3. My God loves me just the way I am."For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice... For the good that I will to do,I do not do; but the evil I will not to do,that I practice." Romans 7:15,19 (NKJV) Their mantra is, "No one is perfect, Even Paul did not obey God, so stop judging me for my weaknesses. ."

Living by excuses, they allow the world and its attitudes, values, and pleasures to be the standards practiced and loved. And there is no deep desire to change, repent, or be moved by God's moral high ground and culture. The Kingdom Life is rejected and exchanged for the wicked American culture. Vegas, Hollywood, booze, liberalism, occultism, pleasure, and greed are what captures their minds, excites their taste in music and movie interests, and drives them to make all kinds of sacrifices including finances and time to participate in. They will spend hundreds of dollars for concerts, parties, and pleasure trips. The books they read, the places they go, and the pleasures they seek makes them say repeated,"I don't have time to spend for Christ, I'm too busy."The pleasure and enjoyment of their children, also, trumps the will of God. And there is no guilt for any of these choices.

They feel God is here to bless them, make them rich, happy, and fulfilled in their pursuit of the American dream, but the sad fact is, they hold to their ideas, and refuse to make radical changes in their lives. Is this ignorance, immaturity, or worse? So let's look at the popular scriptures used today by the unchanged church attenders. First the context...

"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?" 1 Cor 6:1 (NKJV) Some in the church at Corinth were suing others of the church by going into court and causing all kinds of havoc and hatred inside the church. Paul rebukes them and asks them if they are ignorant? He reminds them that they will one day judge the world with Christ in His worldwide future Kingdom and even rule over the mighty Angels of Heaven. So why can't they even get along and solve simple problems. And if they can't then a radical change of attitudemust be practiced! "Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselvesbe cheated?" 1 Cor 6:7 (NKJV)

So far the context of this scripture is NOT"all things are lawful" but STOPacting like the selfish world because they are wrong. Then Paul reminds the Church, in the PASTthey were wicked. "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, 10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such weresome 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 Cor 6:9-11 (NKJV) A radical change of actionis demanded by the gospel of Jesus.

So the context is clearly not "all things are lawful!" Do you think he is arguing that suing Christians, immoral sex outside of marriage, married folks committing adultery, homosexual relations, stealing, coveting and greed, drunkenness and partying, foul mouthed abuse, and conning people is lawful? He demands that the reader must understand the past practices are gone, but the present life in Christ radically changes a man and they do not practice any of these UNLAWFUL things! "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornicationand all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them." Eph 5:2-7 (NKJV)

The unchanged church attenders of Corinth are making the same argument that the present day make, "all things are lawful for me." That was the false doctrine brought into the church by wicked men. Their argument was clear, the human body is separate from the spirit of man, and therefore does not impact their eternal future. Self-indulgence is the old lie practiced here in Corinth and Paul destroys this lie. "Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body isnot for sexual immoralitybut for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." 1 Cor 6:13 (NKJV)

For the third time Paul demands change, total and complete change. He declares that all things are NOTlawful, but sinful and wrong. "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make themmembers of a harlot? Certainly not! ...Flee sexual immorality. Every sinthat a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sinsagainst his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who isin you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" 1 Cor 6:15,18-19 (NKJV) The change demanded is first ownership, you do not even own your body anymore if you are really a Christian. So next, you do not make your choices equal to God's. Instead, Christ died for you with an awful price and you are ordered to live to glorify Him. And that means to stop your sin, and fulfill the Kingdom demands of Messiah Jesus NOW!

To cover up their sins they quote this American favorite, easing their consciences. To believe that you only answer to God, and that you have the right to decide what is right and wrong according to your opinions is such a lie I am sorry that I have to deal with it. God is clear if you really want the truth.

