Telling It Like It Is

In our previous verse we saw that if God had not left a remnant, Israel would have been annihilated like Sodom and Gomorrah. Because we often refuse to see ourselves as we really are, Isaiah 1:10 says,

“Hear the word of the LORD,

you rulers of Sodom!

Give ear to the teaching of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!”

Wait, what? Basically, we are them.

Israel was no longer walking in God’s ways. That’s a position of opposition. Love speaks truth and does not leave people dying in their sin. It speaks the whole counsel of God; the whole Gospel of Christ which frees us from sin. John the Baptist and Jesus both called some religious leaders a brood of vipers. (See Matthew 3:7, 23:33.) Many churches today would probably not invite them back.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 lets us know that a time will come when rather than accumulating teachers in accordance with God’s Word, people will accumulate teachers in accordance with their own desires. They stand in opposition to God’s Word, but find teachers to say they’re okay. That heap of teachers sounds like a brood of vipers.

I’m so thankful God tells us the truth. Apart from Him, we are not okay. We are sinners in need of a Savior. All of us. I thank God for the day He revealed to me that I was like Sodom and Gomorrah, a sinner targeted for His wrath. It was His love that told me the truth and caused me to run to the cross for salvation. It’s the day I fell in love with Jesus for dying to save me. I’m so thankful the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. Lord, give us ears to hear!