Reprobates and Trembling Nations — Carter Conlon

Romans chapter 1 please if you have your Bible with you. Romans chapter 1. I'm going to speak this morning on reprobates and trembling nations. Reprobates and trembling nations. Father I thank you God for the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

I couldn't do this if you hadn't called me to do it Lord. I couldn't speak it if you hadn't given it to me. I'd have no power to deliver it. I'm asking you Lord that you animate me, quicken me. I'm asking the Holy Spirit to grip my mind and my emotions.

I'm asking Lord that what comes from this vessel would simply be an expression of the heart of God. I yield myself to this purpose today. I'm asking Lord that you might be lifted up and glorified. Your people might be edified.

I ask it in Jesus name. Amen. Reprobates and trembling nations. Romans chapter 1 begin to read at verse 15. Words of the Apostle Paul. So as much as is in me I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God and neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like the corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more than the creator who was blessed forever amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women did change the natural use unto that which is against nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was me and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers back biters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inventors of evil things disobedient to parents without understanding covenant breakers without natural affection implacable unmerciful who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them now beloved.

Nations That Turn From Light Into Darkness

It's been said that there's no deeper darkness than that which comes upon a people who wants new and once walked in the light only to turn away from it. I'm afraid for this country folks I have to be honest I have a trembling in my heart a country that rose out of obscurity to such incredible greatness in such a short time only to cast off the very foundation that gave America the greatness that she has enjoyed up to this point and time in history.

A friend of mine was invited to lecture at a university in China in Beijing and at the University the professors have done a cultural study and they brought him an interesting question. They said we acknowledge and we believe that what made America great was the principles of Christianity upon which it was founded.

They said we've studied this we believe this to be true. They said our question to you is how can we as a society incorporate the principles of Christianity without the religion. An amazing question where people who are outside of the kingdom of God have looked in and seen this incredible rise.

The intellect that God gave to this country the ability to achieve all God given because at least in great measure was founded upon the principles of Christ and the Word of God. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verses 22 and 23 the light of the body is the eye.

If therefore thine I be single the whole body shall be full of light. If there's a single is a focus as it is for the Christian person who's here today. If you truly do want the Christ of the Bible if you do want the heart of this Christ of the Bible if you want the ways of the Christ of this Bible the scripture says your whole body will be full of light.

Because God is the one who determines where the light comes to it is he in the beginning was said let there be light. If he does not speak light then all there is is an accumulation of religious knowledge which brings a person or a people into a darkness that's much deeper than any other darkness that you can find around you.

He says in verse 23. But if your eye is evil your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in the darkness how great is that darkness. Think of when Christ came to his own people chosen by him to bring glory to his name in the earth.

They had the scriptures they had the prophets they had the books of Moses they had literally the Word of God that gave clear identification of the Messiah that was going to come into their midst. But the light that was in them because it was intermixed with a corruption as it is of the human nature.

The fallen human nature turned to darkness and boasting as it is of their Savior their God they ended up crucifying him. How how much deeper can darkness get. And that's exactly what happens when people sit and hear the Word of God.

But the Word of God does not change them. They do not embrace what they're hearing. How great is that darkness who comes out of people who once knew the truth but they did not choose to walk in the pathway that God had clearly laid out before them.

Romans chapter 1 and verse 18 he says the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and the unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. I can't think today of the number of places where people are holding Bibles as you are today.

The number of pulpits were perhaps some at least where this Bible is still open where the Word of God is in some measure spoken about. And they hold this truth in their hands. But they will not yield to the truth that they hold.

And folks when that's the state of a person or a church or a nation there's a darkness that comes upon it a darkness deeper than anything that they've ever known before. Verse 23 says they change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image like unto corruptible man into birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things he went.

When when people will not yield to the Word of God when they will not do or walk in the path that God very clearly lays out before his people. It's not complicated folks. You just have to want to do it.

You simply have to want to embrace it. It's not complicated unless you don't want the pathway of Christ through this world. And those who don't want the Christ of the Bible change his image. That's all they can do.

They they have to take Christ and they have to make him. They have to change him from the uncorruptible God to an image like as Paul says to corruptible man men whose words don't mean anything. All he didn't doesn't really mean what he says.

It's not quite as severe as that. He doesn't mean that he's going to judge these things. This is exactly what he means. Or perhaps they'll say that was just an overstatement of the author that wrote this particular book.

