37 And He [Christ] said to him,
“‘You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and
with all your mind.’
– Matthew 22:37
Are you opting-out from loving God with all you are? Do you think that if you opt-out in any way… you are still really truly actually born again? I think not. I think God sees through you, into your heart and soul and mind, and knows you haven’t given yourself to Him.
Are you willing to bet God will allow your rebellious choices, your contrary thinking? … that He will agree with your ways? Are you willing to bet against what Scripture plainly states, thinking you can tork-it a bit and have it your way — and hope for the best? I think that is a loser’s bet.
These are fearful examples of opting-out from loving God with all you are. These are lifestyles of people who have chosen their own ways – instead of following the way of God:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit
or have any share in the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived; [a]neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor [b]those who participate in homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers
[whose words are used as weapons
to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander],
nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.
– 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
My unauthorized paraphrase:
9 Don’t you know this!?
…that those who live their own way
will not actually get into God’s Kingdom?
They won’t have even the slightest share in it!
Don’t fool yourself by your limited thinking.
Not one person who lives their life their own way
will ever inherit the Kingdom of God or share in any part of it.
Not the sexually immoral, not idolaters,
not adulterers, not effeminate [by perversion],
not those who participate in homosexuality,
10 not thieves, not the greedy, not drunkards, not revilers
[whose words are used as weapons
to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander],
not swindlers.
– 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Swift’s Amped-up Paraphrase of the Bible (AMPED-UP)
You can’t be …any of that, and still be seen by God as “born again”. You can’t have it both ways. It is either your way – or God’s way. Whoever you are, if you are “having it your way”, then you are not a true follower of Christ.
Salvation for eternal life in Christ – is not a matter of not sinning. Salvation is a matter of truly giving your all to God. Paul the apostle lists ways of life that indicate a person is not walking with God, then, after verse 9 (above), he says,
11 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.
– 1 Corinthians 6: verse 11
In order to inherit the kingdom of God, God tells us very clearly here:
you must be washed from your sinful lifestyle
you must be set apart to God, “sanctified”
you must be justified in Christ.
It is only “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” that one can be saved. No other religion, no other name, no other god, no other philosophy, no other way. “Oh my God Jesus – it is only You!”
Followers of Christ do not practice sin as their way of life. It is a sham, a real sham, sham sham sham, to pray to Jesus for salvation – and at the same time go on living a life that is clearly against what God has called us to. You might fool all of us, but not God. God sees the thoughts and intents of your heart. He only saves us if we give Him all. No parts. No pieces. All of you.
For the word of God
is living and active
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
and piercing
as far as the division of soul and spirit,
of both joints and marrow, and
able to judge the thoughts
and intentions of the heart.
– Hebrews 4:12
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