February 23rd

Heartguard

I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 1 Corinthians 5:9-10

Did you read what I just read? If not, then stop, go back, and read the verses of the day today.

Alright, now tell me, what is Paul saying in these verses? He’s saying, I wrote to you pre-

viously in a letter. Do you remember that letter? In that letter, I said to you that you shouldn’t keep company with sexually immoral people. What I didn’t mean is for you not to keep company with the sexually immoral people of the world, because if that’s what I meant, we’d all have to leave the world.

We’d have to get on that Hale-Bopp comet thing and get out of here. That’s not what he meant in our verses today. Even Jesus Himself would give us the example of hanging out with the folks that Paul is calling immoral. In fact, it was the religious, prideful, arrogant Pharisees who ultimately killed Jesus for hanging out with gluttons and prostitutes.

See, Paul isn’t saying not to be friends with those in the world who are desperately lost and in need of Christ. Go get them and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

What is Paul saying? He’s saying in verse 11, I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner-not even to eat with such a person.

You see the difference? You see what he holds up as a new standard for the church of Corinth? Because what had happened was the church of Corinth was no longer providing the alternative lifestyle. The moment that we begin to act just like them, where is the alternative?

So he says we’ve got to draw a line.

I’m not saying don’t keep company with the world. I’m saying you can’t keep company with those who call themselves Christians who are still justifying their sin so as to remain in it. That’s got to go.

What’s the big deal? Why do we need to be so different? Well, what did Jesus save you from? Why did He die, if we are just going to continue in our sin? You are trampling on His sacrifice on your behalf if you let your heart grow apathetic about sin and justify it so you can still live in it.

Let Jesus save you. Let Him truly save you and set you free.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I’m so sorry for justifying my sin, somehow thinking that it’s okay for me to keep living in it! Please forgive me! And now help me to live in the freedom You bought for me with Your own life.

Amen