All right, if you wish to follow
along, turn to 2 Peter again. I think it was about three weeks
ago I brought a message from 2 Peter 2. I want to go back
to 2 Peter 2 again. 2 Peter chapter 2. The last time
I spoke from this chapter, I think the title was something along
the line of deliverance and damnation. And that's what we see in this
chapter. God knows how to reserve the unjust to be punished by
him. But God also knows how to deliver
the just. to be mercifully and compassionately
and graciously saved and delivered by him. I just want to read three
verses, 2 Peter chapter two. I'll begin in verse seven. Now remember, Peter has given
illustrations of how God Almighty does judge evil. Never ever forget
that. And I will Add this, either God
judges evil directly in the workers of evil, or God judges evil in
a substitute that is in his son on the behalf of others. Either
way, evil is judged by God. But then Peter writes these words,
and think about this. Think about this, hear the words,
if you read along, or you're just listening to me, listen,
and delivered just lot. Not only lot, that's not what
it's talking about. The word just there is not talking
about only. It's all about justified. And delivered just lot. That is an astounding statement,
if you know anything about lot. and delivered just lot, vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked. But the Holy Spirit,
knowing our tendencies, is quick to move Peter to have what we
have in our English, this parentheses, so that there is no misunderstanding
here. For that righteous man Still
another astounding statement. It's the same word, just in the
previous verse. For that righteous man, here's
how he vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. Not
that he engaged in it with them, no. For that righteous man dwelling
among them in seeing and hearing And vexed his righteous soul. There's another astounding statement. When you read about Hulot. And vexed his righteous soul
from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Now he continues. The Lord knoweth how to deliver,
here's another one, the godly. Now he doesn't call Lot godly,
but he is putting Lot in the camp of the godly. Isn't that
amazing? The Lord knoweth how to deliver
the godly out of temptations. And if you know the account,
that can be a little concerning. And yet it's true. No matter
what you and I see with these eyes, or think we perceive with
this mind and this heart. The Lord knoweth how to deliver
the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto
the day of judgment to be punished. But then of course he goes on
and says, but I'm chiefly talking about certain individuals here.
That's what he goes on to say. So then, what I want to try to
speak about this morning is righteousness and godliness. Consider this. Think of the tremendous and profound
inspired declaration here about Lot. Consider Lot's brief history,
recorded in the book of Genesis, and brutally honest biography
that the scripture presents of Lot. I mean, it's brutally honest. Yet Lot is by infallible, unassailable,
glorious declaration, Lot is declared to be a righteous man
with a righteous soul and is counted among the godly. Now if you think you can wrap
your mind around that, you are wrong. I've studied this for
a good while now. Known about it for a long while
now. And Mac, I still can't wrap my
mind fully around this. This is the gospel at its apex. At its apex. This is a faithful
saint and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into this
world to save who? Sinners. And then the man who
was writing it by divine inspiration is moved to add this, of whom
I am chief. Chief, even while he was writing,
Neil, those inspired words. Of whom I am chief. God infallibly, unassailably,
gloriously declares Lot was a righteous man. had a righteous soul and
counts him among the godly. Oh, that that might be me as
well. Now, when I begin to consider
this, one of the first things I begin to think about is this
must, and I emphasize exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation
point, exclamation point. This must transcend Lot's works,
Lot's merit, Lot's worth, and Lot's will. It must transcend
all these things. Go back and read about Lot again
if you're unsure about that statement I just made. This must transcend
Lot's works, Lot's merit, Lot's worth, and Lot's will. And I
hear the detractors now. Well, I know something about
Lot. and you're on the precipice of giving men and women a license
to sin. You don't need a license to sin. You drink up iniquity and I drink
up iniquity like water. Nobody has to give us permission
to sin. We'll take it and rob God to
get what we want by nature. That's what we'll do. Just like
Satan. We will say within our own hearts,
I will ascend to the most high hill. I will sit down on the
throne, and I will have my will, my way, my merit, and my worth. I'll be glorious, and God says,
you're nothing to me. Nothing to me. Consider this. Lot knew Sodom's dangers. and he insisted that his two
visitors stay with him inside. That's a good thing. That's a
good thing. Now, just as a side note, Lot
insisted, he knew Sodom's dangers and insisted his two visitors.
