Lord Jesus, You are warning us of this perverse generation. As we investigate Your word to understand the perverse generation, we are confronted with who we are. We are a part of this perverse generation. We are, outwardly, carrying on a form of godliness, but have denied Your power. Please have mercy on us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
As we examine this matter of the perverse generation, it shocks us that we are very much a part of this perverse generation, though we claim to be children of God.
Acts 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
This is what our Lord taught us. Luke 21:34-36 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. (35) For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. (36) Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The Lord is calling us to watch and pray so that we will escape from this perverse generation and stand before Jesus on the day of judgement. There are essentially two issues that our Lord is warning us about, in this passage. One is the lust of the flesh and the other is the cares of this life.
It is a generation that is given to the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
As God’s people, many of us are struggling with the lust of the flesh. We are living an, ‘up and down’ life. There is no consistent life of victory in our walk with the Lord.
Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (8) So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
How do we handle the old man or the carnal nature in us? The old man, the carnal nature, the flesh, must be assassinated. This is the only remedy. Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. / II Corinthians 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
It is only when there is the death and burial of the old man that the new man will rise in Christ.
Romans 6:3-5 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (4) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
This new life in Christ or the resurrected life of Christ in us is the life of His Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
The Lord has made all the provisions for us to escape this perverse generation that lives under the lust of the flesh. Romans 8:12-13 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (13) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
The cares of this life is another sign of this perverse generation.
The Lord warned us of this matter of the cares of this life while teaching the parable of the Sower and the Seed. The Lord taught about the third type of soil in which the seed is sown but there is no fruit in this soil because the thorns choked the plants from bearing fruit.
What are the thorns? Mark 4:18-19 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, (19) and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
The danger of the third soil is that the seed that is sown in this soil will germinate, and there will be vegetative growth, but there will be no fruit. This is a true description of our Christianity. We follow a form/format but we have no fruit. We are not being a blessing to the society/community/nation and we are not multiplying ourselves.
II Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
We are warned to be saved from this perverse generation in two areas. 1. The lust of the flesh 2. The cares of this life.