The Word of God declares: “For the wages of sin is death…”(Rom6:23). Although this passage refers to death as in eternal damnation, but it also has an application in the physical realm to the sins of sexual perversion(1Cor6:18).
   In my last tidbit, I used Noah’s flood as an example of ‘The Violence of Sexual Perversion’. This time I will use Sodom. Genesis 18:20-21 declares:
20.And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21.I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
  Like I wrote about last time in Noah’s day, Genesis 18 does not immediately identify the “very grievous” sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. But the text does say the sin was of such magnitude that it (the sin of Sodom) literally “cried” into God’s heaven forcing Him to send messengers to the earth to determine whether the shock of its evil was authentic.
  As we approach the end of chapter 18, the Bible reveals the incredible intercession of Abraham on behalf of these two cities where he appeals to God’s mercy. He begins by asking mercy if 50 righteous people can be found within their borders and concludes by convincing God not to destroy the cities if 10 righteous people can be found.
   Moreover, Genesis 19:5-7 declares:
5.And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came into 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.
   It was not until Genesis 19:5-7 that we find the definition of the “very grievous” sin of Sodom. The text clearly declares that two angels in the form of men sat at the gate, which refers to the town’s square where everyone in the city could see them. Lot comes and insists the angels leave the square immediately and come into his home for their protection because he knows what will happen if they stay the night in that place. At first, they refuse but then change their minds and consent. At bedtime, the ‘men’  of the city—both old and young— surround Lot’s home in aggression to ensure no escape. The text says “all the people from every quarter” are included in this attack. The words “all” and “every” possess an all-encompassing nuance in their definitions. In other words, every male in the city surrounded Lot’s house—not one was left out. Genesis 19:5 declares: “And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came into thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” In verse 7, Lot responds: “And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly”.
  Two points:
1.What does the word “know” in the phrase “know them” mean in 19:5?
2.Why did Lot describe their behavior as: “wickedly” in 19:7?
  The first answer lay in Genesis 19:8 where Lot offered his 2 daughters to the crowd of men and said, “I have two daughters which have not known man” & “and do you to them as is good in your eyes”. First, the phrase “have not known a man” means the two women were virgins. In other words, Lot was offering his daughters sexually to the men. And, Lot’s demonic offer to: “do you to them what you will” confirms that the word “known” in 19:8 refers to sexual behavior. In addition, also confirming this point is that the word “known” in 19:8 is the same Hebrew word “know” in 19:5. Therefore, because “known” in 19:8 refers to sexual activity, the word “know” in 19:5 also refers to sexual activity.
  Finally, 19:7 seals the deal because Lot calls the behavior of the men, i.e.“to know” …“wicked”! In other words, the “men, young and old”—wanted to perform homosexual acts on the two angels—and the Bible calls that behavior: “wicked”!
  Of course, the naysayers will disagree, declaring it was the rape of these men of the city that God condemns, not their homosexuality! On the contrary, it was the homosexuality of these “men—young and old” - that inspired their desire to rape the angels! Remember, sexual perversion (including homosexuality) eventually leads to violence in sexuality; and as sexual perversion matures, it ultimately ends with murder. Why? The wages of sin is death(Rom5:8).
  If you still disagree, Jude 7 settles it: “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.”
  The Greek word for “fornication” is ĕkpŏrnĕuō meaning to be utterly unchaste:— give self over to fornication. It means to give oneself completely to fornication. It means utterly unchaste(Strong’s). Furthermore, the root word of ekporneuo is pŏrnĕuō which means to act the harlot, i.e. (lit.) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (fig.) practice idolatry:—commit (fornication) (Strong’s).
  Moreover, the Greek word “strange flesh” in Jude 7 is hĕtĕrŏs, het´-er-os; meaning other or different:—altered, else, next (day), one, (an-) other, some, strange (Strong’s).
  However, don’t let the word ‘heteros’ which is used in the English word for ‘heterosexual’ confuse you. Because this same word is used in the context of Sodom and Gomorrha in Jude 7 it cannot refer to heterosexuality, meaning sex between men and women, also known as Biblical sex. Why? Because the Sodomite males were pursuing 2 males in Lot’s house, which obviously depicts homosexuality.
  So why is the word heteros used in Jude 7? Because the male Sodomites were going after men, which the Bible describes as “strange flesh”, as opposed to women which would not be considered as “strange flesh”!! In other words, Jude 7 declares for a man to pursue another man’s flesh sexually is to pursue ‘strange flesh’! The context of the Jude passage determines the meaning of the words “strange flesh.”
 Finally, the confirmation of the condemnation of homosexuality in Jude 7 is also found in 2 Peter 2:6-8:
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.
  First, the Greek word for “conversation” is behavior (Strong’s). However, the Greek word for “filthy” is the word asĕlgĕia, as-elg´-i-a; from a comp. of 1 (as a neg. particle) and a presumed
sĕlgēs (of uncert. der., but appar. mean. continent); licentiousness (sometimes including other vices):—filthy, lasciviousness, wantonness (Strong’s).
  The definition of licentiousness/lasciviousness is sexual license which includes more than rape!! In other words, in the context of 2 Peter 2:6-9, which refers to both Sodom and Gomorrha, the word licentiousness means a sexual license or freedom to do any kind of sex, any kind of way…imaginable!1 I repeat, the words “filthy conversation” do not restrict the sin of Sodom and Gomorrha only to rape, but include sexual perversion!  
   In conclusion, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha due to their “very grievous” sin. From the OT to the NT, the Bible includes homosexuality in the definition of sexual perversions. The consequence of Sodom’s sin was both rape and murder--- because violence follows closely after sexual perversion.
 
