Who shall inherit the kingdom of God?

Sermon notes from Sunday 19 November 2017

1 Corinthians 6 verses 1 – 11

I can well imagine that the apostle Paul was not a well-liked preacher.  He got under the skins of many, many people.  Not a very popular man.  When he came to a city or village there would have been opposition to him.  There was always an opportunity to strike at the core.  He sets out in verse 9 a bold statement so that there is no confusion or mistake made.  “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”  The man that is not right with God has no entrance into the kingdom of God.  He is bringing this great truth to bear on them.  Is this something you have ignored or neglected?  That same warning comes to you and I tonight.  The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.  The apostle Paul tells us in the first 4 chapters about faith in Christ and how it brings unity amongst the people of God.  There should be a kindred mind.  You will not believe in many things I believe in but when we come to the cross that is where our unity is.  In chapter 5 faith in Christ means new desires, new life, new moral standard.  When it comes to chapter 6 we are looking at brother against brother, going to court about something they have differed over.  Here we see what Paul is getting to. 

Notice there is an error to be corrected in the thinking of men and women.  “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”  He is giving a great warning here about sin.  It is very dangerous and deceitful and ultimately will damn our souls in hell.  Don`t play with sin Paul says.  We were born with desire after sin.  Paul tells us not to play about with these things.  They are dangerous.  Maybe he was speaking to those who were saved but felt they were not right with God.  A transaction like that should have done something powerful in our lives.  A life changing transaction to be saved by God, no longer the same person.  In Christ you are a new creation, something happens inside.  There is a change.  Have you had that change in your life?  For some they still had the old desires, hungers and thoughts. That is what the apostle Paul is getting at. For these people it was just a name but there was no real change in their lives.  This is a life changing transaction.  He takes you from the kingdom of darkness and sets you on your way to heaven and home.  “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love.” (Galatians 5 verse 6).  Don`t hold onto the old paths or traditions. Trust Christ as Saviour.  He will make you a new creature and that is what is important.  Not your church, communion table or good works, giving, not the church you were born into nor your minister.  Get to the cross, make sure you have trusted the Lord as your own and personal Saviour.  The Corinthian people’s heart had never changed, they were toying about with sin.  You and I have got to stay clear away from sin as possible.  Fools make a mockery at sin.  Did God look lightly on sin?  God did not turn a blind eye on sin.  Can only imagine those long lonely hours on the cross where Christ bore your sins on himself.  We can never imagine the pain he had to bear.  Every bone was pulled out of joint.  Such was the torture he bore.  This is God`s own son dying on the rugged cross.  This is God`s own son dying for the sin of the world.  Jesus cried out “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me.”  Can imagine the answer coming back from God.  Jesus had to endure that pain to save your soul.  The warning comes to you.  No unrighteous man shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Are you saved tonight?  Are you sure of that tonight?  Are you on your way to heaven trusting Christ as your own personal Saviour?

Paul encourages us to be cautious.  “Be not deceived.”  It is not something to be overlooked.  “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves.”  Deception can come from without and deception comes from within too.  There are others who bring you a poverty gospel.  That you are all right, on way to heaven.  They tell you “you have attended this church for years and you are all right, you were christened and baptised so you are on your way to heaven and home, there is nothing to worry about.”  What does Paul say?  Do not be deceived.  There is too much at stake tonight.  Your soul in in the very balance tonight.  Perhaps this will be the last invitation you will hear to come to Christ.  Either accept Christ as Saviour or else reject him forever.  The bible tells us the heart is deceitful.  We say to ourselves “you know I am not a bad person”, well that is deceit.  “I am quite a religious person, I will make it to heaven in my own way.”  Do not let your heart deceive you Paul says.  John follows on that thought – “if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1 verse 9).  If we confess your sins.”  It doesn`t matter what sins they are.  Is that how you are coming tonight?  Are you acknowledging tonight that you are a sinner and coming, ready to be saved?  Poor Achan in the Old Testament.  He tried to cover his sin.  He tried to hide it himself.  He was a soldier, saw the spoil of Jericho city.  He thought no-one was looking, no-one would see.  He took the robe, the gold and silver.  He made his way out of that city.  He thought no-one would see him with all the noise and mayhem going on.  He took and hid it in his tent.  He thought no-one would ever know but God knew all about it.  He tried to cover it up.  Isn`t that what David did.  He had an affair with Bathsheba, to cover that up he planned to have her husband put in the front of the battle to be killed first.  David thought that is it, it is all covered up but God knew all about him.  God sent his prophet Nathan down to David and told him a story of a lamb.  Sin found him out.  Be not deceived tonight.  Wouldn`t it be awful to go through life, close your eyes in death and stand before God in heaven?

An excluded company.  Paul goes on to give a list of those that will be cast out of heaven.  Sin is the transgression of the law, punishable by death.  No matter what it is in my life I must give an account of it.  Sin has to be judged at Calvary’s cross judged there.  Even the bible makes it clear – there are 2 ways and 2 gates – which one are you going to?

There is an example here of a change.  Paul says “such were some of you but now you are washed, now you are sanctified, now you are justified.  If you come to Christ he will wash you in his blood.  Every sin has to go beneath the cleansing flood.  Will you trust Christ as Saviour and Lord?  There is an error that has to be corrected.  Don`t dilly dally or wait any longer, don’t tamper with sin.  Trust Christ and he will make you a new creature in Christ.  Is there new desires in your heart because you are born again of the spirit of God?  You can have that tonight.