The Red Light of Warning on the Red Light District — Ian Paisley

Hebrews 11 and Faithful Perseverance

Pick up the authorized version of the Holy Scripture that you'll find in front of you in the pew and turn with me to the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter eleven. You'll find our reading at page two hundred and fifty-four in the New Testament of that Bible that's in front of you in the pew.

We're going to read from the verse thirty-one to the end of the chapter. Verse thirty-one of Hebrews chapter eleven. By Phaist the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

And what shall I more say? For the time would feel me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, brought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness, were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens.

Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, gave moreover of bonds and imprisonment.

They were stole, they were shorn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskin and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in damns and caves of the earth. These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

And God will stamp this word from His infallible book with His infallible blessing for Jesus' sake. I take the promised Holy Ghost, the blessed power of Pentecost, to fill me to the uttermost. I take.

Thank God He undertakes for me. And the people of God said, Amen. You may be seated. I want to speak tonight, as the Lord shall help me, on a very important and timely subject. I have called it the red light of God's warning on man's red light district.

National Apostasy and the Warning Against Sexual Sin

The spirituality of our nation is being slowly but deliberately drained away. The obedience to God's ten commandments, reverence to God's holy book, reverence to God's thrice holy name are all despised.

Evil and satanic powers have taken over the leaders of this country. And we have the darkness of apostasy upon us, and greater darkness shall continue. Except God intervenes in a mighty national cleansing revival, there will be no hope for this nation.

It will go down the drain. And the recent proposal that we're going to have brothels legalized reflects surely the darkness and deception of the leaders of our country. Now there is no question whatsoever, and it's not a matter for debate.

It's a matter for proclamation that hell is the eternity of the whoremonger and the whore. Pick up your Bible, and let's look at a few scriptures. And you will notice how clean these scriptures are. The first one I want to refer you to is in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 5.

And what does it say? No whoremonger nor unclean person hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, a plain statement beyond the script. Turn over with me to 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 10. And there we read these words.

For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for man-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing, that is contrary to sound doctrine. And there once again, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, are written into this divine condemnation by God of their sin.

Turn over to the 13th chapter of the book of Hebrews. And there we have God's approval of marriage. Marriage is honorable in all. Hebrews 13 and verse 4. And the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Then we turn over to Revelation chapter 21 and verse 8. The final chapters of our Bible. And you'll find there's a final admonition and warning. A warning in verse 8 of chapter 21. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

And then turn to the last chapter. And in the last chapter at verse 15 it says,. For without are dogs, sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Notice that marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. But when we come to whoremongers and adulterers, the Bible states clearly God, not man, will be their judge. Sex was a special gift which God built into the body of the man and woman whom he created.

Government, Moral Law, and the Consequences of Lust

For the multiplying of the race and for the enjoyment of fellowship between the two sex. But alas, today, those who reign in our country, they wish to violate God's laws. And they wish to bring a terrible weeping in time upon those that break with their reed the laws of God.

And what a weeping is going to be for such lost souls in the great eternity of hell forever. There is no escape in time or eternity from the terrible weeping of lust. Lust, when it is finished, bringeth terrible consequences.

Consequences that shall never end for the person who committed these sins. For any government to legalize what God has so clearly and emphatically condemned, and to seek to allow its practice or even force its practice on areas of our people who oppose it, is a diabolical act and it must be resisted with all the power that we can resist.

The government which does such a thing is not fit to be the government of a democratic country. And there is no hope for our country except the laws of God are observed in the name of God. In the name of all that is holy and happy in our homes.

In the name of our children and in the name of decency. And in the name of all that is pure, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness and truth, and meekness and temperance, we as God's people must stand in stern and unwavering opposition.

If we sit unconcerned and care not for what is happening in our nation, then we will see a situation where you will regret that any child was born of you because of the degeneracy of the age. It is as solemn as that and we must face up to that.

The Destruction of Vulnerable Lives

Let me take two examples. Look at a poor girl. She has sold and is selling her body so many times for the money of the whore's wages. She once was a sweet girl, the delight of her father, the joy of her mother and the pleasure of her brothers.

But alas, a villain came and stole away her virtue and started her down the awful road to whoredom. What shall I say of the person who destroyed her? No language of mine would be strong enough to condemn him.

Those who destroy others and then are received into society and then have a government that would put the stump of lawfulness upon what such a deed, no words of mine would be strong enough to condemn them.

Those who wreck lives and fill eternity with the anguish cries of the damned, those people deserve no help from any decent man and woman in this community. Souls need aid from the government, not an aid that helps them to go down to hell, but an aid which prevents them from doing so.