 
1.licentiousness
i.a throwing off of sexual restraint; lewd character or behavior:The Hays Code tried to stamp out all lust and licentiousness in American film.
ii.wanton disregard or transgression of laws, rules, or moral norms:Freedom entails responsibilities, or else it degenerates into licentiousness.
-Dictionary.com
 
LICEN'TIOUSNESS, noun Excessive indulgence of liberty; contempt of the just restraints of law, morality and decorum. The licentiousness of authors is justly condemned; the licentiousness of the press is punishable by law.
Law is the god of wise men; licentiousness is the god of fools.
-1828 Webster’s Dictionary
 
2.lasciviousness
i.unrestrained sexual behavior, or a habitual inclination to such behavior; lustfulness:They celebrated their victory with an orgy of drunken lasciviousness.
ii.a lustful or lewd quality; the quality of arousing sexual desire:She smiled with a hint of lasciviousness in her eyes.
              -Dictionary.com

  
QuoteBit
I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.
                        -C.S. Lewis

The Bible declares, “the wages of sin is death…”(Rom6:23). This teaches that sin possesses a consequence. In this case, the consequence of committing sin is a payment of death. Two questions:
1.What kind of death?
2.Is there a specific sin that leads to death?
  The answer to question 1 is sin causes death in spirit, soul, and body. Therefore, the death to which Romans 6:23 refers occurs in one or more of these three areas depending on the sin committed.
  The answer to question 2 is the focus of this tidbit. As the title of this tidbit suggests I will endeavor to give God’s view on the sin of sexual perversion. 
  In Noah’s day, Genesis 6:5 declares, “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” So, what was the wickedness of man that was so great? And what were the thoughts of man’s heart that were only evil continually?
  The description of the wickedness begins in Genesis 6:1,2, where the sons of God took the daughters of men as wives. The traditional interpretation of this passage is that angels slept with humans…but this is controversial and not agreed upon by all theologians. While initially, the action of intermarriage appears innocuous, Genesis 6:7 reveals God’s view of mankind’s actions:  “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”
  Genesis 6:11-13 continues:
11.The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12.And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13.And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”
  In verses 11 and 12, the Bible declares the earth was “corrupt”! Not mincing any words, the scripture goes on to declare: “all flesh had corrupted his way”, and even worse, “the end of all flesh is come before me.”
    Tragically, the scripture describes the consequence of the “corruption”: “for the earth is filled with violence”, with special emphasis on “filled”!!! Yet, what is perplexing is that the words “wives” and “children” are used to convey the idea of marriage—all of which are good (Gen2:18-25), but the Word of God still describes all the events here as “great” wickedness (6:5)!! 
 
   Obviously, something more is going on here!
  
   Incredibly, the context simply moves on to Genesis 7 where God commands Noah to build an “Ark” to preserve the land animals of the earth. Immediately, God sends a flood in His wrath and “And all flesh died that moved upon the earth” (7:21). Once again, the context provides no details of the earth’s corruption and violence!!!
  In Genesis 8, God used a wind to blow the waters from the earth after 150 days (v3)! The Ark lands on Mount Ararat and God commands the 8 people and the animals to leave the Ark, where
they build an altar and sacrifice to the Lord. And still, throughout chapter 8, the context provides no details of the earth’s corruption and violence!!!
  In chapter nine, God renews His initial command given to Adam in Genesis1:26-28, but this time to Noah: “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth” (Gen9:1). NOW…God begins to crack open a door of understanding, declaring: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man.” In other words, God sternly warns man for murder. Yet, there are still no details of how or what man did to earn such a warning.
  Moving forward, God makes a covenant with Noah to never again flood the earth destroying all flesh, and gives a rainbow as a sign of keeping that covenant (9:16,17).
   However, arriving at Genesis 9:20, the crack in the door now opens wide revealing why God judged the entire earth for its corruption, tragically ending in the violence of man, i.e. murdering one another!!! 
“20.And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
21.And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
22.And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.”  -Gen9:20-23         
  Verses 24-25 describe Noah’s reaction to Ham’s behavior:
“24.And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
25.And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
 But, why would Noah curse Ham for what appears to be something as simple as 'seeing'  his nakedness?
  In order to understand the phrase “saw his nakedness”, we have to go elsewhere in scripture. In Leviticus 18:6-19(20:17-20), the Bible repeatedly uses this specific phrase to convey sexual activity. However, Leviticus 20:11 directly declares it: “And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
   This means Ham did not simply look at his father without clothes on. The term “saw his nakedness” means Ham committed a homosexual act on his father!
  Returning to the question at hand: What then was the corruption of Noah’s day that ultimately ended in corruption and violence? The earth was full of sexual perversion!!   
  What does sexual perversion have to do with murder? Sexual perversion ignites the sin nature in man. The sin nature in man (Rom7:17-18,20) is used by Satan to inspire an ever descending spiral downward into unmitigated debauchery! Remember, the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy(Jn10:10), and  Jesus called him a murderer from the beginning (Jn8:44)!!!
  This does not mean every fornicator, adulterer, homosexual, or transgender will become a murderer…but it does mean once inside the lifestyle of sexual perversion…as sexual sins are given time to mature, they will end with violence, i.e.murder! 
  Remember, the Bible declares just before Jesus returns…will be like the days of Noah: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Mat24:37). In other words, just before the return of Jesus, murder, mayhem, chaos ---will reign!      
  Are we seeing increasing sexual perversion in America today? Answer: we are seeing unmitigated sexual perversion! And…are we seeing murder, mayhem and chaos in America today?!?!? Like never before in American history!
 
Remember: The wages of sin is death (Rom6:23)!!!