Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or
have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled); neither
the impure and immoral, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor those who
participate in homosexuality, nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy
graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor
extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of
God. And such some of you were (once). But you were washed clean (purified
by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin), and you
were consecrated (set apart, hallowed), and you were justified (pronounced
righteous) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit of our
God.
~ 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Have you ever felt like you'd done something so bad that God would refuse to
forgive you? Have you ever looked at something another person has done and
felt that it was unforgiveable? Look at the list in the verses above -
pretty much every kind of sin is covered in it, but the most important words
to focus on are 'SUCH SOME OF YOU WERE ONCE'
Yes, many of us were found on that list at one time or another - all of us
have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Our righteousness is as
filthy rags before God, and there's nothing we can do to become good enough
for Him.
But the wonderful news is that His forgiveness is a gift freely given! There
is nothing you can do to earn it.....no standard to reach, no goal to strive
for. All you need to do is accept the gift God gave to you - His Son, who
died on the cross for our sins so that we might live. His blood has washed
us clean, and we have been consecrated as children of the living God -
righteous in His sight through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - it doesn't matter what sins
lie back there. What matters is right now - the decision you've made to
surrender your life to God and to walk away from the person you used to be.
Once you've accepted Him as your Savior, all things are made new, and you are
a new creation in Christ Jesus - forgiven, redeemed and holy. His
forgiveness is real, and is given the moment you ask for it.
Lord, thank You for delivering each of us out of a life of sin and despair.
So many times we stumbled in the darkness, following the wrong paths, but You
remained faithful to us, drawing us to You in so many ways. We thank You
that we are forgiven and free of the guilt that sin would ensnare us with.
Help us to consecrate our lives over to You each day, in all that we do.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
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