Fellowship Hall

This morning, as I was praying, the Lord dropped a scripture into my heart.  (1 Peter 4:18) If the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the ungodly (godless) or sinners ( those who don't know Jesus or practice sinning) stand.  The thought came to me about some that proclaimed to be a Christian and they were living in outright sin.  I talked to a person the other day who jumped me up one side and down the other.  They were very angry.  I really didn't understand why.  God's Word says no sin will enter heaven.  Romans 6:1 asks "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  God forbid.  "  It is a fact that our righteousness is of Jesus who paid the ransom for sin on Calvary's tree.  We, by faith through grace, believe.  The key word here is believe.  I got curious years ago and looked it up in my Webster's Old World dictionary.  Believe means to accept as fact, rely on and live by.  It is knowing that Jesus, who lived, died, and paid our sin debt is the Son of God.  He was born of a virgin and now sits making intercession for His saints.  We are to live by His teachings and example to the best of our ability.  We will grow as a newborn babe in Jesus.  As we grow, we learn his ways.  We love Him and desire to be more like Him.  Jesus is our advocate with the Father.  1 John 1:9  tells us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  Jesus went to heaven and sent us the Holy Spirit to be our helper and guide.  How ought we to live?  This is what I've been telling you.  Judgment is coming.  It must begin in the house of God.  The Lord will judge and we will receive our rewards.  God is getting his saints ready for the coming of his Son, Jesus.  1 Corinthians 6:9-10 teaches us 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 will be in heaven.  It teaches that some of us were like this until Jesus saved us.  He forgives and forgets.  It is hard for people to forget.  We must keep on striving to be like Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who is coming soon to judge the quick and the dead.