Not Saved For Sin

ALL – Psalm 31:1-8
ALL – Proverbs 21:1-2
OT – Ezra 8:21-9:15
NT – 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Interesting passage for the day: When I wrote you before I said not to mix with evil people. But when I said that I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who live in sexual sin, or are greedy cheats and thieves and idol worshipers. For you can’t live in this world without being with people like that. – 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, The Living Bible

Thought: Paul expected believers to associate with the world’s sinners and to reject unrepentant sinners who claimed to be Christians. Often we get it flipped: we reject the world’s sinners and overlook the sins of those who claim to be Christians. We try to pretend that we’re already in heaven, and that we’re safe from sin inside the four walls of our churches.

But Paul was realistic about where we live. We live in this world. Which means that we will necessarily rub shoulders with people who live in unrepentant sin. The question in his mind was not whether believers would encounter sinful people or not, but whether believers would allow God’s holy church to become a refuge for men or women living in rebellion against God.

God’s church is intended to save sinners. But it is intended to save sinners from their sins, not for more sins. He wants His church to be pure and righteous. If we’re Christians, Jesus Christ wants us to have the guts to lovingly and gently confront sinners in our ranks.

Question: Have you been casual about sinning rather than begging Jesus Christ for the strength, wisdom and love to overcome sin in your life? Have you taken other Christians’ unwillingness to confront you as permission to keep sinning? Or perhaps you’ve been living righteously by Christ’s grace, but you’ve been too timid to deal with other believers’ blatant sins. What is Christ calling you to do now, and how is He calling you to do it?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.