Re:  Eddie’s question

 

Hi Eddie, your question(s):  http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2008/eddies125.htm   which I think you meant as rhetorical as a way to prove salvation is not by faith/grace ONLY.

 

The Lord’s hand is not shortened so that He cannot save those who will reach out/call out to Him for salvation!   But I agree that, once we call ourselves “Christian”, we are then to walk as Christ walked.  We do not EARN our salvation by following rules & ordinances.  However, now because we BELONG to Christ, we ARE expected to obey & follow Him!   Anyone not willing to do that, the Bible says, is a liar!   [1 John 2:4] And where liars go:

 

Good rhyme to remember!   All liars go to eternal fires!    [Rev 21:8]

 

 

Now, let’s see what else the Bible has to say:

 

 

1 Cor 6: 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 revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you.

 

Galatians 5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

 

Revelation 21: 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

 

Notice: there are no exception/exemption clauses.  If this were to be the case, then we would see something like "and they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God......unless they're professing Christians of course...in which case, they will barely make it in and probably lose their reward."

 

Paul does not give exemption clauses ~  he merely says that "they which do such things" (whoever "they" are...regardless of profession or church membership) shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.

 

Paul belabors the point "let no man deceive you" and "be not deceived."  Obviously he knew that this doctrine had infiltrated the ranks of Christendom and would continue to do so (I Tim 4:1).  He knew that there would be a strong element of deception that would seek to pervert his doctrine of grace. The true grace of God teaches us to live rightously and godly (Titus 2:12), not to live as if we had a license to sin (Romans 6:1,15 / Jude 4).

 

It would seem so often that people [Christians included] give a break to the “petty sinful lifestyles” ~ as you mentioned:  lying and cheating.

 

However, notice these are NOT considered petty in God’s sight!!   And in fact, those who regularly practice these things will NOT go to heaven!!

 

As per your question about what if someone is trying to overcome the homosexual liftstyle, but keeps slipping back into it? 

 

God gives us strength to OVERCOME!! 

And as long as we make “no provision for the flesh” then we WILL overcome whatever entangles us.   Romans 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

 

Make no provision for the flesh means:   Do not continue to be friends with someone [anyone] in a willfully sinning state; do not invite them over for dinner or try to “witness” to them, or go where they go!!   Do not look at magazines, TV shows, or online pictures or information that would “whet the taste” for continuance in that lifestyle.

 

Otherwise, quite frankly, for one who CONTINUES in it – it IS a sin LEADING TO DEATH.  [Scriptures listed above, plus  1 John 5:17  [but FTR, so are lying AND cheating!]  

 

Now, OTOH, if we claim the name of Christ, and then repent & CONFESS these sins to Him, then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9  We tell Him that we want to come clean & live for Him!!

 

But naming the name of Christ & calling ourselves “Christian” does not give us a LICENSE to sin & to stay in a perennial lifestyle of willfully seeking sinful pleasures.  When you love someone, you do not want to “hurt” them & that’s how we should treat the most holy God Who created us.  We love Him; so we should seek to please Him & not want to do what He does not want us to do.

 

Who are godless people? 

 

From Jude 1:4  They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

 

We notice that by willfully wallowing in the “sin of the month club” that this is the same as DENYING the Lord Jesus!!

 

~~~