It's changing the image of God into something or someone who agrees with their distorted view of truth. We're living at that hour right now when this is happening in many places that have been called the house of God there's a distorted image of God this cultural more than anything else in some cases or not only corruptible man but into an image like under birds.

Idolatrous Images of Christ

And I was I was meditating on this. I said God you got to help me understand this. What does it mean to change the image of God into a bird. Here's what the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. A bird is something you can admire from afar off.

Or the other alternative is you can captivate it for your own enjoyment. And that's how many people are viewing Christ. And Christianity is something to be admired from a distance. Well that's exciting.

I really it's nice that these wonderful words come from the Lord. Or to captivate this image as it is of God and to just take it home for one's enjoyment not to ever be yielded to it. Or beasts that speaks about a fashion Christ that is made to work for one's own goals.

You think of oxen that are that pull so the farmer can prosper. And many people have this view of Christ. I'm going to take him home and I'm going to harness this truth. And I'm going to make it work for my own goals.

You see I've got something in my life I want to achieve. And if all this power that I hear about is in Christ then I'm going to take him home. I'm going to hitch him up to my plow and he's going to be the beast as it is that gets me through to this destiny that I feel that I'm deserving in my life.

Or also to be killed and carved up to satisfy one's own appetites. That's what people do with cattle. They first use them to plow and then when they have done their usefulness then they carve them up and they devour them.

And also he says changing the image of God into creeping things. Now you think about this. It's something that is to be trodden underfoot or just flicked away. When the conviction of God gets too close you'd say I'd never.

I'd never treat Christ as a creeping thing. Well I won't tell you how many people now even sitting here today if things start getting a little hot if God starts speaking to something in your life you'll just you just reach out and just flick him away like a creeping thing.

He's getting a little too close. I'm just going to get. I don't like the proximity of this Christ. I'm just gonna flick him away from me. And that's the way a lot of people treat Christ. The end result of these casual treatings of Christ.

Verse 24 and 28 says God gave them up to uncleanness to the lust of their own hearts. And in verse 28 he says God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient given up to the lust of their own heart and giving up to a corrupt thinking.

That's what reprobation is. It's an undiscerning mind. How many people today don't know who God is anymore. They travel the circuit all over the place and is God here. Is this the voice of God. Is that the voice of God.

Is this the Christ to the Bible. Is that what the Holy Spirit looks like. Is this a man of God. Is that a man of God. I see these packs of people running all over North America today and they don't know who God is.

And the scripture says when you unrighteously hold his truth that's one of the fruits of it. It's an inability to discern folks if ever there was an hour that you and I need to be discerning. It's now we need to know who's speaking for God.

For the Bible says there's going to be false Christ and false teachers and false prophets. And we have myriads of them already today in America. Oh folks if you're gonna pray for anything say God Almighty give me a discerning mind help me to know who's speaking for you and who is not speaking for you.

The scripture calls a reprobation in the original text of a mind void of judgment an inability to judge what is right and what is wrong. Beginning first in one's own heart this this waffling around where all the lines are now gray there's nothing right nothing wrong anymore.

It's it's it's all gray. And it also speaks of an abominable mind a mind that should be abhorred by man and is abhorred by God. Now you and I when we think about reprobation we immediately think of Sodom and Genesis chapter 19.

You don't have to turn there. But Sodom is the litmus test. We say now that was a reprobate society a society that had roving packs of people young and old so given to lust that even when someone or something bearing the image of God showed up in their midst they thronged to the place where they are to satisfy their own lust upon them.

That was Sodom. And in case you think that we are far from this I want to remind you that a few years ago almost 80 men bunched together in Central Park and started ripping the clothes off of women and tackling to the ground and assaulting them men who are not even related to one another of various professions all through some of them in various parts of the tri-state area.

Oh we're not. We're not far from this folks. If you think we are then I'm sorry that you think that way because we're not that far away from this. And you see these roving gangs of people just given to lust.

And these two angels show up in Sodom. And are they afraid. Are they curious. Why have they come. Do they have a message from God. What did they do. They come to where they are only to satisfy their lust.

And I can't help but think about the volumes of people in the last 10 to 15 years that have traveled much of the Western world looking but every time something or somebody rises up that seems to have some measure of God upon them or they have something of the image of God.

They travel to these places. But if they really come to surrender to the will of God or just to satisfy some lust that's in the heart. And the scripture says they wearied themselves to find the door. They never ever ever walk away satisfied.