Go back and read the account. Abraham is camped in the plains
of Mamre and it says the Lord, capital L, capital O, capital
R, capital D, the Lord appeared unto him there. And how did he
appear unto him there? In the form of three men standing
over just above him. That's what it was. And he said,
come here, come here, come here. And then God, and it said, the
Lord is, who are these three men? Can it be? It cannot but
be a representation of our great triune God. And here he is, camped
on the plains of Mamre and fixes up a feast for these three men
that appear before him. And he's talking to God when
these three men are here. And they, God, the Lord reiterates
to Abraham the promise of Sarah having a son. And he says, I'm
not gonna hide from Abraham what I'm about to do because I am
going down to Sodom and Gomorrah to see if the news is as I've
been told. Now he's talking this stuff in
human language so that you and I can get our puny little minds
grasped around this. Then God, that is the Lord, manifest
in these three visitors, these three men, the Lord tells him,
I'm going down and I may well slaughter Sodom and Gomorrah. And Lot says, Lord, if there's
50 righteous there, you'll spare the city, won't you? The Lord
said, I will. And Lot says, well, let me think
about that a minute. Wait a minute, Lord 45. The Lord said verse
45 there. I'll spare, think about it, it's
what God said, the God who cannot lie. I'll spare the city. And
Abraham thought about it again and come down a few numbers.
And he thought about it again and come down a few numbers.
And he thought about it again and finally come down to 10. Guess what? We know there weren't
10 righteous in that city. Or those cities, remember it
was more than one. Sodom and Gomorrah stand out,
but there were others as well. There was more than just Sodom
and Gomorrah. God destroyed those cities. So that lets me know
there wasn't even 10 righteous. But we know this by scripture,
there was one righteous man. And God did destroy the cities,
but he delivered him out. But here's the amazing thing.
It says that here is the, Abraham speaking with the Lord, and the
Lord appeared as these three men, these three visitors. The
Lord's still here speaking, or Abraham's still here speaking
with the Lord, and two of the men go down to Sodom. while the third one is evidently,
because he's still speaking with the Lord, and then they have
this discourse about the numbers of how many righteous might be
there. Isn't that amazing? That's not even my message, but
that would be a glorious message. The sun came down to where we
were. The spirit comes down to where
we are. Isn't that glorious? Anyway, think about it. Lot knew
Sodom's dangers and insisted his two visitors, now remember
it's two angels now, but they're men. They look like men to everybody.
Look like men to Lot, look like men to the Sodomites. Now we know who these were, but
be that as it may, he insists that these visitors stay with
him in Sodom, because he knows of the dangers. Secondly, Lot
rebuked the abomination of Sodomy. Yeah, he did. Go back and read
it. He rebuked the abomination of sodomy even back before there
was a law. This was instilled down in here
by God in him. Thirdly, Lot warned others of
God's imminent wrath. He had two sons-in-law. And he
warned them, God's bringing judgment. Get out of this place with us.
Lot believed his two visitors. Did he not? Lot believed his
two visitors, yet, the scripture's brutally honest with us. Hear
me now. Yet, Lot in the first place chose
to live there. Did he not? Now let me tell you
something, and this is for me and you both. Never think that
our actions are inconsequential in this world. Never think it. The way we conduct ourselves
even as believers has an effect not just on us, but on others
as well. Always. Always. And I say that with shame. I'm
not looking down on you when I say this. I say that with shame. Lot first chose to live there. Joe, he could have went anywhere
in the land. but he chose to live there. Lot was willing to
sacrifice his daughters. Remember the account? He gonna
give his two daughters who were married but were still virgins.
