Question

I am finally coming around to the Free Grace movement. However, I am still so confused about sanctification and why I tend to go backward in areas of my life and forwards at the same time. I have been a Christian for ten years now. I feel that some areas of sin in my life are worse than ever before. How can this be when I have the Holy Spirit of God, the creator, and master of everything living inside of me? I have realized the depravity of myself. My inability to overcome sin has been more apparent than ever. But 1 Cor 6:10 has always plagued me: “nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” How would you explain it in regards to salvation and the sins listed?

Answer

Thanks for your great question to GES. As far as 1 Cor 6:10 goes, the key is understanding the difference between entering the Kingdom of God and inheriting the Kingdom of God.

All believers will enter it. However, those whose lives are governed by the sins in this verse will not inherit it.

To inherit the Kingdom means actually to own it. Those who live godly lives will reign with Christ and will thus reign over part of that Kingdom—they will be great in the Kingdom.

Living godly involves time. We live that life by faith in the power of the Spirit that lives within us (Gal 2:20).

Some believers live ungodly lives because they try to do it by their own power. If we continue to draw near to God thru prayer, Bible study, worshipping with other believers, and as we rely upon the Spirit to transform us, He will do so. The Spirit will make us more like Christ. It is a life lived by faith because we are trusting in Him to change us, not in ourselves or our own power.

The great news is we can make that our goal today, regardless of the mistakes we have made in the past. We can then continually ask Him to accomplish this transformation in us.