All washed up? #3

What you are about to read is a little blunt but thank God [literally] that it is His Word and not mine :o)
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. 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

Sometimes we are guilty of limiting our lives because we continue to force ourselves into the worlds mould even after we are released.
If the world has said something limiting over us we keep with it. You know; ‘I’m not confident in front of people and so I’m never going to be able to share the gospel’, or ‘I’m not very caring really and so I don’t have the skills to be a pastor’, or ‘I can’t run my own company, no-one in my family or in my neighbourhood has. We’re employees born and bred.’ Or ‘I can’t help decorate the church because I’ve never picked up a brush in my life.’
That is us limiting the effectiveness of our lives by living in moulds in which we don’t belong; through Jesus we are washed free from limitations like these. Limitations keep us from God’s goal for us! His goal is for us to inherit the Kingdom of God! You – a kingdom inheritor!!!
The other day Ruth and I were looking through the toy section of Woolworths trying to pick up some very late birthday presents and I was amused to discover a toy called “My First Kingdom” (it was like a medieval version of my first farm or garage or something). I thought the idea of this being some kids first kingdom was hilariously above the station of any kid whose parents or relatives shop in Woolworths! But it doesn’t seem so funny now. I am going to be a Kingdom inheritor along with you!

When writing to the Corinthian church he was dealing with people who are sometimes like us [if we care to admit it]. They were letting the world [which in all fairness they had just been saved from] convince them how clean God was able to get them. This was evident in the way they lived their lives.
Without even thinking it our lives sometimes say the same thing.
Sunday is cool but Friday is for going to the pub with mates and drinking too much. It’s not a problem, I’m just keeping it [life] real. It’s just what you do; it’s life.
I know I’m saved, thank God, and so even though I started a relationship adulterously [in God’s eyes] it’s OK now. There’s nothing for me to sort out with God because were square; He’ll bless me and make it right in the end.
I know that I belong to Christ, and that he can do all things [he saved me after all] but I’m still gay, it’s just the way I am. It’s not like a choice that I’ve made. I will ask God to heal cancer in a friend but I can’t be healed. I’ll just struggle on, hang in there until heaven.

This is what Jesus says: You are…
Washed – all our past has been cleansed, completely. It no longer lays claim to us or our tomorrow.
Sanctified – we have been claimed by God, He will delight in using me in His Kingdom.
Justified – I measure my life against Christ not the world! I may be gay but Christ is my strength and he will heal me. Pubs are good but closeness to Christ is my reason to stay sober on a Friday night when I am out, my mates need it!

We are washed, sanctified and justified for a reason; because we are in God’s Kingdom, we are His salvation alive in the world. Our lives are where the sacred meets the secular. Through us, the washed, others can experience a cleansing release that Christ alone offers.

This weeks prayer points:
1. Rejoice because we are cleansed and redeemed, washed clean through the blood of Jesus.
2. Remember that Jesus washed his disciples feet and that we are also called to service. Pray that that you will remain humble in your service for your family, your church and your community.
3. Just as light shines brighter in darkness, pray that those in need of Christ we notice what He has done in your life; how he has cleaned your act up.