"And Such Were Some of You" - a Christian Response to an Unchristian CultureSample

So, what is the gospel that we must have great conviction about? This leads to our second response to our present societal moment. We must respond with gospel clarity. God’s Word does not leave us in the dark regarding the gospel and its expectation. God calls us to repent (turn from continually) from sin and trust that Jesus Christ has suffered the punishment due our sin and given us the eternal life due for His righteous life. And the gospel does not leave us guessing about the things that we are to repent of. It makes it clear what is considered rebellion against God (Gal. 5:19–21; Eph. 5:5; Rev. 22:15).

Paul makes this clear in verse 10, where he mentions a vice list. What is he doing with this list? New Testament scholar Anthony Thiselton explains,

He is not describing the qualifications required for an entrance examination; he is comparing habituated actions, which by definition can find no place in God’s reign for the welfare of all, with those qualities in accordance with which Christian believers need to be transformed if they belong authentically to God’s new creation in Christ. Everything which persistently opposes what it is to be Christlike must undergo change if those who practice such things wish to call themselves Christians and to look forward to resurrection with Christ.

In other words, Paul is saying, “One cannot claim to follow Christ and yet perpetually live in rebellion against Christ.” One cannot claim to honor Christ while honoring idols. One cannot claim to love Christ while lusting after people and things that Christ has forbidden. Who then will inherit the kingdom of God? New Testament scholars Roy Ciampa and Brian Rosner answer, writing, “the answer is, those whose faith commitment to Christ leads them to reject the immoral, greedy, and idolatrous behavior which marks the lives of pagans.”

The kingdom of God is for those who have responded to the message of the kingdom: “Turn from your sin and believe in the gospel!” Those who have not repented in submission to the lordship of Christ have not truly believed the gospel and been saved. They will not inherit the kingdom of God! The kingdom of God is reserved for those who have loved Christ more than their desires, be those sexual, religious, material, or social!