What Once Was – Now Is Not
We were once captured by our own sin. We were once out of control, filled with rage and lost in our own sin. But now we are his and so are the others in the community of the Shining. That demands that we treat one another differently and better. How we are towards one another either reveals the light or it cloaks it from sight.
Look Back
1 Corinthians 1: The Cross of Jesus
1 Corinthians 2: The Spirit of God
1 Corinthians 3: A Temple of God
1 Corinthians 4: A Spiritual Father
1 Corinthians 5: A High Calling
Quick Scan:
1 Corinthians 6:1-20 (NCV)
Judging Problems Among Christians
6 When you have something against another Christian, how can you bring yourself to go before judges who are not right with God? Why do you not let God’s people decide who is right? 2 Surely you know that God’s people will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, are you not able to judge small cases as well? 3 You know that in the future we will judge angels, so surely we can judge the ordinary things of this life. 4 If you have ordinary cases that must be judged, are you going to appoint people as judges who mean nothing to the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between believers. 6 But now one believer goes to court against another believer—and you do this in front of unbelievers!
7 The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not let yourselves be wronged? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 But you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do this to other believers!
9-10 Surely you know that the people who do wrong will not inherit God’s kingdom. Do not be fooled. Those who sin sexually, worship idols, take part in adultery, those who are male prostitutes, or men who have sexual relations with other men, those who steal, are greedy, get drunk, lie about others, or rob—these people will not inherit God’s kingdom. 11 In the past, some of you were like that, but you were washed clean. You were made holy, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Use Your Bodies for God’s Glory
12 “I am allowed to do all things,” but all things are not good for me to do. “I am allowed to do all things,” but I will not let anything make me its slave. 13 “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food,” but God will destroy them both. The body is not for sexual sin but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14 By his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead. 15 Surely you know that your bodies are parts of Christ himself. So I must never take the parts of Christ and join them to a prostitute! 16 It is written in the Scriptures, “The two will become one body.” a So you should know that anyone who joins with a prostitute becomes one body with the prostitute. 17 But the one who joins with the Lord is one spirit with the Lord.
18 So run away from sexual sin. Every other sin people do is outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. 19 You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. So you do not belong to yourselves, 20 because you were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies.
It’s Not about Lawsuits
Do you realize who you are? Have you noticed that the world view of life is mostly cynical and hopeless. Most scifi movies and stories about the future picture a gotham city that is filled with chaos and filth. The streets are covered with litter and fires burn in barrels while cold and angry people rub their hands in front of them. Why is that? I think it’s because our view of human kind – indeed our view of our selves is that we are broken and hurting. Things are getting worse – not better.
This view does not come from God. Yes we are broken – but God sent his son to die on a cross pay the cost of fixing us. Yes we are hurt – but God sent his spirit to indwell our bodies and to comfort, guide, and strengthen us. Yes we have been made captives by our sin – But Jesus defeated death and is the firstborn or the coming resurrection of all those who follow after him.
You see it is very simple. You are a child of the king. Your father owns the place. The angels were created to be your servants. Satan was created to serve you – but he got jealous and determined to rebel against God. Now he wants to hurt God by hurting you. He is a liar, a cheat, a deceitful schemer who is trying to sell you a bucket of plastic trinkets and a few moments of pleasure that turns into bitterness in your mouth.
All who have repented from their sin and been baptized into Jesus have become part of the family of God!
That fact is important. Why? Well because… It’s not about lawsuits – It’s about being God’s People.
How do you know if someone is a person of God?
There are three benchmarks given in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 which mark God’s people.
They have a Godly wisdom about what is important in this life
They have an ability to work things out with one another when there is disagreement
They have a willingness to be wronged rather than to having to be right
Are these benchmarks of your life?
We have been called to a higher standard than the world’s standards
It’s Not about Judging
Everyone struggles against the chains of sin. There are many different kinds of sin.
This passage lists a number of them. They are all a rebellion against the authority and power of God. We usually focus on the biggies but there are many different ones.
There is even one which we don’t talk about much in church – gluttony
In the Beginning it was different…
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.
Then using God’s great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry’s and Krispy Kreme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?"
And Man said "Yea," and woman said, "And another one with sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds.
