BE NOT DECEIVED

Proverbs 14:34 states, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. I think everyone reading this can agree with the proverb. However, our problem arises over our disagreement on what comprises sin. The Christians at Corinth had their behavior influenced by a permissive society and philosophy that surrounded them,  which distorted their concept of what was sin. Paul reminded them in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "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. Paul told them earlier in 1 Corinthians 5:11 that if any be named a brother and participated in these things, innocent Christians were not to eat with them. In other words, it is unacceptable for Christians to engage in this behavior.

The list of offences is similar to those mentioned in other passages (Romans 1:26-32, Galatians 5:19-21) and they were common problems of the day. Adultery and fornication in the list forbids sex outside of the bonds of marriage. "Effeminate, and "abusers of themselves describe the passive and active partners in a homosexual relationship. Homosexuality and male prostitution are characteristics of Greco-Roman society. In fact, Nero, emperor at the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, was about to and did marry the boy Sporus and also later married his freedman Doryphorus (Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, translated by Robert Graves). Also, 14 of the first 15 Roman emperors were homosexual or bisexual. Homosexual and bisexual behaviors were acceptable by the cultures standards.

Idolaters are those who participate in the worship of false gods and are those who attend the sacrificial feasts and eat of the remains of the sacrifice. Thieves, the covetous, and extortionists are those who are greedy of gain and do whatever (extort, swindle, and rob) it takes to achieve gain. Drunkards are self-explanatory. Finally, we have revilers who are defined as slanderers and are prevalent in the blogs on the Internet, radio, and TV talk shows where uninformed accusations are made. Paul tells them that those who participate in these things cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Paul then notes in verse 11, "such were some of you. Please note, Paul said that they were once in these categories but were now washed and sanctified. Friends and neighbors do not be deceived: society may accept and even glorify the different behaviors on this list, but God considers them a sin and a reproach to the people.

Charles Royal, Decatur AL