Sunday, October 7, 2012

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN APOSTATE TO BE LOST

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN APOSTATE TO BE LOST


Can Christians be lost without being an apostate?

Galatians 5:21....those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The apostle Paul told the Christians at Galatia that they would not inherit the kingdom of God  if they practiced such things. What were those things?
Galatians 5:19-21
1. Immorality
2. Impurity
3. Sensuality
4. Idolatry
5. Sorcery
6. Enmities
7. Strife
8. Jealousy
9. Outburst of anger
10. Disputes
11. Dissensions
12. Factions
13. Envying
14. Drunkenness
15. Carousing
16. And things like these

Was Jesus being legalistic by teaching the apostle Paul this doctrine? Paul did not teach man-made doctrine. Galatians 1:1,12 Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:9....the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Who were the unrighteous that the apostle Paul was addressing and what unrighteous acts was Paul warning them about? Paul was talking to the Christians at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 6:8 On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.

Which unrighteous Christians will not enter the kingdom of heaven?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
1. Fornicators
2. Idolaters
3. Adulterers
4. Effeminate
5. Homosexuals
6. Thieves
7. The covetous
8. Drunkards
9. Revilers
10. Swindlers

They had been forgiven of these very unrighteous acts. They were not to continually practice the sins of their past.

Ephesians 5:5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

The apostle Paul was talking Ephesian Christians. He was not addressing those outside of Christ, even though, it would have applied to them, as well.   

Christians do not have to be apostates to be lost.

1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Hating a fellow Christian can keep you out of the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a swindler---not even to eat with such a one.

Was the apostle Paul being a legalistic Pharisee? Or was he teaching the doctrine of Jesus Christ?

Strange as it seems, even in churches that do not believe in eternal security; practice, once in grace always in grace, by default. Instead of preaching and teaching that Christians who continue in a sinful life style will be lost. The teaching is, that we all sin, so we just have love those who willfully continue in a sinful lifestyle.

Seeker friendly churches that ignore sin in the church, are not demonstrating God's love.

Romans 6:22-23 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The wages of unrepentant Christians who continue in a sinful lifestyle, is still death. Grace is not a, sin permit.

The Pharisees were not legalists who kept God's commands to the letter. The Pharisees were illegalists, who did not teach nor did they practice God's law to the letter.

CHRISTIANS DO NOT HAVE TO APOSTATES TO BE LOST!     

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