Presumptuous, audacious, daring

Romans 1:24: [24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

"God abandoned them to do their own thing. You know, that's a strange thing. All God had to do to judge man into confusion was to leave him alone.

"People talk about how, 'You need the judgment of God to come down.' Listen, all God Almighty has to do to let people destroy everything they're doing is just leave them to themselves.

"He gives them over to vile affections so that their hearts--talking about the soul, the inner man--are corrupted. Then He gives them over to a reprobate mind; their whole thinking process is a waste of time. Someone once said this passage describes how the heathen got that way.

Romans 1:32: [32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

"I remember years ago, when I was just a young preacher, I wrote down by that verse, 'The depths of sin,' because that's as low as sin will take you.

"They know that God says that they which commit these things are worthy of death--they don't just do them but they have pleasure in them that do them.

II Peter 2:13: [13] And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

"Just go around sporting and rejoicing. That's why he says in verse 10: [10] But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

"Presumptuous, meaning, 'I'm right and you're wrong.' The audacity, the boldness, the daring. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Their self-will leads to rebellion against anything super-imposed on them.

"Of course, the absolute final moral authority in all the universe, the Bible, they have no interest in. The knowledge is intuitively, instinctively built-in, but they reject it; they despise it.

Proverbs 24: [21] My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

[22] For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
[23] These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
[24] He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

"That's what Paul's talking about in Romans 13: [1] Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. [2] Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

"God establishes the authority, puts the government there and these people are going to rebel against the government.

Matthew 17: [24] And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

[25] He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
[26] Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
[27] Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

"Christ is saying, 'I'm a stranger; here I am. Foxes have holes, birds have nests. I don't have anywhere to lay my head.' Even in that situation, what the Lord had Peter doing was not rebelling and fighting against the authorities.

"That's a fascinating thing. These are the people who are going to kill Him. He doesn't have them running to the hills and hiding from them. There's never been a more corrupt system than the one that nailed the Lord Jesus Christ to Calvary's cross.

"The social ills of His day were far worse than anything you've EVER experienced or ever will experience in our day. In any realm--socially, economically. Slavery was the order of the day. Terrible situation that most of the world lived in. The haves and have nots were exact and compelling and you were born into it. He says, 'That isn't our fight; we're strangers.' "

(new article tomorrow)