And God created the healthful yogurt that woman might keep the figure that man found so fair.
And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane, and combined them. And woman went from size 6 to size 14.
So God said, "Try my fresh green salad."
And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing and garlic toast on the side.
And man and woman unfastened their belts following the repast.
God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them."
And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.
God then brought running shoes so that his children might lose those extra pounds.
And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And man and woman laughed and cried before the flickering light and gained pounds.
Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.
And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And man gained pounds.
God then gave lean beef so that man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite.
And Satan created McDonald’s and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And man replied, "Yea! And super size ’em."
And Satan said, "It is good." And man went into cardiac arrest.
God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.
Then Satan created HMOs.
Obviously sin takes many different forms.
And everyone has failed to live up to God’s standards. Some try to justify sin. Some try to deny sin. Some rename sin. Some are critical of others sin while they overlook their own sin. But…
It’s not about judging others - It’s about changing your self!
Paul lays it out there and says it very plainly and then he says, “This is what you once were!”
It is a completed and done thing. It’s over – not ongoing. You have left it behind or at least you are supposed to leave it behind.
Another critical benchmark of the Christian is that he is free from the tyranny of sin!
We just got done celebrating freedom from the tyranny of King George. That is nothing in comparison to the freedom we have from the chains of sin. What once was now is not IF we have clothed ourselves with Jesus!
How to Making What Once Was a Thing of the Past
Accepting the cleansing of the blood of Jesus – That’s what the cross of Jesus is about.
Repentance from our sinful ways – That’s what the Lordship of Jesus is about. It is sewer water vs. Living water.
One more thing… It’s Not about Standing up to Sexual Sin
Sexual Sin is different than Regular Sin. God gave us sex as an instrument of intimate fellowship in relationship. We are connected to the body. Intimacy that is absolutely incredible – when we follow God’s plan for sex – more about that in a moment.
Sex is the physical consummation of two people becoming one person – physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually. We even see it in the potential of a new creation – a baby.
It is physical but it is also spiritual! Anyone who tries to separate the two is – please forgive me for being so bold – a complete fool. There is no such thing as “recreational” sex. The prostitute and you are equal to one flesh.
Sexual Sin is Spiritual Adultery against God – and if you are married it is adultery against your spouse.
Sexual sin adulterates the intimacy that God intended you enjoy with him and with your spouse. He designed man and woman to bond together – any thing else is an adulteration of that plan.
Now here is the rub: Regular sin is an expression of rebellion and the rejection of God – Sexual Sin is that plus it is extremely damaging to who you are as a person.
Sexual sin has consequences that like tendrils of a tumor dig deep into the heart of the person. Sexual sin is incredibly dangerous stuff. It is the equivalent of nuclear radiation – The plutonium of spiritual realm. You don’t mess with this stuff. You don’t stand against it – you run!
It’s Not about Standing up to Sexual Sin – It’s about Running from Sexual Sin
Stay away from it in the first place. If you are a virgin – stay that way. If you are dealing with sexual sin - Run! Cut it off. It requires radical amputation of Sin – Cut it off!
Become accountable to someone you trust – I’m serious about that. Not everyone is trustworthy in God’s family.
Accept God’s grace and love. It’s about Freedom from the Tyranny of Sin. We just celebrated freedom from they tyranny of a king but how much more wonderful it is to be free from sin.
God forgives and rebuilds you as a person.
King David Psalm 32:1-11 (NCV)
32 Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned.
2 Happy is the person whom the LORD does not consider guilty and in whom there is nothing false.
3 When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long.
4 Day and night you punished me. My strength was gone as in the summer heat. Selah
5 Then I confessed my sins to you and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, “I will confess my sins to the LORD ,” and you forgave my guilt. Selah
6 For this reason, all who obey you should pray to you while they still can. When troubles rise like a flood, they will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place. You protect me from my troubles and fill me with songs of salvation. Selah
8 The LORD says, “I will make you wise and show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you.
9 So don’t be like a horse or donkey, that doesn’t understand. They must be led with bits and reins, or they will not come near you.”
10 Wicked people have many troubles, but the LORD ’s love surrounds those who trust him.
11 Good people, rejoice and be happy in the LORD. Sing all you whose hearts are right.
Pray with me this prayer…
