Shall We Continue In Sin That Grace May Abound?

 

Sometimes when I write a blog I feel like John the Baptist urging people to, "Repent! Repent!" In all honesty, I don't like it very much. I've even talked to God about how agonizing it is to suggest to people to thoroughly examine themselves and turn from their sin. Even more difficult is pleading with Christian believers to get serious and turn from their habitual sinning. Those blogs get little attention. The CHURCH has a real problem and God is consistently prompting me to send messages in these blogs to warn the Church of their spiritual adultery.  I know people would rather hear happy, positive messages that make them feel good but I cannot deny the "mission" God set out for me. 

Let's first be reminded of these verses in our bible:

1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

1 John 1:10 "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and his word is not in us."

1 Corinthians 6:9 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 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 truly fear for people and especially those of faith who were washed and sanctified. There is so much in this world in which we live that is deceiving and deceptive. We see others wander off on their own way of doing things, but it is extremely disturbing to see other Christian seemingly not caring about the way they are living.  Isaiah 53.6 states: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Yes, all are sinners, we acknowledge that. All struggle with sins big or small, and yet, if you are a  Christian who is truly saved, there should be a visible change in your life, a turning away from sin not remaining in it. My message is one of urgency. Jesus is coming soon, but He not coming back for the up and down, in and out, lukewarm Christian. Jesus frequently equates deeds with a person’s true spiritual state: “By their fruit, you will recognize them,” He said, and “Every good tree bears good fruit” (Matthew 7:16–17). Clearly, scripture points out the lukewarm deeds of the Laodiceans were not in keeping with true salvation. The deeds of the true believer will reflect the spiritual passion of a life transformed.

Not everyone on this earth will inherit the Kingdom of God. Who won't? God makes that very clear by identifying several categories of sinners. Those named who commit such sins will sometimes attempt the defense ...“I was born that way.” A few examples would be the drunkard who blames his condition on his parents who were alcoholics. Or a homosexual who perhaps was molested as a child and now seeks love with the same gender, or even a pedophile who was sexually abused by his father so he has tendencies to fulfill his lustful passions with children. But even if that were true, being born that way, is no defense for the non-believer or even the unchanging believer when he or she stands before the holy and righteous Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is absolutely clear that we are all sinners from birth and by choice. The keyword whether we like hearing it or not is (by) CHOICE. No one forces us to drink excessively, have sex with a partner, or molest children!

Not everyone who believes they are a Christian, may call themselves a Christian, who may regularly go to church, wear a cross around their neck, or who are actually good or charitable will inherit the Kingdom of God. I Cor. 6:9-10 lists a group of 10 sins connected to habitual sinners who will be excluded from God’s kingdom.  Bear with me as I spell out each one. Why am I concerned about listing them?  Because the world seeks to deceive both Christians and the lost into believing that the sinner committing these sins will never face the consequences and judgment for their actions. The Bible is clear, "Be not deceived, fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners.”You will not escape from God’s judgment if you persist in your sin. Notice the word PERSIST (in your sin?) Persisting is a choice. The word persist means to continue and to continue firmly or obstinately despite opposition. What opposition? God's written Word. 

I was thinking, how many people did you know fifty, forty, or thirty years ago that thought homosexuality, fornication, and/or adultery were acceptable conduct? What about effeminate men, crossdressers, or transexuals entering our grade schools and teaching kindergarteners it's okay to change who God created them to be? That is fundamentally saying God made a mistake. How many do you know today that think so? There has been a tremendous propaganda campaign waged to deceive the American culture. It has been and is still being carried out in public schools, on radio and television, in the movies, and the various news sources available today. Sexual perversion is shown in nearly every home in America on television in our living rooms every night. Answer this question, would you send your child or grandchild to a school where the teachers spelled the word WRONG with the letters R-I-G-H-T ? That is taking place in the United States’ public schools when it comes to the teaching of morals, especially when it comes to sexual conduct!

