According to the timeline I developed by researching the introductory information to the books Paul authored - rather, dictated - 1 Corinthians followed 1 & 2 Thessalonians. It provides a lot of instruction for Christian living.
Yesterday I read Chapter 6. It includes verses that aren't popular in today's society - but they are part of God's Word. In Paul's writings he occasionally does state something that he identifies as his opinion - but this is not a section that comes with that disclaimer. It is very clear.
Verses 9 & 10 in the ESV state:
Or 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 will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The good news is that God can, has and will forgive anyone who repents and turns away from their sins!
The continued bad news is that unforgiven sin separates us from God - both now and for eternity.
The first thing I want to address is the word righteous. Several years ago I was at a women's spiritual retreat, and during one of our small group exercises, a lady at the table where I was seated said, "I don't even know what righteous really means." I spoke up and said, "It means right living by God's standard." The Bible teaches us a right way to live - placing God first, others second, and ourselves last. It teaches us to serve others, and that in bearing others burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ.
What I didn't say then, that I should have, is that we can't even be righteous except through Jesus. God sees us through the filter of his son, and he sees us as righteous, even though we are imperfect.
As for the specific sins mentioned in this list:
Sexually immoral: any sex outside marriage, and abusive sex even in marriage.
Idolaters: people who place anything above God in importance.
Adulterers: this seems redundant - but it is specifically people who have sex with a person married to someone else. It speaks to infidelity.
Men who practice homosexuality: this does not exclude females. Other passages that speak to this are not so gender specific. (Note that it only addresses practice.)
Thieves: anyone who takes something that doesn't belong to them, but more definitively, those who very intentionally pursue stealing.
Greedy: being obsessed with stuff and wanting stuff. Always wanting newer, better, bigger, more. Yearning or pining for what someone else has.
Drunkards: people who drink to excess. Implies habitual excess.
Revilers: I had to look up the definition of reviler. According to my online dictionary it is someone who criticizes in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.
Swindlers: anyone who uses deception to gain an advantage over another's money or possessions.
Generally I zip through the list and don't think much about it. In my reading yesterday, the obvious caught my eye: homosexuality. That's because it is no longer politically correct to call it sin. But what I have to pay attention to is the other sins in the list, not just single out one. I wouldn't want a spiritual role model to be a person who pursued any of these things. That's the point when it comes to church government.
I'm so grateful for God's forgiveness. The most important message within this is: And such were some of you. But you were washed.... What wonderful good news - the good news of salvation through Jesus the Messiah.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12
Once I was lost, but now I can see
The light of the world is Jesus....
I don't deserve his love, but he gave it to me anyway! That is amazing grace!
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