1. Cor. vi, 10, 11.
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 mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The Christian world has by common consent marked some crimes preeminently black and odious above all others, and with united abhorrence has treated such with malevolence and rigor. Such are the crimes of fornication, adultery, theft, &c. if these are avoided, some may think they do well, and will enter full sail into heaven. At the same time, they may be luring in the practice of sins, equally heinous in the sight of God without discovering their error, or acknowledging it; such sins as idolatry, covetousness, reviling and extortion. These set easy on their conscience, and are not considered in the light of sins.—We will endeavor by the scriptures to take a view of some of these sins, mentioned in this text, which will keep us out of the kingdom of heaven.
1. Unrighteousness. Righteousness is both inward and outward conformity to the law of God. Inward righteousness is to love God with all the heart, mind, and strength, and our neighbors ourselves. Outward righteousness is to keep his commandments, and to do to others as we, would they should do unto us. On these commandments hang all the law and the prophets. This too is the righteousness of the law—this is the righteousness Christ was sent by the Father to fulfill in us. The law which requires it, is declared by inspiration to be holy, just, and good. Rom. 7. It is holy, because founded in the nature of God and man. God is the loveliest and most perfect Being in the universe—all perfection centers in him, and all goodness flows from him, and all happiness consists in loving him with all the heart. It is a just law because it requires the whole heart and nothing more nor less than the whole heart. Should it require more than the whole heart, it would be unjust; because he has not given us more;—should he require us to love equal to the angels, it would be unjust, because he has not given us capacities equal to theirs. Should it require a person with five talents to love and serve him with ten—or a person of one talent to love and serve him with five, it would be unjust, for the same reason. Should it require a finite creature to love him infinitely, it would be infinitely unjust. Such a law would necessarily cause him to sin the very moment it was given. This law equally and justly binds every intelligent creature from the highest to the lowest, and they all perfectly fulfill the law in loving God with all their heart. Should it require less than the whole heart, it would follow that he was not worthy of the whole; and therefore, not infinitely perfect and lovely. It is also good, “For in keeping the commandments of God, there is great reward.” As God is unchangeably and eternally the same, yesterday, to-day and forever; therefore, the law binds us to love him unchangeably and eternally with the whole heart—for if it was just or right to love him yesterday, with all the heart, the same reason exists to-day and forever. The reverse is unrighteousness. How would a man feel towards a wife, whose heart was divided between her husband and other lovers? God “our Maker, is our husband.” How will he feel towards us, if our heart be divided between him and the world? “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Compared with the love we must have to
God, all other love to the clearest objects an earth is as nothing—as hatred. We leave all and cleave to him as our chief beloved.
2. Adulterers. This includes several characters.
1. One is universally known and acknowledged by all. 2. Another consists in will and intention or desire. Matt. v. 28.—3. A third class of adulterers is described in Matt. v. 33. ‘Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the sake of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery. Luke xvi. 18. Whosoever putteth away his wife and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery.” Mark x. 11. 12. “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.”—Rom. vii; 3. So then, if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall he called an adulteress. This is the law of Christ on the subject of adultery; it is plain and easy to understand, like all his laws given to men.
Several important things are here taught, 1st. There is but one cause that can justify a divorce, which is fornication. 2. Neither of the parties divorced are permitted to marry while both of them are living. 3. If they do, they are adulterers, and adulteresses; and no adulterers shall have any inheritance in the kingdom of God.” Can any church constituted on the Bible, admit such characters into their communion and hold them in fellowship? Paul wrote to the Corinthians not to keep company with any that is called a brother, if he be a fornicator: with such an one not to eat: (the Lord’s supper is here understood). If such be admitted, or retained in the church, why not thieves and every abominable character? For my life I can see no other reason than anti-Christian customs and human laws, which have transgressed the law of heaven, and set it aside by enacting one in opposition. Wherefore, it becomes the churches to put away such persons from among them—to withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly, till he withdraw from, and repent of the evil.