The sacrificial blood, the poison of the serpent, the tempers vowed must all be attacked and defeated and devastated by the righteous wrath of men and women determined to live in a clean country and in a clean society.

From the pit of defilement, men and women and young people will have to be saved. For if we do not act in vigor, there will come in a tide which shall so be overwhelming that every part of our society will be touched by it.

Yes, the word of the living God is true. And this word that was spoken by the prophet Isaiah before Christ was born is true. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white. I want to come back to that text later on in this sermon.

Because I want this sermon to finish with a message of hope and not a message of despair. Dr. Whittown, he wrote a book in his day called The Abominations of a Modern Society. And the great preacher started off that book and he started to look at a young man who started from home.

The Four Acts of Sin's Ruin

He said this was act one of the young man's life. His parents and sisters were unhappy as he left, but he went. He threw back a farewell kiss and the curtain dropped on the scene. All the strength of home training and home discipline was gone.

The veil trailed through the eyes. Prayer and congratulations and exclamations of how well she looks rang out over the whole building. And the bell rang, said Talmadge, and the curtain fell the second time.

The third act is different. It's midnight. There's a wasted woman waiting for a staggering steps of a drunken husband. Many marks of hardship are on her face. Biting of the nails of bloodless fingers.

Neglect, cruelty, disgrace. Ring the bell, Talmadge said, and the fourth act is over. Or the third act is over. Act number four. Three graves in a very dark place. The grave of a child who died from lack of care.

The grave of a wife who died of a broken heart. The grave of a husband and father who died a drunk and of his own lust. Plenty of weeds, but no flowers. Oh, what a blasted heap with these three graves.

Ring the bell, and the curtain drops. But what about the fifth act? A destroyed soul's eternity. No light, no music, no hope. Despair coiling around the heart with unutterable anguish. The blackness of darkness forever.

The Fallen Woman and the False Escape of Suicide

Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. And bringeth forth damnation. But what of the other side of the book? What of the fallen woman? Her load, alas, is far worse than the man. For the fallen man will be received even in the best society.

But the fallen woman mostly is made the target of victimization and of shame. How shall she escape? Is there some way she can? End of the road is what she's going to choose. She says, I will finish it all, is her cry.

But that is a deceptive cry, because her finishing is only starting her lost eternity. She seeks the end in the harbor dock or the river bridge. There is the sound of the smiting waters, and the body sinks in a watery grief.

There are none to help, none to save, or none to weep. It is appointed unto women such as her to die, as well as men, and after death the judgment. Or perhaps she takes the tablets and she says, I'll put myself to sleep.

And she puts herself to sleep, but the awakening from that sleep is indescribable. Her soul is lost forever. Or perhaps she takes a sharp instrument and she says, I'll release the blood from my body. I'll take away my life.

These are no ways of escape. These are only the path to hell. I want to read you a few words I read this afternoon. Written by a famous poet. He called them the harlot's lament. Once I was pure as the snow, but I fell.

Fell like a snowflake from heaven to hell. Fell to be crumpled as filth of the street. Fell to be scoffed at and spit on and beat. Pleading and cursing and begging to die. Selling my soul to whosoever would buy.

Dealing in shame for a morsel of bread. Hating the living and fearing the dead. It's a description of a poor lost harlot. I'm glad my bible tells me that though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow.

Christ's Mercy for the Vilest Sinner

And I want to say I am encouraged that God is moving. Some time ago one of our ministers received a call. The man at the end of the phone seemed very agitated. And he said, I must see you. An arrangement was made and the minister met him.

He was very agitated. And they sat down together and he said, let me tell you. He said, I went down to the red light district of the city. I picked up a young girl and we sat together in the car. And he said, something happened to me.

My body shook from head to toe. And he said he looked at her. And he said she was a very picture of his own daughter. And he said, my God, I should not be here. Would someone do this to my daughter? And he said, I took out my wallet.

I paid her what she asked. And I said, we're not having sex. I'm going. And she left. He left. But he said, every day since I have been in a veritable hell. And he said, I'm looking for help. I'm glad to say from that pulpit that dear man came to Christ.

And got soundly converted. And is living in obedience to the law of God. For God can save the vilest offender who truly believes. There's hope for every whore master and every whore on the streets of this city.

What a marvelous woman was Rahab. She had plied her occupation as a harlot for many long years in the evil city of Jericho. But she became one of the great saints of God. And is written in the book of God as one of the champions in the faith.

We need to realize that the mercy of God is a shoreless ocean. And there's mercy with the Lord for any man or any woman. No matter how terrible their sin. No matter how awful their condition. No matter how dark their soul is.

There's mercy with the Lord. An old preacher stood up once and he said this. He said, I have been told that the mercy of God is a great ocean. So he said, I hired four swift sailing boats. I sent one north, one south, one east and one west.

