04.26.2026. Sunday Sermon Rev. Jeungbok Lee
Text: Genesis 6:1–8, Romans 5:20
Title: The Spread of Corruption and the Grace of God

Genesis 6:1–8
When mankind began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Romans 5:20
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

When we look at the world we live in today, it is becoming more chaotic, values are collapsing, and even the distinction between right and wrong is becoming blurred. But the Bible tells us that such a time is not new. Today’s passage shows us the world just before the flood in the days of Noah—the darkest period in human history. The world that God created and declared “very good” has now become filled with sin. However, the important truth is this: where sin increases, God’s grace increases all the more. Through today’s message, we will face our reality and discover the only hope that God gives within it.

1. When the boundaries of faith collapse, corruption begins (vv. 1–2)
Genesis 6:1–2
When mankind began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.

 

1.1) Today’s passage begins like this: “the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive…”
What is important here is not who married whom, but why they married. Previously, the godly descendants formed communities with those who shared a God-centered value system. But now, marriages allowed those with values centered on outward beauty and personal desire to enter the community of faith.

1.2) The sons of God “saw → desired → took (married)” the daughters of men.
This sequence deliberately echoes the language used in Eve’s disobedience when she ate the forbidden fruit.
Genesis 3:6
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes… she took of its fruit and ate…”
As a result, Adam and Eve fell and were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Likewise, crossing the boundaries of faith in marriage leads to similar consequences. Indeed, wickedness became widespread in the world, and God expelled humanity through the flood.

Through the pattern of behavior in Noah’s time, we must learn this lesson: even godly believers can have their faith collapse when they cross the boundaries set by God. Marriage, in particular, must be approached with great care. It is crucial to meet a spouse who shares a God-centered faith.

1.3) Marriages that break the boundaries of faith do not stop at the individual level.
They affect future generations. If a believer abandons godly standards and marries based on outward criteria, it becomes difficult for that family to continue as a God-centered community of faith. This is because faith education for children becomes difficult within the home. Such marriages influence the faith of the next generation. This is precisely what caused the distinction between the faith community and the unbelieving society to disappear in Noah’s time.

2. God does not leave corruption unaddressed (v. 3)
Genesis 6:3
Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

 

2.1) In verse 3, God declares, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever.”
“My Spirit” refers to the breath of life (ruach). Human life exists within the order of life given by God. In Genesis 5, people lived for hundreds of years, showing that God’s Spirit was with them. But human sin drove God’s Spirit away, and thus long life was no longer sustained.

2.2) The reason God’s Spirit cannot remain with humanity is clear: “for he is flesh.”
To become “flesh” means that humans, who should be indwelt by God’s Spirit, have become driven solely by instinct and desire. While “flesh” is not exactly synonymous with sin, it stands in contrast to what is spiritual. God is holy Spirit, and therefore He cannot dwell with those who have become fleshly.

2.3) Human lifespan was shortened because of sin.
As a result of judgment, “his days shall be 120 years.”
Ancient Near Eastern myths explain the flood and shortened lifespan as the result of the gods’ irritation. For example, the Epic of Gilgamesh says the flood came because humans were too noisy, and the Atrahasis Epic claims human lifespan was limited to control population. Such claims that the Bible borrowed from these myths are incorrect. The flood actually occurred, but those cultures misinterpreted it. The Bible clearly teaches that human sin brought about God’s judgment and a drastic reduction in lifespan.

Therefore, remember this: God is patient with sin, but He never ignores it. If we have sinned, or if our community is sinning, we must quickly repent.

3. The characteristics of the corrupt society in Noah’s time and God’s evaluation
Genesis 6:4–5
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days… and the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great…

 

3.1) Two types of people in the text reveal the nature of that society: the Nephilim and the mighty men.
In today’s terms, it was a world where the strongest and most powerful survived.
First, the Nephilim represent a society driven by strength and violence.
Numbers 13:33
“And there we saw the Nephilim… we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers…”
Second, the “mighty men” were warriors—those skilled in fighting. A society that glorifies warriors is one marked by constant violence and war, lacking peace and stability.

3.2) God’s evaluation of such a society is this:
Genesis 6:5
“every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Their problem was not just outward violence; their hearts themselves were filled with evil. The heart is the center of a person’s being, where all thoughts and plans originate. Because their hearts were evil, all their thoughts were plans to harm others. This verse emphasizes how deeply humanity had been corrupted by sin.

4. Before declaring judgment, God grieves over human sin
Genesis 6:5–7
The LORD saw… and it grieved him to his heart…

 

4.1) This passage reveals God’s character.
God’s “regret” is not repentance for wrongdoing but an expression of deep sorrow over the sin of His beloved creation. It shows that God is not indifferent but deeply concerned about humanity. God loves people but hates sin. Since people continually produce sin, God must judge sin, and that judgment falls upon sinners. This is the source of God’s grief.

4.2) We must correct a common saying: “Hate the sin, but not the sinner.”
Humans are producers of sin, and it is difficult to separate the two. Just as an apple tree bears apples, sinners commit sin. The Bible clearly states that God hates evildoers (Psalm 5:5) and judges them because He is just. Yet God is also love. Therefore, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to bear our sins and die on the cross. Whoever believes in Him receives salvation.

4.3) God determined to bring judgment (v. 7).
“I will blot out man…” means reversing creation, removing all that exists in reverse order. Human sin had filled the earth, and thus judgment extended to all creation under human stewardship.

5. Yet before judgment, God gives grace
Genesis 6:8
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

 

5.1) After the declaration of judgment comes a turning point: “But Noah found favor.”
This “but” opens the door of hope. Noah did not receive grace because he was perfect. He lived in the same corrupt world. Yet God gave him unmerited grace. Through Noah, salvation continued and has reached us today.

5.2) At every critical moment in history, God’s grace brings decisive change.
In Genesis 3, after the fall, God promised the victory of the woman’s offspring (Gen 3:15).
In Genesis 4, despite Cain’s corruption, God raised up Seth.
In Genesis 5, through Enoch, God showed that those who walk with Him overcome death.
In Genesis 6, though all had fallen, God gave grace to Noah.
In Genesis 12, God called Abraham.
Romans 5:20 declares: “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”

Grace is not a qualification. Noah became righteous because he first received God’s grace. Only those who receive grace can walk with God and become instruments of hope in a fallen world.

6. Conclusion
Beloved saints, Genesis 6:1–8 is not merely a story of the past. It is the story of our time. The world is still corrupt, and the human heart is still evil. Yet no matter how corrupt the world becomes, God always chooses those who receive His grace and fulfills His plan of salvation.

 

Thankfully, God still grants grace today. Even more thankfully, He has given us the grace of salvation. Therefore, do not follow the world. Hold fast to the grace God has given you, and like Noah, live as righteous people who have received grace.

Let us pray. (End)