Such WERE Some of You
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000
Such WERE Some of You
Closely related to this subject is the idea that people who become
Christians and afterwards commit sin will still go to Heaven when they die
or Jesus raptures His church. But, let us see what the Bible really says
about those who sin.
Take for instance the sins of adultery, drunkenness, etc.
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye
are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by
the
Spirit of our God." (I Corinthians 6:9-11)
Notice that Paul says "such WERE some of you". They had been guilty
of these sins in the past, but in the present the Christian has complete
victory over these sins. In this same letter to the Corinthians, Paul said
that the "brother" who was guilty of committing fornication should not be
called a brother. The strong implication being that he was NOT a real
brother in Christ while he was guilty of such wickedness (I Corinthians
chapter 5, especially note verse 11).
Now, if someone says that we can be unrighteous and still go to Heaven,
he contradicts this clear teaching of the inspired apostle. I don't know
about you, but I would rather stick with the Word of God, than to hold on to
some theological teaching that is contradictory to God's Word!
Now, take for instance the matter of hatred and fits of carnal anger,
for this is an area of sin that many professors of religion say that they
still commit. But, what does God say about it?
Hear the words of Christ in Matthew 5:21, 22, "Ye have heard that it was
said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill
shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is
angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:
and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the
council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell
fire."
Now, add these words from I John 3:10-15:
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not
his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that
we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and
slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were
evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world
hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love
the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever
hateth his brother is a murderer: and YE KNOW THAT NO MURDERER
HATH ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM." (emphasis mine)
Notice that Cain's very hatred of Abel was based in part on the fact
that he knew that God accepted Abel because his works were righteous, but
that God had rejected Cain because his works were evil. Now, we know that
we are not saved by our works, but according to God's Word we ARE lost if
our works are evil.
About the Christian who falls back into sin, the Bible says, "For if
after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had
been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after
they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
(II Peter 2:20, 21)
"It HAD BEEN BETTER FOR THEM" undoubtedly refers to their condition
before they had "escaped the pollutions ... through the knowledge ... of
Christ".
This shows clearly that one who had been saved from his sins, but later goes
back to them, is in danger of a greater judgment than he would have endured
had he never come to Christ in the first place.
It is obvious, according to I John 2:1, 2, that the Christian who goes
back into sin may certainly be recovered if he will return through Christ,
but we dare not disagree with the Bible and proclaim the false doctrine that
such a soul who continues in his sin is safe from the judgment of God.
(For more on this general subject I would refer the reader to these Bible
Notes: Righteousness Required, Does the Christian Sin?, & Doesn't
Scripture Teach that We ALL Sin?)
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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