They can't find freedom. They can't find purpose. They can't find life. They're traveling looking to satisfy this lust. That's exactly what was happening in Sodom. Now go back in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel.

Sodom’s Root Sins: Pride, Idleness, and Neglect of the Poor

Please with me Ezekiel chapter 16. Have the courage to stay with this message today because it is leading to something that will give you heart and give you hope. Ezekiel chapter 16 verses 48. Beginning at verse 48 Ezekiel the prophet is among those who are in captivity and he's showing the people now in Babylon why God's own people have gone into captivity and are going to the captivity actually is going to be all encompassing.

Jerusalem is going to be destroyed. And in spite of some that were saying this is only temporary Ezekiel was saying no it's not temporary. It's going to last a long time and the destruction of Jerusalem is going to be total.

But Ezekiel identifies the sin the root sin. When we think of Sodom we're always thinking of this lustful gang that's running the streets. But God goes deeper says now I'm going to show you the root of this unbridled lust.

And Ezekiel 1648 as I live said the Lord God Sodom thy sister has not done she nor her daughters as thou hast done thou and thy daughters. He called Sodom the sister actually of Jerusalem. Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom.

Pride fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters. And neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before me.

Therefore he says I took them away as I saw good. So the Lord identifies to Ezekiel what was the root sin. Folks what was the root sin of Sodom. What. What caused this breakout of lust and darkness to come upon this society.

Firstly pride exalting itself above the knowledge of God. Genesis 19 9 when a lot Abraham's nephew came out and said don't do this wicked thing. These men have come here for a specific reason. They're guests in my house.

The response was all this fellow came in to sojourn and he will now be a judge over us. There was a pride in their folks. They could not be reproved anymore. I don't know if American can be reproved anymore.

I don't know if a great volume of the church can be reproved. I don't know if we've moved across that line anymore. I pray God that you understand that what you're hearing this morning is a pleading from the heart of God.

I've not come to condemn anyone. The Lord has not sent me to condemn. This is a pleading from the heart of God because very difficult days are ahead for everyone folks. And you've got to be on the right side to be able to get through this and to be able to make a difference in our society.

Now it now falls at the door of the church folks. He says also fullness of bread. Paul says in the last days in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 7 there's going to be a people who are always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

They have a form of godliness but they've not allowed the power of God to grip their lives. And their lives have not become an expression of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Fullness of bread.

Folks you turn on. You can turn on Christian radio anytime you want. You can go buy tapes. You can stop at churches on almost every corner. But the learning is not bringing many to the knowledge of who Christ is and what his church is called to be.

Abundance of idleness you Matthew chapter 20 Jesus is giving a parable about the kingdom of heaven. And he says about the 11th hour he went out in verse 6 and he found others standing idle and said to them why do you stand here all day idle.

And they said in verse 7 because no man has hired us. In other words no one's called us. No one told us what we're expected to do. And there's an abundance of idleness. Today people come into the house of God.

They walk out into the marketplace and kind of just stand there with their hands in their pockets and might pass a tape around to somebody. But there's just this fullness of idleness because nobody's told them the voices are not speaking for God and saying this is what God has called you to do.

Who's preaches today as Paul did or the writer in in Romans Paul said it is a reasonable thing that we lay our lives down as a living sacrifice for the purposes of God which is a reasonable service. Tell me who is preaching that today.

Where do you hear that. There's. I know there's got to be some. But it's not the message that is permeating the airwaves anymore. There's seven steps to a better life and how to be happy and how to fly high in the midst of this society when that's not what the Word of God says.

We're to give our lives for others. We're to give our lives that people may find Christ as Lord and Savior. But those who seek to save their life here Jesus says you're gonna lose it. You're gonna lose everything that's been purchased for you on Calvary.

You're gonna lose the new mind. You're gonna lose the new heart. You'll lose the new spirit. You'll not stand as a voice for God in troubled times no one's called us. And then he says at the end neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy.

Amazing when you begin to see it. This idleness this abundance of bread this pride of the heart. And ultimately results in a people who don't represent God in the earth because the ministry of Christ.

As he stood and looked for 18 he said the Spirit of God is upon me because he's called me to preach the gospel to the poor. It was the very first thing he identified to go to those that have no helper to go into the fields of the fatherless and tell him they have a father.