Now figure that one out. You know exactly why. His two sons-in-laws were evidently
sodomites. Theirs was of appearance and
what I can get out of this relationship this way, It wasn't out of something
down in here, love and compassion. Lot was willing to sacrifice
his two daughters. Thirdly, those that Lot warned
scorned his witness. Didn't they? It says to his two
sons-in-law, he was one that just malked. Malked. Who are you? Who are you? Let
me tell you, they were right about Lot, but they were wrong
about what was coming. Hmm. Oh Yes, they were right
when they pointed the old finger at lot. They were right about
lot all I can say is man Right Man, I've messed things up Man,
I made some bad choices Man, I've made some poor decisions.
I but that doesn't excuse the ungodly and the unjust and the
unrighteous. Mine and your failures, no man
will ever say, but what about them? It ain't about me to you. You is what matters before God
to you. And me is what matters before
God to me. And I will never be able to excuse
myself before God because of you. And the same goes likewise
the other way. Oh, not only that, lot even dilly-dallied
in the city. Go back and read, dilly-dallied.
He dilly-dallied, he lingered, he calls it. He lingered. Oh, God, how often have I lingered
when I should be packing up and ready to get out. Huh? Ready to pack up house and leave
this place, because this ain't where I belong, but I dilly-dally.
Why? Because it's easier to dilly-dally. And then, this is where the account
ends with Lott. Remember the cave? And for right
now, that's all I'll say about that. You remember the cave?
And Lott's biography ends right there! You would expect a little more
pleasant ending. If I'd have been writing this
about a man I thought was just and righteous, had a righteous
soul, Neil I'd have found some way to put a good spin on that
thing. But there ain't no good spin to put on it. God tells
the truth even about his own people. Of what we are in and
of ourselves always. Now think about this, would I
Would you want God to equally expose your biography in the
scripture? Come on now. Aren't you, you
read about a lot and you're like, I'm glad I ain't a lot. You ever done that? Come on now,
be honest. At least I ain't never been there. But what if God really, what
if God had somebody inspired to write down our biography in
his book for posterity for thousands of years, yea eternity? Because
I don't know that we'll be done with this book when we get to
glory. I think God's word still will be of great value. We'll
sit back, Mason, we'll really understand it then. And we'll
say, boy. Boy, how great God's grace was
and I didn't know about that much of it. That's probably overestimating. I don't want my biography wrote
down in here. I don't even want it to be in
the newspaper next week, let alone wrote in God's holy word.
What about you? What about you? How then, how
then do we know Lot was righteous and godly? Isn't that a question? How then do we know Lot was righteous
and godly? Two ways I know this is so. One, by inspired declaration. Cause the book says so. Compare what he did right with
what he did wrong. What he did wrong outweighs everything
I can find, Joe. I'll give you just a few. The
list on the bad choice side outweighs the list on the good choice side. It does. And let me tell you,
neither one of us, none of us, no, you really don't, even if
you think you do. Anybody hears me on TV, if you think, well,
I hope when God puts my actions in the scales, my good outweighs
my bad. It will not! Because even your
righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight. How do we know Lot was righteous,
Lot was godly? By inspired declaration. And
that's the only way any of us are ever gonna know anybody's
ever righteous. Is by the testimony of this book right here. That's
all you got. That's all, that's all! I mean
A-L-L, no exceptions. That's all we got! Is it not? You want me to follow you around
and watch you for a while? when you and your husband, or
you and your wife, or you and your children, or you and a cousin,
whatever, you and your coworkers get into it at work sometime,
and then what you're saying in here that you refuse to say out
here, because you know you'd get in trouble if you said it out
here, and that pie hole gets to flapping, huh? So you keep
the pie hole quiet, but down in here, you're raging with self-importance,
and I've been wronged! I deserve hell from God. Huh? Yeah. I deserve to be abandoned
in the pit of darkness and blackness where there's weeping and wailing
and gnashing of teeth forever. And I sat around and bellyache
about what some other fallen creature says about me. My life not too much different
from lots. What about you? What about you? Mmm, and I know it one of the
way and the only way I know this is still starts here by this
book by evident If not, I don't mean suppose it I mean evident
deliverance God delivered lot Matter of fact while he was dilly-dallying
while he was lingering. You know what it says those two
men those two messengers laid hands on lot laid hands, two
men, four arms, laid hands on Lot, laid hands on his wife,
and laid hands on his two daughters. And have mercy upon, now look
the way it says it, him. Him, not them, him. Him, one righteous man. And God did everything he did
to spare that one righteous man. His wife turned back, turned
into a pillar of salt. You really believe that? I believe
that. And eventually, Lot's left with, his wife's gone. I'm sure
she wouldn't even have made good table salt, Joe. And he's up
there in that cave with his two daughters. And they say, let's
get him drunk. And they did. And they did. It said, God, it says, had mercy
on him! Let me tell you something, if
you don't like election, you hate God. You hate God. You can be, you'll
be religious, talk about Jesus, Jesus, all you want. If you hate
the election of grace, you hate God. Was Lot better than his wife?
