God's Kingdom and our inheritance: Part 3

Second list of five focuses not only on issues in the church in Corinth, but are also characteristic of unrighteousness. These listed today can be found throughout lists in Paul’s letters as examples but not cumulative examples of those who confess to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and who radically turn from such sin in their lives.

1 John 3:9 NASB95

No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Paul is not talking about those who have stumbled in sin and later repented and put their hope in Christ to cleanse them. The dividing line of the righteous and unrighteous is found in those who detest sin, walk in faith and repentance versus those who practice sin in different areas of life, cannot turn from it consistently and who do not hope in Christ.

Remember that as we looked at the first five lists, we recognized that unrighteousness leds all unbelievers to redesign the original design of God. This started in the garden when Satan temped Adam and Eve to doubt God’s word and tempted them towards believing the possiblity of another way outside of God’s authority. Sin leads all unbelievers to try and undo and redo what God has done in creation and salvation. This is the sinful nature of man.

Most of this list is part of the decalogue and just as Moses was instructed by the Lord to teach the people of Israel how they should live among pagan nations because of their relationship with the Lord, so the church is called to live holy because of the work of Christ in our hearts.

These in this list deal with outward acts towards our neighbors which flow first from a faithful or rebellious heart towards God.

Let’s jump right in and look at the second group of five characteristics:

6. GREED I want to deal with the second word in this group because once again, I think it is the under-layer to the outward actions listed below it. Paul mentions robbery and theft in this list, but the under-layer is greed. Some translations use covetous and some greed. The study of greek shows us that the term pleontekai has a root word which means “too much.” Something with excess is defined as PLEON which means that greed is the desire for “too much” instead of being content with what we have.

Greed again flows from a heart that is not accepting of God’s design and purposes. If we live in contentment, we are thankful and pleased with God and all that he has given us. If we are greedy, then we cannot accept the financial, relational, or familial place that God has for us. One person wants another persons job, another persons wealth, or another person’s family or spouse. That person fantasizes about the possibilities and the changes that situation would bring instead of dealing faithfully with the place that God has placed us today. Greedy persons are like Israel looking at the kings of others nations and wanting one like them, instead of having God already as our king.

Jesus gives a great example for us of greed in a parable in Luke 12:13-15

Luke 12:13–15 NASB95

Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Jesus destroys our rationalization for our greed when he gets to the heart of the matter. Our possessions don’t define us…no matter if we are Jeff Bezos or Jeff living under the bridge. Yet with a greedy and covetous heart, we set our hearts on things of this earth, thinking that if we just had more possessions or more power, then life would be better. Remember, “too much” is too much for God’s intentions for your life and so therefore, just enough is how we should live in light of God’s provision.

Jesus tells the parable to illustrate greed:

Luke 12:16–20 NASB95

And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’

This man spent all his energies working hard but being consumed by his possessions. He is not being rebuked for making wise decisions about his wealth. Instead, his heart displayed an idolatry with his wealth instead of a heart of thankfulness and service to God. Look at how he spent his time once he accumulated his wealth..”he ate, drank and was merry.” His heart was not attuned to worshipping God for his abundance, he merely wanted to find rest in those temporary pleasures that cannot satisfy for eternity.

You and I are not defined by our wealth. You and I must find our identity in God and him alone. Jesus teaches that our lives are in his hands. His provision, protection, care for our physical lives as well as for our spiritual lives should rest in Him alone.

Luke 12:21–23 NASB95

“So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

Contentment in God’s plan, design and sovereignty is the way we fight greed. He rest in Him and what he has given us, when he has given it to us. This doesn’t mean we allow ourselves be idle and we stop working hard. No we work hard and we give the Lord our best with our hands and we settle for what he has given us from the fruit of our labors.

This means practically that we must fight against the marketing in our day and age which is constantly advertising items to add to our earthly collection. You need those new shoes, you need those new cars, you need that new gadget. It is actually more freeing when we are content, instead of greedy for we recognize the lies that are being promoted. We don’t need those things. Instead, our mental and physical energy can be redirected to contentment serving the Lord.

#7 and #8 Stealing/Extortion: The reason I wanted to look at Greed first is because greed leads to theft and extortion. These are two different words used in this section but Greed is a large contributor to them both.

The first word translated theft in v 10 is KLEPTAI from the root KLEPTO A kleptomaniac is one who has the urge to steal without any profit or need, but this is not what Paul means here. He is speaking of those who steal for greedy gain and profit. Greed is the lust for other people’s possessions while theft is the action of violating our neighbors and taking what belongs to someone else.

