[Steve Myers] Everybody gets a trophy. You've heard that philosophy. It seems to be prevalent just about everywhere. Just because you show up, you get the prize. But did you know that's not the way it is when it comes to God's kingdom. It's different with God and it's not politically correct by this world system.

We can see this in 1 Corinthians. In the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 6, we find an amazing statement that God inspired. He says, "Don't you know, the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?" Not everybody gets the prize. Not everybody gets a trophy. He says, "Do not be deceived." In other words, this is something that could fool us. We might be mistaken. But here's what He says, "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."

You see, that reminds us of a couple of things. First of all, not everybody gets a trophy. Not all will be a part of the kingdom of God. This passage is so clear. There is not universal salvation. Everybody doesn't make it. There are certain behaviors that if we continue to live these ways, it will exclude us from God's kingdom. And so not everybody makes it, unless they change, unless they repent. And in fact, that's the good news about this section of scripture as well because it goes on and says something powerful in verse 11. It says this, "And such were some of you." Such were some you. Paul's talking about those who are in the Church of God. That's the way they were. They were in these different categories. And whether those categories were drunkards or extortioners or sodomites or just covetous, those are things that could exclude you from the kingdom if you continue to behave those ways.

But Paul says, "You used to be like that." You used to be, but he says, "You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God." And what a monumental difference that is. That we don't have to let those behaviors define who we are. With the power of God's Spirit, we can change, we can be different people, we can put that type of behavior behind us, and we can put on Christ. And when we do that, that changes everything. In fact, if you read through this section, what you begin to find is then we begin to obey God. We begin to follow God. And as we do that, we begin to see then. Then we can have the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life from our great God. 

So what a great lesson 1 Corinthians 6 is. Not everybody gets a trophy. But when we change, we change our lifestyle, we put our life into God's hands, then it changes everything and the past no longer defines us. And we can be washed and we can look forward to that time of receiving eternal life as a gift of God.

That's BT Daily. See you next time.