No. Was Lot better than his daughters?
No. But God chose to be merciful
to Lot. Now, in spite of Lot, and in
spite of me, and in spite of you, God decreed, God insists,
yea, God demands, that if we're one of his elect, he will deliver
us. Do you hear what I said? I can
show you that. I'm not gonna go back and look at it all. You
go back and study it yourself. I said God decreed, God insists,
yea, God demands our deliverance if we're one of the elect. I
know he decreed it because he told Abraham, I won't destroy
those cities at all. I'll let them alone if there's
10 righteous there. Well, God destroyed the cities
so there was not 10 righteous there. Peter never says Lot and
his family were righteous. He says just, that is righteous
Lot. That man, singular person, one
individual, had a righteous soul and he was delivered. Delivered
like God delivers all the godly. Isn't that amazing? God decreed
it to Abraham. Now, do you think God didn't
know what he's already gonna do when he showed up with Abraham
on the plains of Mamre? If you don't, you don't really
know who God is. You don't really know who God is. And God insists,
because what God went down to Sodom. You think God didn't already
know what Sodom was like? And what God was gonna do? But
God was going down there. Two visitors went down there,
and then what'd they do thoroughly? They demanded his deliverance.
They laid hands on him and took him out of those cities. That's the way God saved me.
And that's the way God saved you, if we're saved at all. He didn't do it because we were
great. We were dilly-dallying and lingering. Making up every
excuse to hang around just a little bit longer. Huh? And even when we believe God,
our belief is shot full of a hail of unbelief, so that we're forced
to cry, Lord, I believe, and we can't even help it ourselves.
Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief, because I can't deal
with it. I can't deal with it, it's so prevalent in me. You
know what I'm talking about? You know what I'm talking about?
If you don't, you ain't like Lot. You ain't like Lot, because
let me tell you, every one of us are Lots. We're a lot of Lots. That's what we are. Think of it, he works the work
that it takes to infallibly cause it to happen. Lot couldn't look back at anything,
even after, I'm sure after the cave, Joe, when he finally come
out of that drunken stupor after however many days it was, And
he said, land sakes, especially after a few months and this starts
to happen. And he's got two dollars in his cave and he knows, I don't
think they've been to town, the towns are gone. There's one called
Zoar, we left that one because we realized that I wanted that,
even then he, give me Zoar. Remember? So God let him go to
Zoar. And after a while he realized,
this ain't good either. I'll go back to, I'll go to the mountains
where God said to go, but what happened even there? This happened. And I'm sure that Shane wrecked
his very being, but he couldn't do a thing about it. We've laid our hands to things
and you can't ever take it back. Our only hope is that God almighty,
every time we need it, Joe, lays hands on us and brings us out. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why did God do this
for Lot? Because of righteousness and
godliness. That's why. Right? Righteousness
and godliness. But you don't see it in his works,
his merit, his worth, or his will. Remember, it ends in the
cave. Right? Yes or no? Yes or no? How many folks you know preach
on Lot other than tell you don't be like Lot was? Right? Well, that's really actually
a decent message, but let me tell you something, you better
not forget what the Holy Spirit actually moved one writer to
write about, about Lot. He was a righteous man with a
righteous soul and counted among the godly. Now God give me at
least some little inkling of what that means. Right? Right? Godliness, what is that? Turn
to Titus chapter one. You will get just a little taste
of what true, now you know, no need for me to waste time talking
about what everybody talks about godliness is. You know? Here's what Paul, an inspired
writer, calls godliness. Titus chapter one. a servant
of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith
of God's elect. Now notice it's right here. If
you don't want election in the Bible, then you don't want God's
word. According to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging
of the truth, which is after godliness. That's where godliness
begins. Acknowledging the truth of who
God is and what God does in election. Huh? I'm not making that Mason. I
didn't make that up. It's right there written down
for me. Acknowledging the truth of God in election. That's where
it all began. God chose to redeem a people
by his son and he chose the individuals he would do it for. And there's
where true godliness is. It's not out here in what you
see me doing or not doing. It's acknowledging the truth. The truth about myself, yeah,
and the truth about God, too. So much so that Paul puts it
this way, 2 Timothy, chapter two, and look at Verse 24, the
servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient, why? Because she is so blessed hearted.