Now greed is not the only reason that people steal. Theft also occurs out of laziness, a lack of faith and entitlement. Years ago when I was in banking, we had a young girl stealing money out of the safe. I worked inside of a Kroger and she was meeting her boyfriend in the public bathrooms and handing him cash from the safe. It didn’t take long for her to get caught and I just remember her attitude was one of entitlement. She acted like she deserved that money and since it had been kept from her in life, she was just gonna take it back.

The last item in Paul’s list is similar but it includes another nuance of this theme. Paul finally mentions extortioners or swindlers, as your translation may say. These people are those who defraud and lie in order to gain some advantage with your wealth in order to make it their wealth.

These charlatans can clearly be seen in today’s society, preying on the weak and gullible persons out there. If you are a child of the 90’s, you may remember the R&B duo, Milli Vanilli, who took financial advantage of fans of their music when it was revealed they were not actually singing their own songs on the records. This world famous group sold millions of records, became instant successes only to fall flat on their face when their fraud was discovered. They even won a Grammy in 1990 for Best New Artist only to have that award rescinded.

Sadly, many of these extortioners in the world today also call themselves pastors in the Lord’s church. But they are far from true shepherds, and far from true believers. Jesus had a stern warning to men and women who extort people of their money. Speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees in Mark 12:40, he calls them out for

“devouring widows houses” in which they will receive a greater condemnation. Devouring widows houses was a way in which Scribes would convince widows to sell their property or put it under the control of religious leaders so that the church might profit from it. This of course who strip away any assets that were built up for the widow by her deceased husband. Once again, this form of greed and dishonesty is not representative of a person who is trusting by faith in God’s provision and plan for his life.

Instead, he is reflecting his true master, Satan who is the Father of lies. They reflect a serving of their self as the great benefactor of their exploits and are simply looking for personal advantage in this life with no regard to eternity. Their focus and attention is not on the things that are above, but on the things of the earth.

#9 Drunkenness:

The next type of person who does NOT inherit the kingdom is the drunkard. This person is characterized by someone who doesn’t show control over enjoyments. If you study the Scriptures, the drinking of wine is always related to joy and merriment. Some want to argue that wine was not enjoyed at the same levels of fermenting that wine is today. I will not argue for or against that point because what Paul is talking about is drunkenness. He is referring to intoxication to a state that a person loses control of oneself.

Drunkenness is considered a sin throughout the bible, while drinking alcohol is not. If that drink had some intoxicating effects to it, then people are called not to abstinence but instead, to self-control. That self-control avoids people who lose control of their bodies and in turn do worse things while under the influence. Intoxication is paired with nighttime carousing and immorality in 1 Thess 5:3-8

1 Thessalonians 5:4–8 NASB95

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

Paul is speaking about the coming of Christ and how surprised the unrighteous will be when he returns because they are “sleeping” or drunk which means numb to the idea or expectation of his return. But Paul here speaks clearly here that drunkenness is categorized with unrighteous living and belongs with activities of darkness and evil. Sobriety is used metaphorically in these verses where Paul calls for alertness to the coming of Christ and to be faithful in serving Him.

Therefore, if drunkenness is a characteristic which is related to unrighteousness, recklessness, and a lack of self-control, then God is calling those who belong to his kingdom to turn from such indulgences but instead to cast their hope in him. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation knowing that a drink cannot give you true joy, cannot give you real comfort and only numbs your mind to see God’s good purposes in suffering.

Paul will deal with drunkenness in Chapter 11 as the rich were coming to the Lord’s Table and getting drunk off the wine instead of using as a time of remembrance about the Lord’s sacrifice for sinners.

Paul tells the church,

Ephesians 5:16–18 NASB95

making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Being filled with the Spirit is being contrasted with being drunk with wine because it is a matter of what controls you. Drunk driving is a crime in this country because it leads to people operating vehicles under the influence or control of a substance that impairs their ability to drive properly. Being filled with the Spirit means that the Spirit of Christ has filled you in salvation and is guiding your choices and decisions in a way that honors him.

10. Reviler

The reviler is also someone who doesn't exhibit self-control over the tongue. This means to mock, or ridicule, to insult someone. This is using words that promote hate towards them, not building them up, but tearing them down.

Revilers and slanderers are always incorporated with evil in the bible. King David sought refuge in the Lord from those who slandered his name. Paul’s ministry consisted of enemies of the church slandering and reviling his authority as an apostle. Jesus himself, in his humiliation, experienced a great slandering during his public trials before the Jews and Romans. They mocked his authority and kingly rule. They mocked his power as God when they coaxed him to come down from the cross (Mark 15:29-31).

