Joining the Were’s

Men are using ladies’ bathrooms. Government is so corrupt that we willingly support morally corrupt candidates. Society is so debased that it opposes any biblical standards. Christians compromise their beliefs because it is the road less traveled. Is there any hope remaining for this nation? The answer is, of course, yes.

However, for that hope to be realized Americans in general, and Christians specifically, are going to have to understand the root of America’s problems. America is not facing a political or economic problem. If that were the case our country’s issues would have been resolved long ago. America’s national malady is that we are spiritually sick. We no longer, outside and inside the church, allow the Bible to be our moral compass.

Beloved, a self-governing people must know how to behave. America’s Constitution, as President John Adams rightly stated, “was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” We have become the “other.”

So what is the remedy? Spiritual corruption is caused by sin. Since all humans are born with a sin nature, then all humans are susceptible to spiritual corruption. That means we have to overcome this natural tendency. The Corinthian church knew this well:

“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 6:9-11)

Many Americans believe they are going to heaven because they are Americans. Many American churches are responsible for this delusional thinking. Additionally, those in open sin, including the clergy, are preaching a false message leading their parishioners straight to the gates of hell. The Bible passage above is clear on who will and will not go to heaven.

There is no room for interpretation. The only option is to accept or reject the Apostle Paul’s teaching. I know many ministers do not like to preach the message found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, that is why God had Paul write verse 11: “And such were some of you.”

You could sum up the Gospel with those six words. If I was a preacher and this week’s sermon was on this passage, I would have on my church billboard, “Come Join the Were’s!” Now I’ve locally seen one church adverstise, “No Perfect People Allowed.” That gives me reason to wonder if they are preaching a watered-down Gospel. Usually that is used as an excuse for openly sinful parishioners.

The most infamous sinner in the Bible is King David. As king, David committed adultery and then murder trying to cover up his adulterous affair. The child he had out of wedlock perished because of David’s sin. David repented of his sin and sought restoration from God:

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:1-2)

Christians rightly clamor for revival in America, but I don’t think many of us understand what that means. Revival does not mean saving America. That would be a possible byproduct should revival sweep this land.

Revival means bringing a dead church back to life. It means you and me repenting of our sins and recommitting our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. It means you and me becoming the salt and light Jesus has called us to be. It means you and me using the Bible once again as our only standard for morality and righteousness.

Should that happen, then we will no longer support immoral politicians or businesses. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, then those who are lost might actually find the Christian life attractive.

When our friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors see that we were once sinners and no longer live our lives in such a way, then we can invite them to join the were’s.

We’ll be able to do so because we will look like Jesus.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

If you’re receiving these devotionals for the first time and would like to receive them on a regular basis, you can sign up here. You can purchase Dave’s nine devotional books by visiting his Amazon author page.

    Copyright © 2016 David Jeffers

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,