Stand firm on the Truth

 As Christians, we are commanded to stand firm on the Truth, to protect the integrity of God’s Word and to actively resist the forces that seek to distort its purpose and significance, yet many churches now re-interpreting Scripture to celebrate the very sins God condemns, imagining they will still be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven, in spite of everything that Scripture clearly teaches.

 In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul warns “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, 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 Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

 I know many today attempt to split hairs on terminology and definitions, claiming that the word homosexual did not exist until 1946, which is true, however, the Bible is very clear that sodomy and lying with a male as a female is an abomination. This is in no way a judgment, but a loving warning for those are being deceived by false teachers stating that God has suddenly changed His mind about certain sins. I’d like you to notice that all of them are sexually oriented, like fornication, adultery, pedophilia, et cetera. Sexually immoral sins are the only sins we are commanded to flee from, all others we are told to resist.

 In verse 11, Paul lovingly reminds us that “such were some of you,” indicating that God will graciously forgive our sins, including those mentioned which by the way, is not an all inclusive list of sin that God will not only forgive, but promises to “wash clean” sanctifying you and justifying you “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” Sanctified, which is the Greek verb “hagiazó,” derived from the root word “hagios,” meaning to be set apart, to make holy, a term encompasses both ceremonial and mental purification to reestablish lost purity, creating a higher degree of purity.

 Biblical forgiveness is available, but Scripture never teaches it is unconditional; it is ALWAYS tied to genuine repentance and a change of heart that produces a change in behavior. Think about it this way: How often do you forgive someone who you know has absolutely no intention of changing and flagrantly continues the same pattern of behavior that harmed you in the first place?

 In a society such as ours, redemption, not reformation, is what is needed and that can only occur through being “Born-Again,” and continuing to mortify our sin daily, a process, which involves the conscious constant effort, especially when a sin has become deeply entrenched in who we identify ourselves as. A damning lie that Satan has convinced many of us of. Now matter how you were born, being “born-again” you become a new creation, the old things have passed away.

Brian Monzón grew up attending church with his grandmother. Through her actions, she impressed upon him the power of the prayers of the righteous, as she herself spent many hours kneeling before God, praying for her family and the needs of others. Besides being a pastor, Brian has been studying and teaching the Word of God for many years. He has devoted his life to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, praying with and for others, especially the unsaved. Brian is also a proud father of four children. He challenges them to be their best and has strived to raise his family up in church and on the Word of God. To discover more about Brian and his ministry please visit Brian Monzón Ministries.

Image by DEEPAI