Gal 5:19-21 The Deeds of the Sinful Nature

bcbsr said:

The Deeds of the Sinful Nature

Gal 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul offers no sense of eternal security for those Christians living a lifestyle of sin. Likewise he says elsewhere, "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." 1Cor 6:9,10 And "of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person— such a man is an idolater— has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Eph 5:5,6

It's unfortunate that these days some of the Christian community has abandoned such warnings - both by way of preaching and practice. Ironically these ideas are often treated as legalism in those communities which view freedom in Christian as a license to sin and who are of the opinion that there is not necessarily any correlation between a person's behavior and his salvation status.\

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

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bcbsr said:

Ah yes, the typical misapplication of Matthew 7:1. By saying "Judge not" aren't you yourself judging? And are you saying Paul should not have wrote what he did? Or that Christians should not apply what Paul wrote?

Jesus is speaking proverbially in Matt 7:1, meaning simply that if you judge others they will judge you. It's not forbidding judging. Take

Proverbs 26:4 Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

So which command are we supposed to obey? Prov 26:4 or Prov 26:5? Fact these are proverbial expressions, not commands. They are truisms.

Didn't Jesus himself set the example of judging others? Didn't Paul also set the example of judging others? As he predicted, Jesus was judged in return for criticizing others, crucified for it.

Jesus was saying that if you criticize others, they will criticize you. Your response is an example of that. And my response to you is also an example of that principle. But if you're not criticizing others, you're not following the examples of Jesus and Paul.

Feel free to criticize me in return.

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bcbsr said:

Are you asking yourself that question?

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