The Cleansing Effects of the Spirit

"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.”

-I Corinthians 6:9-11

When a home catches fire, no matter how small the blaze, the effects can be devastating. A fire destroys everything in its path. Nothing is immune. But even when the fire is safely extinguished, extensive damage from smoke and water often remain. If the fire is extinguished quickly, the home can be saved. However, everything that has been exposed to the fire, smoke, and water, must be extensively cleansed in order for the home to be livable once again.

Photograph by Hollyn Johnson, The Bay City Times

This is analogous of sin, which, much like fire, consumes everything in its path. Its pervasive flame cannot, and will not, be stopped unless extinguished by Christ.

Paul therefore rhetorically asks the Corinthians if they understand that no unrighteous will be in heaven. He then lists a number of sins that are grotesque to God: sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, and others. Apparently someone had been intentionally misleading this group of Corinthian believers by telling them that they could still partake in these sins, while claiming to have salvation, and receive the kingdom of God. However, Paul’s point in writing this is to say that those who continually commit sin without conviction and repentance have no righteousness within them. They are merely posing as believers. There are always times when we struggle with certain sins, but the mark of true faith in Christ is the conviction of the Holy Spirit, which causes repentance in our hearts and forgiveness by God. Just as a home that has suffered extensive fire damage is unlivable for human beings, so a soul that continually commits sin without repentance is unlivable for the Holy Spirit. A person cannot truly be a believer while engaging in these destructive sins.

However, Paul follows this warning with words of hope. Prior to their faith, the Corinthians had been dead to righteousness. They were engulfed in the pervasive flames of these particular sins. But Paul says that Christ has extinguished that unrighteousness, washed their souls, and provided a clean place for the Holy Spirit to reside where it could do its work of sanctification. With that cleansing, His people have been justified by the name of Christ and by the Spirit of God.

The Lord can cleanse a heart that has suffered from the pervasive effects of sin. He can save His people from these horrendous sins. A believer may have a relapse from the past life every now and again, but true faith always yields conviction and repentance. Let us strive to have a repentant heart, seeking to do all that is necessary to eliminate temptation to sin.

The Transforming Effect of the Gospel

A couple of months ago, I drove past a well-known Christian church on the South side of Indianapolis. The church had a sign out by the road that read "Transforming lives, one at a time". I was curious as to what this church meant by "transforming lives". Who does the transforming? How does the transforming occur? What happens after the transforming? So I decided to call the church and ask them what is meant by "transforming". The church secretary answered the phone and told me that the transforming "means lots of things". I pressed her about what she meant by "lots of things". She again replied that the transformation can mean many different things. I replied, "My wallet needs transforming. Can you help me with that?" She chuckled and said that they have programs that can help me financially. She asked me if I was interested in filling out a form for financial help. This church secretary had an awesome opportunity to share the Gospel with me. She could have told me about the life transformation that comes through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. She also could have explained the transformation that occurs though the sanctification process of the Holy Spirit. But instead, she asked me to fill out a form. The fact is that she had no idea what is meant by transformation.

I heard a commercial on the radio this morning from a Baptist church. It talked about the physical way Steve Jobs changed the world. Then, it descibed the spiritual and emotional changes made by Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, and the Apostle Paul. The commerical discussed the positive changes made by these leaders and rightly described how the changes made by these people were greater than those made by Steve Jobs. The commercial was headed in the right direction, but then it stopped. It never even mentioned Jesus Christ, the ultimate earth changer.

Life transformation and change does not involve conferences, workshops, how-to-books, motivational speeches, or paperwork. According to Romans 12:2, we are "transformed by the renewal of your mind". This begins by studying God's Word. We are to meditate on His Word, applying it to our own lives. Everything in the Bible is applicable to our lives. Second Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness".

Transformation can also occur by getting rid of sin in our lives. When we rid ourselves of sinful habits and behaviors, our steps toward Christlikeness become stronger.

Finally, transformation occurs through the Holy Spirit. God chooses us for salvation, Christ cleanses us, taking away our sin, and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and makes us holy. The Holy Spirit is our conscience, giving us the ability to recognize right from wrong, and convicting us when we engage in sin.

These two churches have the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to thousands of people, one through a sign on a busy road, and another through a commercial on a secular radio station. I pray that the Lord will open their eyes to show them the true transforming and life changing Gospel that only comes through Jesus Christ.