As we’ve seen previously from the Old Testament, the spirit of that age, as Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.”  It will be as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah (Luke 17:26‑32).  So, we identify that spirit; and we see that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).  They were constantly taken up with being inventors of evil, just looking for more things to consume upon their lusts, upon their flesh.  We all know what lust does: it can’t be satisfied.  When you’re given over to lasciviousness, when there is in your life no source of temperance (and we live in a society where people are out of control), your flesh rules and reigns from so many different perspectives.  This idolatry of self‑indulgence implies that they love God, but they just love pleasure more.  The Greek literally says that they don’t have any love for God, but that they love pleasure as their god.  There is no love of God in them.  Well, how can we say that?  It’s because over and over Jesus made it very clear, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” and John reiterates that “His commandments are not grievous” to those who love God.

So, we see that there are many in the realm of the professed church who say that they love God but have no evidence of it, as Jesus said in His sermon in Matthew 7, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,” not by their mouths, not by how much Scripture they quote, not by how proficient they are in their lexicons to impress people with their knowledge.  What do you live?  The idolatry in the churches today is as great as it was in the first century (or greater) in this hour in which we live.  We saw that the hearts of man were such that God had to destroy man from the face of the earth.  We see references to Sodom and Gomorrah, and everybody immediately thinks about the sodomy that was practiced in that region, but the Bible says their sin was pride, idleness and prosperity (fullness of bread).  And it wasn’t just in Sodom and Gomorrah; it said it was also in the cities round about.  It was what everybody practiced.  It wasn’t that you just had this one cesspool called Sodom, everybody in the region except Abraham and his clan was involved in it, it was the doctrine of the day; it was the accepted lifestyle of the day.  Ephesians speaks to us, and it’s tragic that, in the churches, people are able to live in such darkness today.  One reason there is so much darkness is that the church doesn’t commune together.  People come to church and then go home to live secret lives with their television programs and internet; isolating themselves out of the light to serve their lusts and indulgences without anybody knowing. 

Consider the church of the Ephesians and how defiled it was through its carnality.  Ephesians 5:1-5 says, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet‑smelling savor.  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”  That’s powerful.  Now see, this is what was in the church.  A little leaven will leaven the whole lump; amen?  We can’t have that in our midst.  Jesus will not tolerate this in His church.  You will have to put this stuff away.  God will reveal it in the last days:  it will be dealt with by the Holy Ghost because, He is making His church ready, a church without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, amen?