the difference in our lives and in the lives of our families. The Almighty sovereign God listens to individuals. He is able to protect and bless us. We must teach others (as I am doing in this class); However, it is how each of us interacts with God that will make the difference in our own lives. God will Save His own. However, His own must obey Him or be lost. Jesus said, " Remember Lot's wife " (Luke 17:32). David said it this way:

FRET not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation .
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of man wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. (Psalm 37:1-17) The Holy Bible

Psalm 37 makes it clear that the righteous do not have to perish with the wicked. My mission is to call sinners to repentance so that they may escape the "wrath to come" (See Matthew 3:7). If America's sins come up before God (and they may already have) there are horrible times ahead. If America's sins have not come up before God, the iniquity of same sex "unions" and same sex "partnerships" will more than likely surely qualify them for the special attention of God. Such attention will surely result in the expression of the wrath of God.
If I lived in one of the Sodomic states (currently Vermont, California, Hawaii and New Jersey) I (personally) would be seeking a way to leave that state. Just as Lot left Sodom in order to escape the wrath of God, I (personally) would do likewise. Jesus Himself tells of Lot leaving Sodom:

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:28-29) The Holy Bible

All Americans should know that there is a way out. The way out is through Jesus Christ. Though the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven and the wages of sin is death, it is important to remember that the "gift of God" is eternal life. Again, hear the Apostle Paul:

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

So the options are clear. You (and I) may choose the wages of sin or we may choose the gift of God. I choose the gift of God .

Pastor Clarence William Page, Instructor
Greensboro, North Carolina
January 16, 2004