Here is the list of groups and the deeds that God calls “unrighteous.” Please bear with me it took a long time to list these. If nothing applies to you, please know these exist and perhaps you can use them in a conversation if ever faced with someone who thinks they are not listed in the Bible.

FORNICATORS

America is awash with fornicators. That simply speaks of those who commit sexual acts outside of heterosexual marriage. And heterosexual marriage is the only marriage that God and the Bible recognize. Period. Fornicators will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:4)

IDOLATORS

Idolators speak of those whose god is anything other than the God of the Bible. It can be Allah, Vishnu, Satan, Buddha, nothing, or even yourself! None of these are God and none of them can deliver you from the judgment you will face before the one, true God. Idolators will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (I Cor. 6:9-10).

ADULTERERS

Adulterers are those that have sexual relations with another while they themselves are married. Adulterers will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” And unfortunately, I know "Christians" habitually commit this sin.

EFFEMINATE

The effeminate is a male who submits himself to be used as a woman, as a male prostitute. Or dresses as a woman in clothing or make-up. The effeminate will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched”  (I Cor. 6:9-10)

ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND

Abusers of themselves with mankind are men who have sexual relations with another man rather than a woman. Today the word is homosexual is used in place of “abusers of themselves with mankind.” Homosexuals, or rather “abusers of themselves with mankind” will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched"  (I Cor. 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:27 )

The principals are set forth and whether it is homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, effeminate, they all fall under the same grouping of the unrighteous that will not inherit the kingdom of God. I know people neither like to hear this nor want to hear this but it is a message God continually wants me to remind people. Some mistake the doctrine of God’s grace as the idea that God does not care whether or not a sinner saved by His grace continues on in sin once saved. This is a very dangerous error.  Paul asked the question in Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid …” and in Titus 2:11-12 continues along that same line of thought. “For the grace of God that brought  salvation has appeared to all men,  teaching us that, denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” That's very clear. Continuing the list ...

THIEVES

Thieves here speaks of embezzlers and pilferers and by extension can even speak of teachers who care more for their own gain rather than the truth. Sadly today, there are so many of these behind the pulpit! Thieves will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (I Cor. 6:9-10)

COVETOUS

Covetous persons are those who desire to have something or someone that someone else has, are greedy for gain, and are never content with such as they have. Paul in Colossians 3:5 calls covetousness the same as idolatry. The covetous will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (I Cor. 6:9-10, also the 10th commandment)

DRUNKARDS

Society has softened the vice of alcoholism. Rather than calling a man or woman a drunkard, they are now called alcoholic, or they have a drinking problem. The Bible speaks directly to the point and calls those who get intoxicated Drunkards. Drunkards will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (I Cor. 6:9-10)

REVILERS

Revilers are those that “speak about (someone or something) in a very critical or insulting way” according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. They are those who verbally abuse others. Revilers will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (I Cor. 6:9-10)

EXTORTIONERS

Extortioners here speak of robbers, those who snatch property away from others with no qualms about it. That is happening now (eminent domain) in some states by our government! Extortioners will spend eternity in hell “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (I Cor. 6:9-10)

Christ-like righteousness demands more than surface deeds!  Our hearts, souls, and minds must be completely devoted to righteous living whether anyone is watching us or not!  It is clear that there are many categories of sin by which we offend God. Is what I am sharing “hate speech”? I'm referencing the Bible, not my personal opinion. Surely you would not call it “hate speech” if you had cancer and went to an oncologist, and he told you the truth that you had cancer and that he recommend a course of treatment to cure you of cancer? Or would you rather he tell you that you are just sore from too much exercise, go home, take three aspirin and go to bed and get some rest? The doctor does not hate you when he tells you the truth. Neither do I hate you and neither will I call evil good, nor good evil.  May the Lord speak to your heart as you ponder this blog.

Until He Comes, -Pat-