The Violence of Sexual Perversion-2

  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