“When God Gives Warning: A Call to Holy Fear”
Text: 2 Peter 2:4–11; Jude 5–8; Ezekiel 16:46–50
We live in an age where sin is no longer whispered in corners but shouted from rooftops and celebrated in public squares. Yet the Word of God gives us ancient warnings—timeless truths—about the cost of unchecked sin, even among those who profess to follow God.
The passages before us today serve as sobering memorials. They are tombstones of judgment upon those who turned away from righteousness. They are not just stories of past civilizations; they are mirrors to our present condition.
Let us examine three passages:
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2 Peter 2:4–11
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Jude 5–8
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Ezekiel 16:46–50
These passages highlight three groups under judgment:
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The angels who sinned,
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The ancient world of Noah’s time,
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Sodom and Gomorrah.
And lest we think these were just “outsiders,” Ezekiel reminds us: Jerusalem’s sins exceeded theirs. God was not only addressing the pagan world but His own people. That should make us tremble.
The Fall of the Angels – 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6
“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell...” (2 Peter 2:4)
“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain...” (Jude 6)
The angels were holy beings—created in the very presence of God—yet they were judged because they left their assigned roles and pursued rebellion.
Moral condition: Pride, rebellion, and abandonment of God-given order.
Modern parallel: When leadership or Christians begin to redefine God's order—whether in gender, worship, authority, or doctrine—we echo the sin of the fallen angels. Many today seek to "reimagine" Christianity to suit culture. This is a dangerous path.
The Ancient World – 2 Peter 2:5; Jude 5
“...and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah... a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5)
“But I want to remind you... the Lord, having saved the people... afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” (Jude 5)
In Noah’s day, violence, corruption, and sexual perversion filled the earth (Genesis 6:11). Jude also references Israelites who were delivered from Egypt but perished in the wilderness due to unbelief.
Moral condition: Unbelief, rejection of truth, widespread violence and lawlessness.
Modern parallel: Our world mocks righteousness and embraces corruption. Even within the church, how many hear but do not believe? How many are delivered from Egypt but long for its pleasures?
Sodom and Gomorrah – 2 Peter 2:6–8; Jude 7; Ezekiel 16:46–50
“...turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes...” (2 Peter 2:6)
“...giving themselves over to sexual immorality and going after strange flesh...” (Jude 7)
“This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of food, abundance of idleness...” (Ezekiel 16:49)
We often reduce Sodom’s sin to sexual perversion—and indeed, Jude confirms this—but Ezekiel widens the scope: pride, gluttony, idleness, and neglect of the poor were also present. It was a city that was materially rich but spiritually bankrupt.
Moral condition: Arrogance, overindulgence, moral apathy, and sexual sin.
Modern parallel: Today’s Western world—especially the church in affluent nations—is not far removed. We have comfort, but little consecration. We have platforms, but little prayer. We feed our bodies and starve our spirits. We normalize sin and demonize holiness.
A Warning to the Church – 2 Peter 2:1–3, 10; Jude 4, 8
“There will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies...” (2 Peter 2:1)
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed... ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness.” (Jude 4)
Peter and Jude both sound alarms—not to pagans, but to the church. False teachers would arise from within, preaching a gospel of grace divorced from holiness. They would exploit the flock, indulge in sensuality, and despise authority.
Modern parallel within the church:
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Preachers who prioritize personal branding over biblical truth.
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Believers who excuse sin under the banner of “grace.”
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Churches that affirm what God condemns.
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Worship that entertains the flesh but never convicts the heart.
God Knows How to Deliver the Godly – 2 Peter 2:9
“Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment...”
Praise God, the passage does not end in judgment. God rescued Noah, He delivered Lot, and He will preserve a remnant today. But we must stay awake, remain separate, and walk in righteousness.
Beware, Church
Peter and Jude do not write these warnings to frighten the world but to wake up the church. Judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). The sins of Sodom are not only in the streets; they are in the pews, and sometimes in the pulpits.
We must:
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Repent of pride and arrogance.
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Flee sexual sin and return to purity.
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Care for the poor and uphold justice.
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Reject false teaching and cling to the Word.
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Live with reverence, knowing that the same God who judged Sodom also rescued Lot.
Let us not be a generation that “creeps into church but slips into hell.”
Altar Call / Closing Exhortation:
Let us examine our hearts. Are there sins we’ve tolerated, doctrines we’ve compromised, or holiness we’ve neglected? If God did not spare the angels, the ancient world, or Sodom, what makes us think He will overlook sin in His church?
Let us return to the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.
“He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
More: Lesson 10 - Upon Whom the Ends Have Come
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