One of the most hopeful passages of Scripture is in I Cor. 6:9-11: “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 men who practice homosexuality, 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, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – The Holy Bible : English Standard Version., 1 Co 6:9-11 (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001).
I love verse 11 because it says, “such WERE some of you” meaning that they were saved, delivered, and sanctified from having to live a lifestyle of sin. Those enslaved to a life of adultery, drunkenness, thievery, greed and selfishness are freed in Christ. That’s real hope!
The world cannot offer answers in Christ to overcome problems. The church and discipleship programs like ours DO offer the wisdom and power of Christ to resolve problems!
I’m NOT saying that Christians will NEVER be tempted or have to deal with their fleshly, sinful nature again – that’s a reality we all face until we get to GLORY where we will live eternally! However, Christians have the ability to CHOOSE to do right by the power of Christ to overcome sin and the temptations to sin. It is NOT coping with sin since the power is there. The responsibility is on the Christian to choose righteously according to Scripture!
-Mark (living by God’s grace and power to overcome the temptations to sin in my own life!)