Exhortation Station

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 — “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of Elohim? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of Elohim. ¹¹ Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Yahshua Messiah and in the Spirit of our Elohim.”

Let’s notice two key elements of this passage.  First, notice the unambiguous statement Paul makes in verses 9 and 10 about those who will not inherit the kingdom of Elohim.  As Yah’s people, we have a responsibility to be decisive about what is good and what is evil in His sight.  Second, notice verse 11, which says, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified…”  Verse 11 communicates Yah’s desire to wash away even “verse 9 and 10 sins” from anyone who will repent and put their trust in Yahshua for salvation.  Together, verses 9, 10, and 11 make a powerful statement about both the justice and judgement of Yahweh as well as His great mercy. 

In Mark 2:17, Yahshua says that “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  The tragic thing today is that many who are sick don’t even realize they’re sick!  In the name of “love” and “acceptance,” some churches today have resorted to pretending everything is okay, leaving sins free to destroy people’s lives.  Verses like 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 are often construed as being “unloving,” “uncaring,” etc.  There is hardly anything more unloving than to tell people with cancer that they are perfectly fine.  The loving thing to do is to shake them awake, help them recognize their (spiritual) sickness, and show them that there is a Father in Heaven who is eager to heal them of their cancer if they will but repent and turn to Him.

Proverbs 24:11,12 says, “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back. ¹² If you say, “See, we did not know this,” does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?”

There are many, many souls on this earth who are staggering to slaughter.  Will we turn a blind eye, wink at sin, and pretend everything is okay, or will we stand for truth, expose darkness, and proclaim the good news of His forgiveness through Yahshua Messiah?  May Yah give us grace to accurately communicate His justice and judgement as well as His mercy.  Let us hold the responsibility of standing for truth with utmost humility, knowing that “such were some of us.”

(All Bible passages NASB; Hebrew transl. added.)