3. Idolaters. An idolater is the worshipper of an idol. We pity the poor pagan idolaters for their ignorance in worshipping their dumb idols—their idols were images of men, beasts, birds, or of some living or imaginary being. But have not we in a Christian land our idols too? How many worshippers of the God mammon are there among us! How many admirers of gold and silver eagles, or their paper representatives! With how much toil, and labor are they sought! With what greedy grasp are they held when obtained! With what warm affections are they viewed and gazed upon! What pleasurable thoughts do they inspire! To part with them without value received, is like rending the heartstrings of life. The love of money is the root of all evil. Shall such inherit the Kingdom of God? No.
4. Not covetous. —Covetousness is idolatry. What I have said on idolatry is applied to covetousness. This is applied to the poor as well as to the rich. It is a vehement desire to have more, and to retain tenaciously what we have. A desire to have more, that we may more extensively benefit our fellow creatures, is a laudable covetousness. But a desire to have more in order to consume it upon our lusts—to gratify the lusts of the flesh (in feasting on the luxuries of life,) and the lusts of the eye, (in gorgeously adorning our bodies, and houses to please the eye.) and the pride of life—all to feed our own pride, and swell a haughty worm—this is covetousness condemned and not to be admitted into the kingdom of heaven—this is idolatry—this is to love the creature more than the Creator,
5. Revilers. —There are those who endeavor to lessen the good character of a person in the esteem of others; this is done by falsely stating what they may call facts—or by exaggerating his errors or imperfections—or by detracting from his virtues. Alas! how many revilers in the present day; and we blush to say, even among professors of Christianity! and what is worse, it has become with many a popular theme in the pulpit! Many preachers can and do vociferate reviling, and slander against their brethren, and many of their audience are delighted and pleased with it, and with the smart and tart expressions used. This not only pleases them, but also infidels, and the inhabitants of hell. But far more are these latter pleased to hear those who are reviled retort in the same spirit and style. What are such professors doing? They are undoing all the bonds of truth, and riveting the chains of sin and hell upon the world. In acting thus, the world sees their evil works, and blaspheme the worthy name of the Lord, and spurn indignantly his cause. Revilers shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
6. Extortioners. —These are they who unjustly take from others what they in conscience know to be wrong. A man in buying a piece of property may offer a sum which in conscience he believes to be far below its value—or he may sell a piece of property for far more than in conscience he thinks it worth.—In either case he is an extortionist.
The laws and customs of men have in many instances made void the laws of God, and have tolerated and fostered iniquity. Custom has sanctioned it as right to buy valuable property at a public sale for a mere trifle if you can, and to sell that which is good for nothing for its value as if it were good, or for more if it can be had. This is downright roguery, and such men would be profited by learning an honest trade in a penitentiary. The whole system I think is a system of gambling, though supported by our civil law and long-established custom. These are not the criteria of judgment in the last day, but the laws of the Lord, and all shall be judged according to their works. “As ye would that men should do to you, even so do to them.”
Well says one, this appears to be good doctrine, based on the solid ground of scripture and right reason.
I have been guilty I acknowledge, and am determined to do so no more. So was Zacchaeus guilty, and acknowledged his sin, and determined to do so no more. But did his repentance end here? No: he stood before the Lord, and said. “If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”— Does your repentance operate thus? Are you. even willing to restore only that of which you have defrauded your fellow creature? I verily believe if a man does not, if he is able, and has an opportunity to do it, that our Lord will not say of him, as he said to Zacchaeus. This day is salvation come to this house, seeing also that he is a son of Abraham, (a true believer in Christ.) What is wealth when compared with a good conscience and eternal salvation? Let me be rather a Lazarus with the latter, than a Croesus without them.
Christians, the time is short—Cleanse your garments, and prepare for the marriage of the Lamb. Behold! he cometh quickly in all the glory of the Father.—Suffer no stain or spot to be found on them, lest you hear, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having on the wedding garment? Take heed lest you be thrust out into utter darkness. Repent, for the, kingdom—the everlasting kingdom is at hand. B. W. S.
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