In the past we were foolish too. We did not obey, we were wrong, and we were slaves to the many things our bodies wanted and enjoyed. We lived doing evil and being jealous. People hated us and we hated each other.
Remember that in the past you were without Christ. You were not citizens of Israel, and you did not know about the agreements with the promises that God made to his people. You had no hope, and you did not know God.
But those who are cowards, those who refuse to believe, those who do terrible things, those who kill, those who sin sexually, those who do evil magic, those who worship idols, and those who tell lies—they will all have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
They say they know God, but the evil things they do show that they don’t accept him. They are disgusting. They refuse to obey God and are not capable of doing anything good.
Oh, what a sinful nation! Their guilt is like a heavy weight that they must carry. They are evil, destructive children. They left the Lord and insulted the Holy One of Israel. They turned away and treated him like a stranger.
“Those people lied about the Lord. They said, ‘He will not do anything to us. Nothing bad will happen to us. We will never see an army attack us. We will never starve.’
My people have turned against me, and they are very stubborn. They say bad things about people. They are like bronze and iron that are covered with rust and tarnish.