1 Corinthians 6:7-11
Message No. 0577 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca
The lives some of us lived before knowing Christ were horrible, disgraceful and nothing to be proud of. In fact, the devil, accuser of brethren, never stops reminding God’s children of their past lives, with the aim of keeping them in the past, hoping they ever remain guiltily, thereby not trusting that the power in the blood of Jesus is more powerful than any stain that sin could produce.
Some of God’s children did everything possible for God to not save them. Take Paul, for instance; he it was who made it his main job to persecute the early church, obtaining permissions to imprison or kill the brethren. Paul was feared among the saints because of his arrogance and brutality against the church. He was the least possible candidate for salvation. In fact, Jesus made it clear to him that it was Him that Paul was persecuting – nothing could be worse.
Look at Matthew. He was a tax collector and one of the most hated people in Israel. His position was despised, who doesn’t hate the tax man! However, Matthew’s position was not only used to collect taxes for the government, but he possibly had the DNA of Zacchaeus in some ways, conniving with Rome and enriching himself by collecting more money from people than the official tax amounts were. When Jesus went to his house to eat with him, he was criticized by the Pharisees as eating with sinners.
What about us? Some of us were probably thieves, figure changers, manipulators, cheats, adulterers, false witnesses, murderers, drunkards, liars, name it. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, this is what the Bible says:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
The scripture above lists some of the sins that would prevent people from inheriting God’s Kingdom, then it adds: and such were some of you. Praise be to God that this is past tense (were). The truth is, we were nobody, not different from the people out there who love the world with all their strengths. We were in the other camp, dining and wining with the enemy, until God in His mercy located us and changed our lives. Paul appreciates this so much that he never ceased to mention it in his letters, calling himself unqualified, an apostle by the grace and love of Jesus Christ his savior. His past was horrible, but it’s past tense – that’s where he came from. Matthew’s past was equally horrible, but he became an apostle. His past was past tense.
All of us came from somewhere – pasts that we remember and cringe. But that’s past tense. The Bible says:
But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
You were pulled out of a camp that was heading towards destruction. You were at war with God. You are no longer that person. You are different now, praise the Lord. So, when the devil fills your brain with your past and tries to remind you how unqualified you are, just refer him to Paul. Refer him to Matthew. Refer him to Peter who at one point denied Jesus. Refer him to several unqualified people in the Bible. You are no worse than them. Just keep your cool, continue to worship God and do nothing that will make the devil say, ‘I told you so.’ The Power of the Most High God is upon you to sustain you until the day when we meet our Lord in the sky. Please remember to get other people who do not have this assurance to join you. You will not miss that day, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Have a blessed week!
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PLEASE ACT NOW:
If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!
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