I keep telling you over and over and over again, and finally God,
God enables it to sink in. Notice I said God enables it,
we gotta wait, Joe, be patient. Look, in meekness, instructing
those that oppose themselves, if God, peradventure, will give
them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. You see, it's not
just giving up things you do wrong. It's about God changing
you in here about how you think about yourself and how you think
about him. That's where it begins. And remember,
our Lord said, if the inside's cleaned first, then the outside
will start to take care of itself. Right? That's what he's taught. And who does that work? God's
gotta do that work. God's gotta do that work. And
this outside's always, because we live in this world, always
gonna be vexed with this or that. Stained, marred. But bless God,
if God does something down inside, that's God's work, God's business. He does that and you don't even
know it's happening. because he did it based upon
what his son did 2,000 years ago, and that's based upon what
he purposed in his son in eternity. Godliness, that's what godliness
is about, right there. And what about righteousness?
He delivered Lot because he was righteous. Was Lot personally
righteous? Am I personally righteous? No. Are you personally righteous? but consider this. Joe, you were
right, you were just stomping all around in my field this morning. Isaiah chapter 54, look at verse
17. You wanna look at righteousness? This is even Old Testament and
it ain't changed. It ain't changed. No, Isaiah
54, no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. I
don't understand that. He didn't ask you to understand
it. God said this is the way it is. Whatever weapon, he didn't
say a weapon ain't gonna be formed against you. But that weapon,
though in the hands of an enemy, if they're intended to do this
with it, God's gonna have them do what he wants done to you
with that weapon and it'll be for your good. I don't understand
it. Forget trying to understand it, believe it. Just believe
it. Even when the tears roll down
your eyes and your heart aches because you don't understand
it. Look, no weapon formed against thee shall prosper, and every
tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. I'm sorry, you did this. Yeah,
you're right, but you're wrong. That don't make sense. That's because you ain't never
experienced grace. You ain't never stood on this side of it.
You just ain't. And look, look. This is the heritage
of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of
me. Sayeth the Lord. That settles
it. That's where Lot's righteousness
was. That's where Lot's righteousness
was. Well, we're not done yet, look at Isaiah 46. I told you, Joe, you was running
into my field and trampling around. I thought he was gonna get right
on my message. Now look at what he says, verse eight, Isaiah
46. Remember this and show yourselves men. What's he saying? Stand
up to the plate for once. Stand up to the plate for once.
But we can't do that without his grace. But yet we're called,
stand up to the plate. Remember this and show yourselves
men. Bring it again to mind. Oh ye transgressors. He's talking to me and you. Remember
the former things of old for I am God. There is none else. I am God and there is none like
me. Don't try to compare God to anything,
especially ourselves. especially ourselves, declaring
the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand and I
will do all my pleasure. I'll even call a ravenous bird
from the east and that man will execute my counsel from a far
country. Yea, I have spoken it, I will
bring it to pass. I have purposed it, I will also
do it. Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted. that are far from righteousness. Can you take your place there?