But Jesus displays a heart that reflects His kingdom. He did not respond to their reviling and he never reviled himself. He didn't seek to tear down his enemies in order to make himself feel better. Peter wrote,

1 Peter 2:23 NASB95

and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

This verse in 1 Peter not only shows us the proper way to handle reviling towards our own lives and how to suffer well, it shows us much more. It shows us to live righteously is first to trust in Him who judges justly because it that great faith, we are transformed. When we are transformed by Christ in our regeneration, we are empowered to speak encouraging words to others, to keep silent with an opportunity to tear someone down, and share Christ’s love and gospel, instead of disparaging comments.

James 3:8–10 NASB95

But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

I love this verse because it shows us where our hope lies. In all these things that we have spoken of today or last week, we put our hope in Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Heirs of the Redemptive Kingdom

1 Corinthians 6:11 NASB95

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.

Past Position outside the redemptive kingdom

Paul here makes the distinction that results in one of the most powerful gospel statements in all of the Bible. Paul makes the distinction of the Corinthian church where it is divided in loyalty. One portion of the Corinthian church is practicing the mentioned sins listed today and are clearly present in the gathering of the church but not belonging to the church. They are the unrighteous and as Paul states in chapter 5, are response to sin in the church is to lovingly and yet quickly deal with it so that it does not corrupt the whole.

NOTICE THAT THESE TITLES BESTOWED UPON US ARE TITLES GIFTED NOT EARNED

CLEANSED

Pauls says that we were cleansed in the name of Jesus and by the Spirit. We understand cleansing to mean that we have the effects of sin removed from us. Not only is the debt of sin paid by the Lord Jesus, but its hold on our lives is nullified as well. Sin no longer has power over our lives because we are cleansed for the stain of guilt and shame it brings upon us.

Ezekiel 36:25–27 NASB95

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

Jesus as the Living God had to power to forgive sins and he granted that forgiveness to all who call upon his name by faith. He makes us clean by his death upon the cross and his resurrection. This washing is symoblized in the baptism of a believer who comes up out of the water, after being immersed, cleansed from sin. The water in the baptism has no spiritual effects, for Christ accomplished what is pictured on the cross when he died.

This is why baptism follows conversion because you cannot symbolize the cleansing act before its happened in your life. Therefore, what Christ has done in you to regenerate you to new life is pictured when you are lower under the water and then emerge rejoicing in all Christ has done in you.

MADE HOLY

The second word, also in a past tense, is stated as also happening to believers. You are made holy, set apart in holiness. This points to the position of a person born in sin who cannot enter into the presence of God because our sin is offensive to God’s holiness. Any sin that entered into his God’s presence would result in death.

But Jesus, being fully God and fully man, obeyed the Father in every way and as perfectly holy, without inherited sin from Adam, became the sacrifice, spotless and blameless, for sinners. His sacrifice ensures that sinners are made holy.

How can you enter into heaven? Its not making your self clean, making yourself holy. None of us can do these things. Given to ourselves, we will be gratify our flesh, we will worship idols of our body and accomplishments. We will be greedy and cheat and steal so we can gain advantage. But Christ changed all that when we called us out of darkness into marvelous light. When he cleansed us and made us holy.

Hebrews 10:14–18 NASB95

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

DECLARE RIGHT

Do you know sin carries a legal debt before God? You and I are guilty and deserving of the greatest punishment. We are enemies of the state of heaven, traitors to the crown. We deserve the full wrath of God against our sins. There can be no overlooking or sweeping our sin under the rug.

You were declared innocent. Innocence is not earned by man. We were born with a sin nature, rebels of heart standing in opposition to God. But God saves sinners!

How were you made right before God? Christ imputed his righteousness to you. Jesus was in a right relationship with God. He was sinless and therefore no violations were on his record. It was a clean slate.

When you trust in him, he washes away your sin, he makes you holy to stand before God and he takes on himself the debt of sin, bearing the full weight of legal responsibly for punishment and gives us his robe of righteousness so we can be made right legal standing before the Just Judge.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

When He does this to a person, the we don’t live in sin, becauase we have been changed.

When He cleanes us, we no longer can stomach living in filth.

When he makes us holy and we expereince the presence of God’s light, darkness looses its appeal

When he justifies us, we don’t want to return to the prison after we have tasted freedom.

This is the characteristics of those who inherit the kingdom. Are you an heir of GOd’s kingdom? Do you belong?

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