The sins that called for vengeance upon the antediluvian world exist today. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt. The intense worldliness of that generation is equaled by that of the generation now living. Said Christ, "As in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:38, 39. God did not condemn the antediluvians for eating and drinking; He had given them the fruits of the earth in great abundance to supply their physical wants. Their sin consisted in taking these gifts without gratitude to the Giver, and debasing themselves by indulging appetite without restraint. It was lawful for them to marry. Marriage was in God's order; it was one of the first institutions which He established. He gave special directions concerning this ordinance, clothing it with sanctity and beauty; but these directions were forgotten, and marriage was perverted and made to minister to passion.

De synder, der nedkaldte straf over verden før syndfloden, eksisterer også i dag. Menneskenes hjerte er blottet for gudsfrygt, og hans lov behandles med ligegyldighed og foragt. Den daværende slægts store verdslighed har sin lige i vort slægtled. Kristus sagde: "Som de levede i dagene før syndfloden: De åd og drak, tog til ægte og gav til ægte lige til den dag, da Noa gik ind i arken, og de ænsede intet før syndfloden kom og rev dem alle bort - sådan skal det også gå ved Menneskesønnens komme." Matt. 24, 38-39. Gud fordømte ikke menneskene før syndfloden, fordi de spiste og drak. Han havde givet dem jordens rige frugter for at tilfredsstille deres fysiske behov. Deres synd bestod i at modtage disse gaver uden at vise taknemmelighed mod giveren og i, at de nedværdigede sig selv ved at give efter for en umådeholden appetit. De havde lov til at gifte sig. Ægteskabet var efter Guds plan; det var en af hans første forordninger. Han gav særlige forskrifter for denne anordning og forlenede den med hellighed og skønhed; men disse forskrifter blev glemt, og ægteskabet blev til et vrangbillede og benyttet til at tjene lidenskaben.