Such Were Some Of You

SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU

1 Cor. 6:9-11

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: Quitting

1. A man up North was shoveling snow from his driveway when two boys carrying snow shovels approached him.

2. “Shovel your snow, Mister?” one of them asked. “Only two dollars!” Puzzled, the man replied, “Can’t you see that I’m doing it myself?”

3. “Sure,” said the enterprising lad; “that’s why we asked. We get most of our business from people who are half through and feel like quitting!”

4. LESSON: “It’s always too soon to quit!”

B. TEXT

9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor [slanderers], nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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. NKJV

C. THESIS

1. God has revealed Himself as a God who loves the sinner but hates all sin. All humans have sinned. But God so loved us that He sent His Son Jesus to die for us. We must repent of our sins and receive Him into our hearts as our Savior.

2. God warns us that a day is coming when God will judge everyone in the world – that includes you and me. We will have to stand before Him and give an account of our lives.

3. If we ignore this warning and keep on sinning, Jesus Christ Himself will utter the awful sentence,

“Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.” Let no man say that God looks lightly on sin. Only the blood of God’s dear Son can save us; He’s the great atoning sacrifice of God.

4. Today we’re looking at the power of God’s grace. 1 Cor. 6:9-11 can be divided into 3 parts: first, God identifies those He will shut out of the kingdom of God; secondly is the reminder, “and such were some of you;” thirdly, the marvelous change that can result from our repentance & obedience, “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.”

I. A SOLEMN SENTENCE

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” When I read this list of gross & shameful sins, it’s not to condemn anybody, but that all of us might find God’s pardon.

A. FORNICATORS

1. “Do not be deceived...fornicators…will [not] inherit the kingdom of God.” The first set of sinners mentioned in this terrible catalogue are “fornicators” — men and women who have been guilty of sexual immorality, but who are unmarried.

2. Approximately 9% of couples in the USA are cohabiting. The Bible is clear that this group shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

3. Some will say, “The preacher shouldn’t mention subjects like this.” But if WE don’t address them in church, then that gives the world or the enemy the power to educate the next generation on these issues.

4. Many people excuse cohabiting as a marital preliminary or because ‘if you love someone, it’s okay.’ No, God says it’s a sin and that it will keep you out of the Kingdom of God, unless sincerely repented of.

B. IDOLATERS

1. The next sin is idolatry, that is, the worshipping of any god other than the living God, Jehovah, the Creator of the universe. At this, most people breathe a sigh of relief, “Oh good! There aren’t any idolaters here!”

2. I’m wouldn’t bet on that, for idolatry isn’t only the worship of images made of stone or wood —but it’s also the worship of your dear child, or a sport you love, or money that we hoard, or pride in what we have.

3. God says, “You shall have no gods before Me.” Anything we put ahead of God is an idol. Paul talks about people “whose God is their belly,” so I suppose that food can be a god too. And idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God.

C. ADULTERERS

1. About adulterers, whom the apostle mentions next, I don’t need to say much. This also is a terrible plague on our country. We can write it off as not serious, but God says the crime of adultery will keep you out of heaven.

2. Heaven is for the purified. Don’t think unforgiven people will go traipsing in at will. The angels stand guard with drawn swords, to prevent willful sinners from entering God’s Heaven.

D. SEXUAL DEVIANCY

1. Next Paul mentions a couple of terms identifying sexual deviancy. In the beginning God made them male and female, to bear and raise children to together. We need both a father and a mother to help us reach maturity with a healthy balance. That’s God’s plan. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.