(Article for publication week of 4-10- AD 2013)
“…Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (sodomites), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6: 9-11).
Those who live and die in their sins shall not enter into heaven. This text plainly says so. God is going to send all those who will not repent of their sins to hell. Now, you can mark that down. God only has two places He puts people after they die- Heaven or Hell.
The first thing I want to point out from this text is that the sins mentioned here are all transgressions of the moral law of God (see I John 3:4). The morality of the New Testament is exactly the same as that of the Old Testament. These things are all evil because God says they are evil. All the sins mentioned in this dark list are stench in the nostrils of a thrice-Holy God.
The second thing I want to point out is that all of the behaviour spoken of in our text are things that sinners willingly choose to do. To be sure, some people may have weaknesses in certain areas, but ultimately, sinners choose to sin. No one can say that God makes them sin, or that they are a certain kind of sinner because they were “born” that way. God is not going to send you to Hell for your weakness, He is going to send you to Hell for your rebellion, and that is what all sin is- rebellion against your Creator and King and Judge. Now that is true of the sodomite and the drunkard and the thief and all the other kinds of sins mentioned here, and every other sin not specifically mentioned here. If your particular sin is not in this list, it is somewhere else in the Bible. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Thirdly, our text tells us of the amazing grace of God! God can and does save the filthiest of sinners. There is no sin so small that it does not deserve eternal damnation, but there is no sin so great that it will not be forgiven those who truly repent and come to Christ for salvation. Paul writes to the saints in the Corinthian Church and reminds them of what they had been before they got saved. Note well, Paul says such “were” some of you. They were no longer living in these filthy sins because they were washed in the blood of the Lamb. They were justified by the righteousness of Christ. They were sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit. Friends, that is what God’s sovereign grace does, it changes the worst sinners and makes them new people.
Sinner, you do not need counseling. You do not need a twelve-step recovery program. You need salvation. You need Christ Who is mighty to save. None of the sins mentioned in my text are unpardonable. Paul plainly says that some of the Christians had formerly been filthy adulterers and fornicators and homosexuals, but Christ had mercy and saved them. Now He has promised “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). I beg you today to repent of your filthy sins and come to the dear Saviour of the chief of sinners. He can fix you up and save you from your sins. May the Blessed Spirit draw you to the dear Saviour now. If you will come see me, or call me at 601-927-5070, I will tell you more of the sovereign grace of God.
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