To go to the widow and tell her that she has one who will provide for her. To go to those who are poor and not deny them their right. They have right to know that there's a God in heaven who loves them and died for them.

The Church’s Responsibility in National Judgment

Go ahead. Ezekiel Daniel Hosea. Then you come to the book of Amos. Amos chapter 2 again a herdman that God called to cry out against the sin of society. But as it was going into judgment Amos cries out in chapter 2 and verse 6 he says thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof.

Now here are the transgressions of Israel he said because they sold the righteous for silver they sold off righteousness for a gospel of gold and silver and gain. And the poor for a pair of shoes. They pant after the dust of the earth on the heads of the poor.

In other words God says I look down and these people were to be appraised in my name. And I see them panting after that which the earth can produce. And they're trampling on the heads of the poor to get to things that they think are going to satisfy them.

And they turn aside the way of the meek. And a man and his father go into the same mate to profane my holy name. This unbridled lust calms when people are not walking in the pathways of God when their focus of being a Christian is wrong.

Fathers and sons going to the same Internet at different times of the night going into the same pornographic sites going into the same mate and don't even try to tell me that's not happening in the Church of Jesus Christ on mass in our generation.

Verse 8 says they lay themselves down on clothes laid to pledge by every altar. Now God had said you don't take the garment away from the poor. If a poor man gives you his garment was in the law of Moses you give it back to him at nightfall because that's his only covering that he's got.

And he says but you're not obeying this. And they're coming and laying down with these garments upon them of disobedience to God. And they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of God. They're under the influence as it is of the same thinking of those outside of God's kingdom.

And they lay down before my altar. And he said these are the things that are bringing judgment upon the nation. Amos chapter 8 and verse 4 hear this. Oh ye that swallow up the needy even to make the poor of the land fail.

We have a gospel now being preached in America. Don't give to the poor. That's a waste of time. They say now give to the rich give to the wealthy. God help us to be discerning as the Church of Jesus Christ to know who these frauds are and call them what they are.

God help us to get out from under the sway of evil men who stand and pretend to be speaking for God. God says here this you who swallow up the needy and make the poor of the land to fail. You say when will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn.

They could hardly wait. He says to get church over with so we can get back to business again. And the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat making the ephah small. In other words giving less than we should and making the shekel great and falsifying the balances by deceit.

That we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes yea. And sell the refuse of the wheat. That we may take everything from everybody that we can get our hands on. Oh God help us in this generation.

I plead for you bride of Christ. Wake up before it's too late. Realize who's speaking to you and whose voices you've been sitting under. Realize what kind of a diabolical message has come into your heart and into your home.

And sell the the the leftovers. In other words take everything we can take from the poor and leave them nothing the Lord has sworn by the excellency of Jacob. Verse 7 surely I will never forget any of their works.

And verse 8 he says shall not the land tremble for this. And everyone mourn that dwells therein. God says shall not the land tremble because of this. You see he lays the indictment when a nation goes under judgment.

The indictments not laid with parties of government or presidents or organizations or clubs. He lays the indictment at the door of those who have the power to make a difference in their generation. The Church of Jesus Christ is where the indictment is laid by God.

When a nation fails it fails because there have not been voices in the pulpit. It fails because the people have not wanted to hear the voice of God or be reproved by the Scriptures. They've wanted to treat God as a beast or a bug or a bird.

They've not wanted to treat him as Lord of Lords and King and King of Kings over their lives. And Amos says shall not the land tremble for this. There's a trembling now in America. It's undeniable. It's coming folks it's spilling from one compartment just as it did in the Titanic after she hit the iceberg.

One compartment into another compartment into another compartment all through the country now and all through the world. Shall not the land tremble for this. For the gospel that we have allowed to be preached in our source.

Entering the Vineyard Through Service

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 20 and verse 7 he said go into the vineyard to those who were standing by idly. And whatever is right that you will receive now. I want you to go to Isaiah chapter 58 with me now we're gonna close there.

Whatever is right God said go into the vineyard don't stand idle in the marketplace any longer. And whatever is right I'll give you this. You see he's not a man who can lie when he says I'll give something to you.

God's going to give something to you. Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah thank you Jesus. Isaiah chapter 58 beginning at verse 6 is not this the fast that I've chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to undo the heavy burdens to let the oppressed go free.

And that you break every yoke. Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry. And you bring the poor that are cast out to your house. That means this house this house thank God that in times court starts.

