What a depressing outlook on life.

I’m glad you remember what you learned in Seminary. But it isn’t quite that simple! People disagree over what the bible means by this or that, and how much of it can simply be cut and pasted into the application of modern life without any cultural, contextual reinterpretation.

Basically, you’ve quoted from a letter written by an early Christian leader to a small church he planted in Greece while living there for 18 months almost 2000 years ago, and you’ve taken it to be the words of God himself to everyone, everywhere in every time since. That is not sensible. Paul was reflecting many of the cultural standards of his time, and speaking to many of the problems in Corinth specifically, which lends the text certain attributes we need to think about when reading it.

As for reading it as the words of GOD, later in the same letter Paul admits himself that he isn’t always writing on behalf of God… which would appear to contradict that theory.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (God here is talking about heaven and those who will not be allowed in) Be not deceived: neither fornicators (this is all sex sin! The touching, the petting the necking; this is the Greek word pornos), nor idolaters (this is anything placed above God in life: entertainment, relationships. An idol is something you bow down and worship: like money or any object that is not living that you would place above the Living God.), nor adulterers (this is not only the actual act that God hates but in Matthew 5:28 Jesus said that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her in his heart hath committed adultery with her already!), nor effeminate (this word means an uncertain identity as far as male or female, or opposite gender like in appearance. Women should not dress, act or appear in any way shape or form like a male and vice-versa, because God created us separate and distinct. He created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve.) , nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (this word mean sodomite which if you know your Bible history God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from heaven because the both cities were full of homosexuals.)

Nor thieves (have you ever stole anything? no matter how big or little?), nor covetous (have you ever wanted something that was not yours?), nor drunkards (have you ever been tipsy from beer or wine before?), nor revilers (have you ever been abusive in your words or actions?), nor extortioners (have you ever had a greedy action or thought?), shall inherit the kingdom of God. (If you have answered yes to any of these questions you will not inherit or obtain or gain access to heaven.)

A liar is put in the same place as a homosexual: hell! No matter what our sin is we will not inherit the kingdom of God. Why? Because we are all sinners and since God is a holy and righteous judge he cannot pardon your sin. For example I killed your family, 10 years latter I was finally caught, thrown before a judge. You were there and the judgment was set – the death penalty! But then I started my plea for mercy “Judge I have joined a church, sold all I had and given it the poor, all my money I give to the church, I have been baptized and I read the Bible every day!” If the judge was righteous what should be my penalty? Death! And death will be our doom for our sin forever in a place called hell.

Church membership will not save you; baptism will not save you, reading the Bible will not save you, giving your money to a church will not save you from the penalty of your sins. “For the waged of sin is death.” But there is good news for liars and homosexuals! Because the end of the verse we looked at end like this…

“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.”

The only way we can be pardoned from the penalty of our sins, is to accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour. He died over 2,000 years ago for the sins of the entire world! “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Today you can trust Jesus to forgive you or your sins; the sin could be stealing, the sin could be homosexuality, but God loves you and wants to forgive you. All you have to do is ask. Have you asked Jesus to forgive you or your sins?

In Christ,

Pastor Bettis

Graduate of: West Coast Baptist College