"Be Not Deceived"
I Corinthians 6:9
Don Fortner
"Be not deceived",
imagining that through doctrinal knowledge and religious profession you are
saved, even though you live contrary to the righteous character of God. No one
living in sin, under its dominion, has been made a partaker of the Divine
nature. Lest anyone mistake his meaning, Paul plainly describes those people
who shall never inherit the kingdom
of God. In the list given below,
Paul is not talking about isolated acts. He is describing people whose lives
are characterized by these abominable things.
FORNICATORS, men and women who
live in sexual promiscuity, single people who are, as they say, "sexually
active", shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. IDOLATERS, those who take
that love and adoration which belongs to God alone and give it to anything or
anyone else, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. ADULTERERS, men and women
who forsake their lawful companions for another, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. EFFEMINATE MEN, molifiers,
soft, delicate, womanly men, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH
MANKIND, practitioners and promoters of sexual perversion, homosexuality,
beastiality, pedaphillia, rape and incest, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. THIEVES, dishonest people
who cheat and steal, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. Thieves are not just bank
robbers. Men who do not pay their bills are thieves. People who draw eight
hours' pay for seven hours' work are thieves. Folks who cheat on their taxes
are thieves. Anyone who takes that which does not belong to him is a thief.
COVETOUS PEOPLE, stingy, selfish, greedy misers who care only for themselves,
who always take but never give, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. DRUNKARDS, those who abuse
alcohol and drugs, intoxicating themselves, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. REVILERS, gossips,
slanderers, who spread reproach and scandal, smearing the characters and
reputations of others, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. EXTORTIONERS, those who get
gain at the expense of others, taking advantage of other people's misery and
misfortune, shall not inherit the kingdom
of God. It matters not what we
profess, or claim to believe. Those who live like children of wrath are
children of wrath.