Once But Now

Life Lessons from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 6

We all have a past, don’t we? If I were to tell you everything I did growing up, you might be shocked. It’s pretty scandalous. I might be surprised at your history too. But we can be comforted that the past doesn’t have to define our future.

The believers in Corinth had a past too. They had acted very much like the culture around them.

Paul reminded them that worldly unbelievers behaved like the wicked and unrighteous people they were.

“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men^[a] ¹⁰nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

The behaviors Paul listed were the behaviors of unbelievers, and that’s how the church in Corinth used to be. That was their “past tense” life. But they were different now because God had changed them.

“And that is what some of you were. 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.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

God had taken their past tense life and, based on what Jesus accomplished on the cross, washed them clean from their sins, sanctified, or set them apart for Himself, and made them righteous (right with God). The Holy Spirit indwelled them, and as a result, the Corinthians experienced a transformation. They had a new identity.

God gives us a promise in His Word:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

In Christ, your “past tense” life is gone. Your sins have been forgiven, and you have been washed, sanctified, and justified. Therefore, the shocking behaviors once exhibited should no longer be a part of your life.

Believers aren’t perfect or better than the world, but we are different from the world. Paul reminded the Corinthian believers and us that we are new creations and should act like the new people we are. Rather than living down to the world’s standards, we should live up to our new identity in Christ.

Take comfort in Paul’s words. You may have a scandalous past, but your future is glorious! You are a new creation!