“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, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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 6:9-11 ESV
“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
--Ephesians 5:3-6 ESV
Why won't the types of people listed in 1 Cor. 6:9-10 and Ephesians 5:4-6 enter the kingdom of God? Because to enter the kingdom of God, you must be born again and re-fathered by God. What does that mean? It means you have become a new creation and all things have become new. You get a fresh new start. Then you begin a journey where your mind is renewed and your desires continue to change through a relational process as you learn to receive more of God's grace and truth over time:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
--2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
--John 8:31-32 NASB1995
When we encounter God's love for us, we joyfully and gratefully renounce and no longer find our identity in those old practices, mindsets, or character qualities listed in 1 Cor. 6:9-10 and other passages. We may still find ourselves struggling with those old mindsets, behaviors, and patterns in your spiritual journey (see Ephesians 6:12), but now we can recognize those things as our enemy that may promise us comfort and satisfaction, but that actually hinders our maturity, health, and well-being. We begin to realize how those things lead to death, disease, and relational dysfunction. For now we have discovered the real love that can only and truly satisfy comes from the One who designed, created, loves us, and gave His life for us.
For if we say, “I was born this way to live this [immoral] lifestyle; it's who I am. I can't change; it's in my DNA and wired in my brain,” then we deny the power of God to give us a new identity and to change our DNA. It is true that some addictions and behaviors a person inherits genetically; it is in their DNA. However, because our brains are "neuroplastic," that means that our DNA changes over time when we intentionally change our mindsets over a timely process. This is reflected in the scientific findings that one can change a bad habit by replacing it with a new one in 21 days, which can become a solidified good habit after continuing for 2 more 21-day cycles.
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”
--James 4:6 ESV
The proud person says, “God can't change me and give me a new nature” or "Nothing in my behavior or thinking needs to change, for I'm fine just the way I am."
The humble person says, “God, You promised to make me a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), that I may be born again with a divine nature (John 3:3ff; 1 Peter 1:3, 23; 2 Peter 1:3-4), making all things new in my body, soul, and spirit by restoring me to Your intended design. I believe your word, trusting it to change me at the subatomic level of my DNA, resulting in my body, soul, and spirit conforming increasingly to Your image and likeness over time (Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thess. 5:23; Romans 8:29; Genesis 1:27). I will become more and more like You as I learn to submit to your leadership and instruction. As I humble myself and receive your instruction and teaching, the truth will make me free as I mature in grace (by embracing all the gifts that You have freely given me) over time.”
Therefore, for one who has never committed their life to follow Jesus Christ, or someone who has done so but struggles with the sins listed in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Ephesians 5:3-5, the following is a suggested prayer:
“Almighty God, I thank You that You are the perfect Creator and Designer. You created me and have a wonderful plan for my life. You fashioned me in Your image to represent You with all your amazing characteristics, filled with your emotions of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I acknowledge that I have fallen short of Your glory--Your honorable majesty, perfection, purity, and holiness. Through my own rebellion and through generational curses from the rebellion of my ancestors, my identity as a child of God has been stolen and marred by the thief who only comes to steal, kill, and destroy--satan and evil spirits.
I’m sorry for all the ways I have failed to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, but instead have lived with attitudes of pride, lust, anger, greed, fear, and selfishness. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to live the life I should have lived, demonstrating the life that is possible for me to live after I invite You to live inside me. Thank You that Jesus on the cross died the death I should have died because of my rebellion against You. I believe that Jesus died in my place to take my punishment and to break the power of sin, generational curses, and evil forces in my life.
You say in Your word that, “...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (1) And “...to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...” (2)
So on the basis of Your promises, I ask You Jesus to be the Lord of my life. I submit my allegiance to You. Thank you for forgiving me for all my sin and rebellion and for giving me a new identity. Thank You for making me a new creation where my old rebellious nature is dead, and my new nature wants to love and obey You. As I commit to follow You with my whole life, make me into the kind of person You want me to be.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.”
If you sincerely prayed to receive Jesus Christ into your life as Your new Leader, then welcome to God's honored family! Let me encourage you to remain in His love (3).
Here are a few suggestions to help you do so:
Spend time with Him through His love letter that He wrote for you called the Bible. Ask Him to teach you what His Word is saying, to make it real in your life, and to empower you to obey it by His power that now lives in you.
Get to know the Holy Spirit, God Himself living inside you to help you fulfill the destiny for which He made and saved you. (4)
Also, spend time with your new brothers and sisters--the church. Get to know your Father better alongside those who eagerly desire and pursue that same thing--hating what is evil (the kingdom of darkness) and clinging to what is good (the kingdom of God) (5).
Please don't hesitate to ask me or whoever showed you this good news any questions about growing in your relationship with God.
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11 ESV
Romans 10:9 ESV
John 1:12 ESV
See (and soak up) John 15
See 1 Corinthians 2; John 14:12ff
See Romans 12:9; 14:17; Hebrews 10:24-25
