God's Call to Live in Righteousness [1 Corinthians 6]

7Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?

8On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. 9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such 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.

 

There it is in a nutshell - the kingdom of God is living in righteousness.  How did God prepare us for the His kingdom?

  • we were washed
  • we were sanctified (set apart, made holy)
  • we were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God
We learn a few more incredible truths and descriptions of holy living from this passage:
  • we, the saints, will judge the world (v. 2)
  • we will also judge angels (v.3)
  • we are called to judge the things pertaining to this life (v. 3)
  • we are called to arbitrate among the brothers when someone has a complaint
  • it is shameful to take our complaints before the unrighteous
  • it be better to be wronged or defrauded than to drag a fellow saint into court
Again we see that God is calling us to live the kingdom of God, here on earth, in righteousness.

May we walk today as one who is washed, sanctified, justified (declared not guilty).
Verna McCrillis, 11/14/2008