“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” (1 Corinthians 6:9).
TEXT — 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Message
A young man once had a dream of travelling overseas. He packed his bags and went to the airport without a passport or visa. Expectedly, he was turned back at the counter despite his smooth talk. He discovered that travelling overseas is not just a matter of dreams; one must acquire the necessary documents.
Our text warns against a similar delusion that someone can inherit God’s Kingdom without fulfilling any condition. Those who hold such belief live in dreamland and must realise that it takes spiritual cleansing, justification, and sanctification to enter the Kingdom. Such people who continue in sensuality, stealing, covetousness, drunkenness, and evil speaking are disqualified from the Kingdom where God reigns, with its attendant blessings. His Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; no unclean thing will enter there.
Apostle Paul’s statement that some of the Corinthians were sinners who had been washed and transformed to become heirs of God’s Kingdom gives a clue on how to qualify to partake in the Kingdom of God. You must repent and have faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation. Thereafter, you must press further to be sanctified and remain “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).
Using human effort to get rid of sin is futile. Pilgrimage, penance, involvement in religious activities and sacrifices cannot justify anyone before God. Therefore, in His infinite mercy and love, God sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to the world to die for our sins, so that we might be saved through Him. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father or gain access into the kingdom of God except through Him.
Thought for the day
Admission into the kingdom of God is through cleansing by the blood Jesus.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
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