Jesus, the Friend of Sinners, also calls sinners to repent. He is not a friend of sin. Paul writes the following, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Corinthian Church, struggling as it was, as we do, with moral issues in an immoral culture. He writes:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
(1Co 6:9-14)
Paul lists a number of sins. His topic is sexual immorality. He starts his message is 5:9, referring to his letter about a sexually immoral brother. He tells the Corinthians not even to eat with this man, because in that culture, eating with him would be to condone his behavior. But then Paul goes on to lump sexual immorality in with a number of other sins listed above. And, he is careful to distinguish between a sexually immoral person claiming to be a brother, and a sexually immoral person who is not a Christian. We are to eat with sexually immoral people who are not believers, because our mission is to them!
Paul ends his instruction by urging the members of the church to be sexually pure with their own husband or wife, or as unmarried believers dedicated to God. The bottom line: Glorify God with your body!
Why is Jesus a Friend of Sinners? Because in calling them to repent from sin, he also gives them the way to the truth and to life. The Corinthians werethese sinful people, but by the Spirit they were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus. And so, they became His.
The hope of the sinner is not to do better in one’s own strength. He or she can’t do better. There is no good news in condemnation. The hope of the sinner is in transformation, and that comes only in the work of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. When you see your sin, then you are to confess and repent, and plead for the work of the Holy Spirit in you for transformation in the name of Jesus. You cannot do it yourself, but the same power that raised Jesus from the dead can raise you also.
Do you find yourself in the list of the unrighteous who will not inherit the kingdom? Me too. Neither of us have any hope, except in Jesus. Plead before His throne. Ask him to transform you. Confess the sin, and repent. He is the great healer. Be willing to let his resurrection power raise you from the dead.
Be saved!
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
- neither the sexually immoral,
- nor idolaters,
- nor adulterers,
- nor men who practice homosexuality,
- nor thieves,
- nor the greedy,
- nor drunkards,
- nor revilers,
- nor swindlers
- you were washed,
- you were sanctified,
- you were justified
- “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful.
- “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
- “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”– and God will destroy both one and the other.
(1Co 6:9-14)
Paul lists a number of sins. His topic is sexual immorality. He starts his message is 5:9, referring to his letter about a sexually immoral brother. He tells the Corinthians not even to eat with this man, because in that culture, eating with him would be to condone his behavior. But then Paul goes on to lump sexual immorality in with a number of other sins listed above. And, he is careful to distinguish between a sexually immoral person claiming to be a brother, and a sexually immoral person who is not a Christian. We are to eat with sexually immoral people who are not believers, because our mission is to them!
Paul ends his instruction by urging the members of the church to be sexually pure with their own husband or wife, or as unmarried believers dedicated to God. The bottom line: Glorify God with your body!
Why is Jesus a Friend of Sinners? Because in calling them to repent from sin, he also gives them the way to the truth and to life. The Corinthians werethese sinful people, but by the Spirit they were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus. And so, they became His.
The hope of the sinner is not to do better in one’s own strength. He or she can’t do better. There is no good news in condemnation. The hope of the sinner is in transformation, and that comes only in the work of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. When you see your sin, then you are to confess and repent, and plead for the work of the Holy Spirit in you for transformation in the name of Jesus. You cannot do it yourself, but the same power that raised Jesus from the dead can raise you also.
Do you find yourself in the list of the unrighteous who will not inherit the kingdom? Me too. Neither of us have any hope, except in Jesus. Plead before His throne. Ask him to transform you. Confess the sin, and repent. He is the great healer. Be willing to let his resurrection power raise you from the dead.
Be saved!
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