Now look, I bring near my righteousness. You see it? Look, but it's not
just that. If we just stop there, look,
Joe, we can ponder, well, maybe it gets close, then we gotta.
Maybe I can just reach a little bit. No, look. I bring near to
those that are far from it. I bring near my righteousness.
It shall not be far off and my salvation shall not tarry and
I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. Oh, thank God. Thank God. But we're not done yet. Turn
to Jeremiah chapter 23. Listen to what old Jeremiah said. We're
talking about righteousness now. Jeremiah chapter 23. Look at verse five. Behold the
days come, and I'm telling you they're here. I'm telling you
they're here. Behold the days come, saith the
Lord, that I will raise in the day but a righteous branch. and a king shall reign and prosper
and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. Somebody
says, he ain't doing that now. He did that at Calvary. That's
what he's talking about. Justice and judgment in the earth.
Wait a minute, judgment first, then justice. Remember who he's talking to,
you bunch of transgressors. You remember who he's talking
to, you stout-hearted. Remember who he's talking to,
those of us that are far from righteousness. Look at what he
says. In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell
safely, and this is his name, whereby he shall be called the
Lord our righteousness. is my righteousness. He delivers
me for his own righteousness sake. And that's the same righteousness
Lot had. Mason if he had any at all. And
that's the same righteousness I'll have and you'll have if
you have any at all. Now go back and read Philippians
3, and those words, but Paul, and you can see why it's not
having mine own righteousness, which is of the law. Paul said,
I know how to do some of those things, but they're not sufficient. That's not the righteousness
this book talks about that God receives and delivers men because
of. Not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but the righteousness which is by the
faith of Christ. It's his obedience, not mine. No sin and no sins are ever excused. None. None. None. But it's also equally true,
no sin and no sins are ever forgiven apart from God dealing with them
in Jesus Christ. You can't repent enough to get
God to forgive you. Yes, we ought to confess our
sins. And if we do, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our
sins. But that's based upon the advocate. Read the whole passage. And he's the advocate because
he dealt with them penally at Calvary. He's able to forgive
us in our experience because he dealt with them back there
at Calvary. Justice can only be satisfied after judgment comes
to fruition. And God judged sins in his son
for those he delivers. So I say this, no sin and no
sins can ever condemn where Christ has redeemed. Now turn to Revelation. I'll end with us reading this
and make a couple statements. The book of the Revelation chapter
five. The book of the Revelation chapter 5 and verse 9, and they
sung a new song. Why is it new? It's not new.
God purposed this song that the tenor, Mason, that the words
and the notes of this song were purposed and declared by God
before the foundation of the world. And God's people have
been singing it down in here in their heart always once God
begins to deliver it. But now they're all gathered
together. And they sung a new song saying, who is worthy? Now here's the thing. Remember Christ said, there'll
be people come to me and that day they'll expect to enter in.
And what do they start to talk about? Themselves. And he'll
say, depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.
Now those that are received, are they really any better? No,
no. They sung a new song saying thou
art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for
thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made
us. And you can go on and read the
rest of it. That's what matters. Christ Matt Christ did all the
work in my deliverance. He does it all. I've got no hope
of deliverance unless he does it all, start to finish. And Joe, you're still getting
over in my field again. I'm persuaded of this, that he
which hath begun a good work in you, what's he gonna do? What's
he gonna do? Paul said, I'm persuaded of this.
Why? Not because of you, because of him. I'm persuaded of this.
He's begun a good work in you, we'll perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ. That's my only hope. My only
hope. Father, oh God help us. God help us. And you have in your son. And you are in your son. And you will, by your own swearing
word, you will continue to do so in your son. God make us grateful
and God help us to walk in the light of that. In the light of
that, in Christ's name, amen. And to everybody, just in case
something happens, I don't get to be here next Sunday. I love
you folks. I'm gonna take a, God willing, take a jet ride
and ain't never been on a jet. I'm excited, but I'm scared to
death at the same time.