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Hugh Hefner is known for his Playboy empire and all-night drinking parties. Could you convert
him to a Christ-like life? "Too immoral to be converted to a new lifestyle," you think. What
chance would you have to convert a man known to be an admitted womanizer and Supreme court-
penalized liar? "Slim to none," you say.
It is a good thing that Paul did not think like we do. At Corinth, he labored diligently to convert some of the most immoral people in the world. Come to think of it, of all people, the immoral certainly need to hear the gospel. Luke records their conversion: "[A]nd many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18:8). After recording over a half-dozen conversions, Luke did not feel the need to go into greater detail. Take a look at their immorality. Even the world recognized Corinth's immoral behavior. "To Corinthianize" was a euphemism in the Greek language which indicated evil living or to "live like a Corinthian." How would you like it if your city's name were synonymous with debauchery? Most people wouldn't. Corinth was also famous for the hill of the Acropolis, standing 1,500 feet above the city. At the top of it stood the great temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love where 1,000 priestesses served the temple as sacred prostitutes. Debauchery was not only a way of life in Corinth, but a way of worship. We now turn from the world's viewpoint to see God's view of what is immoral. Paul delineates the Corinthian's immorality, "Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ASV). This, as A. T. Robertson says, "is a solemn roll call of the damned even if some of their names are on the church roll in Corinth." Look a little closer at a few of the items in Paul's list: Effeminate: "adjective (of a man) having characteristics regarded as typical of a woman." Rienecker adds to our understanding of the sin, saying, "a technical term for the passive partner in homosexual relations (Barrett; Conzelmann ... LAE)." Abusers of themselves with men: "a male who has sexual relations with a male." Covetous: "yearn to possess (something belonging to someone else)." Thieves: The English word kleptomania, meaning "a recurrent urge to steal," comes from the basic Greek word. Extortioners: "rapacious, ravenous ... a robber." Rienecker helps our understanding: "One who uses force and violence in stealing." When Paul admonished them with the words "be not deceived," he was warning against an action already in progress; therefore, he was saying, "do not continue." On Tuesday, April 5, 2005, Kansans, by a margin of more than 70 percent, voted to add a ban on sodomite marriage and civil unions to their state constitution. The ban reaffirms the state's long-standing policy of recognizing only marriages between one man and one woman. Voters in 13 states approved constitutional sodomite marriage bans last year (2005 The Associated Press). At least some states recognize the immorality of polygamy and sodomite marriages. Acts 18:8 may be the shortest statement of conversion in the Bible. It reads, "[A]nd many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." The phrase, "many of the Corinthians" in the Greek language indicates "repetition" or "others kept coming. It was a continual revival." "Many of the Corinthians hearing": They heard Paul as he "reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.... testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18:4-5 ASV). When Luke said Paul "reasoned," he used the same Greek word that we find translated "preached" (KJV) or "discoursed" (ASV) in Acts 20:7. Paul reasoned and worked diligently to persuade because "we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:10-11 ASV). If anything was to change the lifestyle of the immoral, it had to be the gospel, "For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.... it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21 ASV). Recently, a son was talking to his mother who was not a Christian. Knowing the power of God's word and the purpose of the book of John (John 20:30-31), he requested that she read the gospel of John. She answered, "No, and don't ask me again." A flat refusal to shut out heaven's message! Sad words to those who realize that it is only through the gospel that men have hope! To whom will those like this mother turn? Wherever it is, it will not save. "Many of the Corinthians hearing believed": Faith is essential unto salvation (Hebrews 11:6; John 8:24). Faith in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God is essential (Romans 10:9-10). Since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the message (Romans 10:17), it is no wonder that Paul preached to the wicked city. "Many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized": The Corinthians — like all the saved — became members of the body of Christ by the agency of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). This is the new birth, which is "of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). This is the reason Paul could say to these brethren, "ye were washed" (1 Corinthians 6:11b ASV). They, like Paul, were taught, "[A]rise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16 ASV). Baptism is how one gains "newness of life" (2 Corinthins 5:17; Romans 6:3-4). The demarcation line is obvious: Water baptism, in the name of the Lord (Matthew 28:19). Christians must "come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing" (2 Corinthians 6:17-18 ASV). Though the wickedness of the Corinthians seemed to be more than most cities, God forgave them, upon their turning from their sin-filled lives. If God forgave these wicked folks — and He did — why do you labor under the false impression that He cannot forgive you? He can. Our Heavenly Father will forgive all — even the immoral — who turn to Him in obedience. A preacher's daughter went missing for a couple of days. Mom and Dad were frantic, searching everywhere, thinking the worst, hoping the best. Then they received a letter from their dear one. The girl had become discouraged with the church and the way she had been treated by her Christian friends. Foolishly, she sought friendship in the world, which led to the practice of sin. This caused her to run away and to write that she shamed the family and had gone so far that she could not be forgiven so she was leaving to make her family's life better. Mom and Dad could not wait to tell her to cease running and come home. Our Heavenly Father will forgive — even the immoral who turn to Him in obedience. |