But they returned not for many, many years. And one day as I stood on the shore, I saw them returning. And I shouted to them, have you found the shore of the great ocean of mercy? And they said no. We have sailed and sailed and sailed.

North, south, east and west. But we couldn't find a beach. This ocean has no end. It's an endless ocean. And I said to my soul, soul is the ocean of God's mercy. Where sin abounded, grace does much more.

The ocean of God's mercy is an ocean without a shore. Mercy, mercy, mercy. An old preacher said, I'll sing about it. I'll preach it. I'll pray it. Here I find a man bound hand and foot to the devil. Here I find a woman in chains.

But one stroke of the hammer of God's truth can make the chains fall off. And they will be free forever. Mercy, mercy, mercy. There is no depth it cannot fathom. There is no height it cannot scale. There is no infinity it cannot pass over.

There is mercy with the Lord. And He will surely give you rest by trusting in His Word. Only trust Him. Only trust Him. Only trust Him now. He will see of you. Hallelujah. He, I trust. That this night you will bow before God.

Revival, Conversion, and the Rescue of Lost Souls

That you will pray for this city of ours. And that we shall see a work of grace in the red light district. And we will see a work of grace in our government and a turning of heart. And we will see an uprising of righteousness.

For righteousness acknowledges. Righteousness becometh the nation. And evil is an abomination to the nation's soul. And we will pray that God will send us a revival. That will change the hearts of the vile sinners.

Many years ago when I was having a series of campaigns around this province. I met the Irish Presbyterian minister of one of the Presbyterian churches in Lisbon. He was a good personal friend of mine.

And he said, Ian. He said, have you ever come to Lisbon? The first night of your campaign. I'll take the chair. And I'll urge the people of Lisbon. To come and preach. Come and hear you preach the gospel.

I said, thank you very much. I said, I might call in that promise. He says, you call it in. I'll not break my word. I went to Lisbon. And I rang him up and I said, I'm reminding you of your promise. He said, yes.

And he said, I will keep it. I shall be there. A week before the mission started. That man rang me up. And I knew he was greatly shaken. And he said, Ian. I made you a promise. But I can't keep it. I said, why?

Well, he said, the Presbyterian minister. Opposite the Orange Hall. Where I was to preach. He said, he objected to the Presbytery. And he pulled out the rule book. And he said, no man can go into another man's parish.

Without that man's approval. And he said, I wouldn't give you the approval. To sit on a platform with Ian Paisley. And to recommend people to hear him preach. But he said, Ian, I thought of something.

He said, what have you thought of? He said, there is no rule in the book. That I cannot go and pray. Now he said, we will get the Congregational minister. To take the chair. And I'll do the praying. And I said, that suits me well.

And he came. We had a time of revival in Lisbon. Souls, scores of them, were converted. And that man worked in the inquiry room every night. And one night we were standing. And we had led quite a number of people to Christ.

And two women off the street. Notorious for their evil deeds. Came in and they were weeping. They hadn't been in the meeting. And they said, is anybody else here? I said, no, there's only my colleague here and myself.

And they started to cry. And they said, we couldn't appear in your meeting, Mr. Paisley. We're street walkers. We're evil bad women. Our lives are ruined. Our souls are hard. Our conscience is hard. But tonight we talked together.

And we said, one day Lisbon will know us no more. We decided it was time to think about eternity. And that night, my friend and I dealt with those women. And we wept together. They came to Jesus. And their afterlife proved that they had come to Jesus.

Old things passed away. Behold, all things became new. If you're in this service tonight and you're not saved, it's time you were saved. Oh, I would plead with you. To make sure you have a saving interest in the precious blood of the Lamb.

Time is short. Eternity is long. I would say, come to the Savior. Make no delay. Here in His Word, He has shown us the way. Here He is standing today, tenderly saying, come. Come unto me, all ye that labor on our heavenly land.

We'll give you rest. Come. Get pardon, peace, and life everlasting in the precious, precious blood of the Lamb. Let's bow our heads. Father in Heaven, we thank Thee for Thy good and holy Word. We thank Thee for the wonder of God's mercy.

And the wonder of the Savior's blood. And the wonder of the power of the Spirit to convert men and women. And save them from going down to the pit. For Thou hast found a ransom. Oh God, every sinner in this meeting, save them.

Every backslider, restore them. And every believer, give us a love for lost souls. A love for those that are lost. Oh God, send us a revival of true religion to our land. Turn the darkness to light. And the power of the devil, break it by the power of God.

And we thank Thee that a new day can dawn. And times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. May it be so. For Jesus' sake and everybody's sake. Amen.