The poor and especially the poor are always welcome in this house thanks be to God. And when you see the naked you cover him. And that you don't hide yourself from your own flesh. Now this is the vineyard folks this is the vineyard of Christ.

It's to go to those who have no helper they have no voice there's no hope. And it's to go to them. Whether it's in a park bench in Central Park or it's in the plains of Africa wherever it is that God sends you that you and I go.

We go into the vineyard and here's what is right. God says I'll give you what is right. Then your light will break forth. Is the morning. God says there'll be no darkness in you once you are doing the work of God.

When you are walking with God what you're gonna. You're gonna know light. I'm going to say to you let there be light. And there's going to be a division between light and darkness. All you have to do is start feeding the poor and you will immediately know who phonies are on television preaching to you.

You will know it immediately and your health will spring forth speedily. You're not be walking around with hands bowed down and feeble and weak knees. There'll be a spiritual health within you. There'll be this springing up as it is of life that cannot be quenched by darkness or circumstances around you.

You'll be like Paul on the deck of the ship when everyone else is throwing their trust overboard. You're gonna be standing there saying be a good chair. I know God I've been with God. Your righteousness will go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your reward.

God just says I'll gather you up. My glory will gather you up. You're gonna have a heart. You're gonna have a purpose. You're not going to be governed by what is causing fear to come into the hearts of people all around you.

Then you will call and the Lord will answer. You will cry. Verse 9. He will say here I am. If you take away from the midst of thee the yoke the putting forth of the finger and empty talk or speaking vanity.

And if you draw out your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul then your light will rise in obscurity and even your darkness will be as the noonday. Oh God Oh God. Help us in America to rise now in this difficult time.

I speak not only to Times Square Church but to the church in America. This is the finest hour for you. If you can rise out of this a self-seeking pursuit of God and begin to understand again what the work of Christ is.

He says if you go into the vineyard and you say to me well where are the poor. Well folks just hang on. They're gonna be all around you very very shortly. They're going to be everywhere. Churches are going to have opportunities to open their doors and begin to feed others and watch the provision of God begin to come into them.

Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God. This is the hour for the church not to hide but to stand on the deck in the middle of the storm. This is the hour this is the finest hour for the Church of Jesus Christ.

And their darkness will be as the noonday. You'll have clear vision. You'll have clear sight and the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your soul in drought. You'll have this inner knowledge.

This is where to go. Do this. Reach out here. I'm going to give you provision. God says I'm going to satisfy your soul in drought. I'm gonna make fat your bones. You'll be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail.

Not like it's I don't know if ever you've seen a spring out in the forest. I have. And the water comes up. It's clear. It's clean. It's pure. You can't see the source of it necessarily. But it's there.

And it's some of the most refreshing water you'll ever taste in your entire life. You'll be a spring of water the Lord says. And they that shall be of these shall build the old waste places and thou shall raise up the foundations of many generations.

And you'll be called the repairer of the breach and the restorer of the past to dwell in the Lord says I'm good. There's going to be a soul winning time coming to the true bride of Christ. And there's going to be light in your theology.

There's going to be reality in your practice. And you're going to raise up a foundation that has been destroyed because of the wrong embracing holding the truth as it is in unrighteousness. And you're going to be called the repairer of the wall or the place where the enemy got in and took away the glory and took away the power of God and the restorer of past to dwell.

In verse 14 he says then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. And I'll cause thee to write upon the high places of the earth and fill thee and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

God says if you delight yourself in me I'm going to give you a victory that is so deep in your heart and in your mind and in your spirit that it can't be taken away. Nothing of the earth can take it away from you.

I'm going to feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. In other words there was a commanded blessing. God says that I gave to Abraham and I gave that commanded blessing to the children of Abraham whose we are through Jesus Christ.

And that blessing should be that we would be a blessing wherever we go and that all the nations of the world should be blessed through you and I as the Church of Jesus Christ. And God says I am going to give you this heritage.

This is right if you will just go into the vineyard hallelujah. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it and the Christ I preach is not corruptible like man. He speaks the truth. He says you go into the vineyard and what is right.

I'm going to give you hallelujah. The time is short. The need is very great. But God is greater if you'll have the courage not to deal unrighteously with God. Sin has to be put away folks double dealing with God.

You cannot treat God like a bug or a beast or a bird. The Bible says God cannot be marked. You cannot know the life of Christ and hold to willful sin at the same time these things have to be put away.