What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
1 Corinthians 14:26
TESTIMONY- An Answer For Every Sin Under Heaven
This week we had the privilege of hearing a testimony of God's saving work in Chris Lawrence. The purpose for highlighting this story is to remind us how deeply we were opposed to God in our sin and how mighty he is to save those who were not seeking him. Chris's story, at it's core, is the story of every Christian who has come to know Jesus Christ. Beyond that, Chris sheds light on the reality that every sin under heaven, whether homosexuality or hating God, will either be punished by God or can be gloriously forgiven in Jesus Christ. Therein is the good news, that God has powerfully drawn us to himself, raised our hearts from the dead, and rescued us from our own demise.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:1-7 ESV)
"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, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 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 Cor. 6:9-11 ESV)
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
(2 Cor. 4:3-6 ESV)
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7 ESV)
Application
1. What has God saved you from and what has he saved you to?
2. How do the verses mentioned above shape how you should view yourself in Christ and others apart from Christ?
3. How would you describe the state of your soul prior to knowing Christ? How would you describe the mercy of God shown towards you?
4. What responsibility do we carry towards those living in blatant sin and rebellion against God?
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A Song to Encourage
JESUS LOVES ME- Shane and Shane