The Kingdom Of God: "Humanity’s Only Hope”

The Kingdom of God

“Humanity’s Only Hope”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpgefJMK4gA&t=13s

There is no more ridiculous charge brought against the Bible than it is an old book and no longer relevant. Yet there is nothing more remarkable than the reality that the Bible has always been contemporary, up to date, and relevant, having something to say to each and every generation. There isn’t a single topic of our day that the Bible doesn’t address.

“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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 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.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11NKJV)

The Bible has always had a word and it always has had the last word, and that’s because it is God’s word. It’s not a human book of theories and ideas; rather it’s a book that while written by men, they were moved by the Holy Spirit to write these words.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 NKJV)

These men were not writing their own opinions; rather they were writing what God told them to write, they were writing under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

The word, “inspiration” in the Greek language means that the Scriptures were literally breathed into existence by God. It comes from the Greek words for God and breath. And so it was that the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit, breathed out these words into these men who wrote them and thus breathing them into us.

Therefore, the business of the church is to preach the Bible, to unfold and expound upon the message of God’s word.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14 NKJV)

In our passage Paul says, “Do you not know.” He expected the Corinthian church to know these things, so the Bible gives us knowledge that is absolutely vital to our life.

To put this another way, all the trouble this world is experiencing is due to our ignorance of the fundamental truths of God’s word, the most foundational of them is that Jesus came into this world so that we no longer have to walk in the darkness of ignorance.

When Pontius Pilate questioned Jesus about His kingdom and whether He was indeed a king, Jesus said, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37 NKJV)

To those who witnessed Jesus’s forgiveness of the adulterous woman, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He whofollows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NKJV)

By saying these things Jesus was saying, “I am the truth the world needs. I am the only one who can enlighten humanity, and I am the only one who can open their eyes and bring them out of the darkness and into the light of life.”

So, the Bible gives us real knowledge in real time, because it gives us God’s word. It isn’t some fairy tale pie-in-the-sky bye-in-bye unrealistic nonsense. It’s absolutely true and real. It’s a book of facts, history, and tells us the plain truth about ourselves with nothing glossed over.

The Bible is a book that looks us straight in the face and examines the motives of our hearts and tells us the truth about ourselves. But it also tells us the truth of who God is.

And so with that understanding, the Bible deals with two basic questions. First is why things are like they are, and gives us the causes and explanation. And second the Bible tells us how these things can be put right.

Danger of Deception

The first thing we’re told is that we’re in danger of being deceived.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.” (1 Corinthians 6:9 NKJV)