"I wrote you in my [previous] letter not to associate [closely and habitually] with unchaste (impure) people— Not [meaning of course that you must] altogether shun the immoral people of this world, or the greedy graspers and cheats and thieves or idolaters, since otherwise you would need to get out of the world and human society altogether! But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed,or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber.[No] you must not so much as eat with such a person. What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]?God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked onefrom among you[expel him from your church]." 1 Cor 5:9-13 (AMP)

Our conduct is judged by God and before we were even born His Word clearly tells us what is right and wrong. It does not matter if you do not feel convicted of a matter, like you need a feeling of guilt before you must comply to God's Law. Nor does it matter if you think it is Pharisaical to obey God's Law because you are free! The Pharisees were judged by Jesus for disobeying His Word, NOT obeying it too much or consistently. Read Matthew 23 as Jesus exposes their hypocrisy of disobedience. We are told [1 Cor. 5:13] to judge those who claim to be a Christian (that wicked one), and throw them out of the church community without mercy if they practice these sins. When they will not stop their sin we do not have the right to choose to tolerate them. God has already judged the matter and given us clear instruction. This is what it means to judge, our God has already made the judgment and recorded in His Word. You either defy Him or comply by obeying Him in the action He orders us as a local church to do.

Let's make sure this is clear. God has already judged the world and passes the sentence of eternal death for all spiritual criminals. Therefore we are not to judge them by killing them, shunning them, or any other type of punishment. And before you jump up and ask "we have to let robbers hurt people?" NO! We do not tolerate or accept evil. But the secret here is simple, the HOLY JUDGE hands off the physical judgement to the government. The Bible is very clear...

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.4For he is God’s minister to you for good.But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, anavenger to executewrathon him who practices evil.5Thereforeyoumust be subject, not only because of wrath tbut also for conscience’ sake.6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing."

Remember Christian, we are not in this world to condemn the world, but are commissioned to preach repentance and help them stop their evil and selfish acts and receive Christ's forgiveness. Jesus did not come to condemn but to save. The Kingdom Life is a whole new way of life with a powerful culture that people dream to be a part of. The Church, government, and family authorities are instructed to make judgments that are based clearly on God's Word, which effect you and everyone else.

Excuse #3"My God loves me just the way I am."

A loving parent does not just sit back and watch their child starve, be injurred, or exposed to evil. They protect them. For you to believe that God sits back and leaves you powerless to suffer under sin and evil is a slap in His face. "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice... For the good that I will to do,I do not do; but the evil I will not to do,that I practice." Romans 7:15,19 (NKJV) God loves you too much to abandon you to the devil and his darkness. Why would you hide behind these few sentences of Paul, and think Paul lived his Christian life a slave to sin, always frustrated and unable to do good? READ THE REST OF HIS WORDS!

Under his old life as a Jew, Paul understood the law of God and it's rightness, but he did not have the power or strength to change and obey it. He explains that Jesus made the way for all to change. Using the law of adultery as a simple illustration, he explains if you divorce your wife to marry another you commit sin. But if your spouse dies you can remarry and this is okay to God. "Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.But nowwe have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spiritand not inthe oldness of the letter." [Romans 7:4-6 NKJV]

Paul is explaining the past life, not the present Kingdom Life. When you "were in the flesh" is not the same as when "you are now are in the Spirit". Born again believers receive the grace of God by the Spirit now dwelling inside of them. Knowing and understanding the LAW OF GODwill not save you, but it will convince you of the horror and destruction of sin. It will make you cry out eventually, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" [Romans 7:24 NKJV] And when you do, you are finally ready to receive FREEDOM FROM SIN AND THE POWER TO LIVE IN OBEDIENCE.

To stay in the flesh with all those excuses of sin exposes your real state, you are not born again. Your mind may agree with God's truth like Paul did until his conversion, but your church affliation and good deeds will not release you from sin or God's judgement. Your only hope is to actually be saddened and sorrowful for your sins and stop making excuses. If you do not repent you will stay unchanged, unscathed, and unchallenged while you blindly march to eternal death, with a smile on your face.

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