for this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. for their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. [romans 1:26-27]
God gave them up
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 men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God…[1 corinthians 6:9-10]
to come to Christ, we come as we are: as those who sinned against God. as those who have rejected him. as those who have chosen other loves higher than him.
we cannot pursue sexual immorality or idolatry and inherit the Kingdom of God.
we cannot pursue adultery and inherit the Kingdom of God.
we cannot practice homosexuality and inherit the Kingdom of God.
we cannot be drunkards, revilers, greedy, and inherit the Kingdom of God.
one of the saddest phrases in the bible is “God gave them up.” when we reject God, when we pursue sex outside the bounds of God-designed marriage, we pursue the fruit of our error, the wrath of God.
but God in his mercy does not leave us where we are: we can’t come to God and say–”accept me as i am, don’t try to change me” because we all need to be changed from the old to the new–and in his love, he will do it:
…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 [1 corinthians 6:11]
God tells us what we need in order to be with him:
we need to be washed: purified from our sin.
we need to be justified: saved from our sin.
we need to be sanctified: progressively becoming more like our sinless Savior.
if you have breath: you have not outsinned the grace of God. no matter what you have practiced or what you are practicing, you can turn to him now.
in his presence, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God:
ask to be washed.
ask to be justified.
walk in sanctification.
the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; [isaiah 61:11]
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice. [isaiah 42:3]
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. for if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. more than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. [romans 5:8-11]
what a sweet truth: God will not give you up if you come to him!
~ce