Who can live he Christ life?

1 Corinthians 6:8-11

It’s not rules and it’s not a tradition that allows one to live the Christ life, it’s a changed heart, a new desire to love the Father and to live with integrity before God and mankind.  It is an attitude of giving and not taking, of seeing value in people even those who choose to bring pain into your life.  You have heard the statement; “when things get tough the tough get going,” and that is all about you, not about being weak, so the Helper can show the world what He can do with a dependent person.

Paul is addressing the church at Corinth with some very strong words; “But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!”  That is what is referred to in Scripture as the flesh, flesh is a self-focused life, flesh comes first, flesh likes to put up a good front, and yet flesh is always at war with the Spirit, and for one to live the Christ life, the flesh cannot improve, it must have a funeral. 

But Paul’s message gets stronger, “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.”
(1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV)  If you feel real good about yourself, maybe a little more
time pondering on the meaning of the words above and on Jesus’ teachings will make
you less haughty.

I found myself in that list more than once, and what a joy to read verse 11, 
“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.”   We are 
free from the control of sin, and when we choose to sin it should break our heart.  If you 
can habitually choose to sin, it’s time to have a complete spiritual check-up, for Christ 
does not sin and if He lives in you, it should not be your practice either.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice