A Wicked and Adulterous Generation

A Wicked and Adulterous Generation 2022 02 20

Matthew 16:1 – 4

When I was a boy, the first thing we did, every day, in school, was recite the Lord’s Prayer.  Then the teacher would read a passage from the Bible.  That was in public school, and it wasn’t very long ago.  Those were the days when a child who stepped too far out of line at school got the strap, and often got it again at home.  But the powers that be decided that the best way to improve behaviour and morals was through education, so they removed the Bible and prayer from schools.  The results have been catastrophic, but not surprising.  When you remove the absolute moral authority of God from society, you absolutely remove morals from society.  That is a tragedy.

What is very tragic is that a lack of what A.W. Tozer called, “Moral Determination,” on the part of Christians, simply let it happen. Worse, what calls itself, “Christianity,” today, is joining of hands with the world for the sake of personal freedom! Morality and the very Gospel, itself, are being pushed to the sidelines, even among Christians.

Matthew 16:1 – 4

One of the signs of the times is the increase in wickedness.  In today’s passage, Jesus was talking to the religious of society.  He called them a “wicked and adulterous generation.”  They wanted religion, but they wanted it on their terms.  They recognized the obvious signs like everyone else does, such as approaching weather systems, but they didn’t recognize the signs of the times.  In fact, most of them completely missed the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God, our Creator, in person, to visit them. Would that happen if He were to come, today?

I  Testing God v1

  1. How many times have you heard stories of people who tested God? It goes something like this: “God, if you will do A for me, I will do B for you.”  Have you ever done that or been tempted to?  It’s a wicked thing to do. “Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”  Matthew 4:7
    1. The Pharisees and the Sadducees tested our Creator, Jesus Christ, by asking him for a sign from heaven.
    2. The implication was, “If you will do A for us (give us a sign), we will do B for you (believe).           

II  Pride v2,3

  1. Jesus’ answer to these hypocrites was interesting. Rather than answer their question directly, he first spoke of the driving force behind their hypocrisy and wickedness – pride.
    1. They loved to look good. “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,  And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,  And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”  Matthew 23:5 – 7
    2. Pride kills people. “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  Mark 2:17
      1. People who are filled with pride can’t be saved, because they think there’s nothing wrong with them.
      2. The previous president of the United States, who claimed to be a Christian, said that if he makes a mistake, he doesn’t ask God for forgiveness, but tries to make it right.
  • That is outright disobedience to God, caused by pride that believes that “I can actually make up, on my own, for my rebellion against God,” or even worse, that “God is a liar and I’m not a sinner!” God says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23 

III  Hypocrisy v 3

  1. Hypocrisy is born of pride. The hypocrite shows one face to those he wants to impress, and quite another out of their sight.  Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”  Matthew 23:14
    1. It’s easy for modern, western, “Christians” to think of ourselves as “good, church-going, tithing, God-fearing” Christians when we come to church on Sunday, but what about the rest of the week?
      1. How many people do you think would have been surprised to find out you are a Christian in this last week? What does the way you conduct yourself throughout the week say about your faith?  “But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.”Job 36:13. Mourn for your sin and give God all the glory for your salvation!
    2. Here is a big one. “You can’t live by faith in the modern world.  It’s not the same as it was when the Bible was written.  Nobody lives like that anymore.  People will take advantage of you.”
      1. Jesus calls that “hypocrisy.” That is exactly what the Pharisees and Sadducees were guilty of.  There were as focused on personal gain as anyone else in the world, putting money and personal comfort ahead of God and man.  Their actions said that they trusted their own judgment ahead of God.  What do your actions say?
      2. Christian businesspeople in the US are losing their businesses and incurring incredible debt from fines for putting God first, and that’s coming to Canada.
        1. Many who claim to be Christians are finding fault, not with those who are targeting these people, but with the Christian businesspeople, themselves! Jesus calls this “hypocrisy,” when people say they trust God, but don’t believe what God says in his word.
        2. Jesus said that these people who take a stand are not cursed but blessed. “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”  Luke 6:22,23 

IV Wicked and Adulterous Religion v4

  1. This is a wicked and adulterous generation.
    1. When Jesus said this in Jerusalem, he was speaking of religious hypocrites, who make a great show of being wise and godly yet show by their lives that they are anything but. They were so wicked and in love with their sin instead of God (that’s the definition of wicked and adulterous) that they missed their long-awaited Messiah when he was there in person!
    2. What can we say when those who identify as Christians put personal and political freedom ahead of the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
    3. This day we are living in is a wicked and adulterous generation!
  2. Remember that the “generation” Jesus was referring to was the people who practiced religion, but never truly believed in God.
    1. Today, I’m convinced that much of what calls itself, “Christianity,” would fit into this same mold. It is a wicked and adulterous generation.  So much of so-called Christianity says, “Jesus loves you and all you have to do is ask him into your heart and he’ll just love you and take you to heaven and you don’t have to change.”
    2. The truth is, if your salvation doesn’t change you, you’re not saved. Furthermore, there is no place in the Bible where the Gospel tells us to ask Jesus into our hearts.
  3. The Bible DOES tell us to:
    1. repent “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 (and also Acts 3:19; 17:30; 26:20)
    2. believe “…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:15
      1. In John 3:18, we are told that you must believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour or you are lost. You can’t simply ask someone named Jesus into your heart, but you must know who Jesus Christ IS and you must put all your faith on Him!  “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
    3. obey “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21. That means that you need to read the Bible and obey.  Furthermore, it means that if you’re saved, you will love Jesus so much you will want to read your Bible and obey.
    4. be transformed “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  Romans 12:1,2 

Conclusion

  1. Don’t be a part of the postmodern, repentance-free, easy-believism kind of Christianity that is rampant in the West, today. Just like in the days of Jesus, it is a hallmark of a wicked and adulterous generation that has forgotten or missed the fact that we, the church, ARE the bride of Christ, and to cast our affections anywhere else is both wicked and adulterous.  First, repent and believe.  Then obey, willingly, out of a changed heart that truly loves your Saviour.  Finally, be transformed, by the renewing of your mind.  Read the Bible every day, and don’t neglect coming to church.  Get excited about your faith again and go to God for him to fan the flame.  Jesus gave a warning to the church that is so much like many, if not most churches, today.  “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”  Revelation 2:5. Don’t be part of this wicked and adulterous generation, don’t even tolerate it, but get with God and ask him for revival in your own life and church.  This world is only going to get worse, but God does not change and is always faithful.  Trust him, love him, obey him and let him work his will in your life.