Some Of The Most Overlooked Verses In The Bible
I am not a biblical scholar, but just from years of street witnessing, I think the Bible verses I’m going to share tonight are some of the most overlooked verses in the Bible. I say this because many people don’t acknowledge them. They don’t accept these as being God’s authority. But all Scripture is God-breathed. The whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation is inspired by God through the power of the Holy Ghost.
One of the most overlooked verses in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 6:11 and it says: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. The apostle Paul wrote this verse through the inspiration of God by the Holy Ghost. He’s pointing out that Christians become new creatures when they are saved. They are no longer the dirty rotten sinners they once were.
I’m not promoting sinless perfectionism, but I am saying when God saves you, He changes you. Through the same Holy Ghost that inspired the Bible. The same Spirit convicts us over our sins. You cannot truly be saved and remain the same. If you are the same old wicked sinner you’ve always been, then you have never truly repented and surrendered your life to Jesus Christ.
Such Were Some Of You
Paul says SUCH WERE some of you. In other words, he’s telling the Corinthian believers that I just shared a short list of predominate sins and some of you used to commit these sins, more than likely on a regular basis. But all of the Corinthians had sinned, just like you and I have all sinned. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But when you are truly saved, you turn from your sins and you turn to Jesus.
Again Paul says such were some of you. What were they? Well, let’s look at the preceeding two verses: Know ye not 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, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Now these two verses are generally not overlooked. They are debated, despised and hated with a vengeance, but they are not overlooked. Many mockers argue over these verses. They try to justify their sins. They argue that the Bible doesn’t really mean what it says. They reinterpret these verses to fit their sinful lifestyle or their warped spiritual views.
But these verses are very clear. The apostle Paul says that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. You cannot be a born again child of God and continue living contrary to God. You can’t hold on to Jesus with one hand and hold onto your pet sins with the other hand. You cannot be a casual Christian. Jesus didn’t casually give His life for guilty sinners like you and me. No, He suffered horribly for sinful people who repent and put their trust in Him.
I Used To Be…
Such were some of you. Can you say this tonight? Can you say “I used to be a drunkard?” “I used to be a fornicator or adulterer?” “I used to be a homosexual?” “I used to be a thief?” “I used to be a reviler?” “I used to be a covetous person?” “I used to be an idolater?” Can you say that you used to be an unrepentant sinner? Or are you still in love with your sins? Are you still the same old sinner that you’ve always been?
Again, you don’t become perfect when God saves you, but your wicked heart is changed. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 11:19-20).
Changed Person
When God saves you, He changes you. The Holy Ghost convicts you over your sins. God sanctifies you. He makes you and molds you into the person He wants you to be. When you are saved, you are so grateful that Jesus saved a sinner like yourself that you want to do whatever He asks you to do. You want to obey the risen Savior. You want to please God. You give up your selfish thoughts, desires and ways and you seek God’s thoughts, desires and ways.
When you are saved, you are cleansed, you are no longer the rotten sinner you once were. You are born again. You are a new creature in Christ Jesus. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Such were some of you. You are no longer the same person. God gives you a new heart. The Holy Spirit dwells inside you.
Bought With A Price
As a saved person, I am no longer my own. I was bought with a price. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:15-20).
Followers of Jesus have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus. We are not to live after the flesh anymore. We are to live after the Spirit. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
No More Condemnation
But many people just read “there is no more condemnation.” They stop there. They don’t continue reading the verse where it says “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Such were some of you. We used to walk after the flesh – pleasing the selfish desires of the flesh. But now we follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. We are no longer the same.
Please don’t miss what Romans 8:1 says, it says that there is no more condemnation for those who walk after the Spirit. So what about those who walk after the flesh? For those who still live selfishly for themselves? They ARE STILL UNDER GOD’S CONDEMNATION! Psalm 5:5 states: The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Psalm 7:11 says: God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
For God So Loved..
You see everyone loves John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. But it seems like few people keep reading the next few verses. John 3:18-19 states: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Again, don’t miss this. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of Jesus. The Lord goes on to explain that people reject Him because they love their sins. Is this you today? Do you not believe in Jesus Christ the Lord? Do you love the darkness rather than the light because your deeds are evil? If so, then God is angry with you. You are condemned right now – where you are right now. You don’t have to look for some future date, you are already condemned.
Judgment
But make no mistake, there is judgment to come. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). You are going to die some day and you will stand before this same Jesus that you are rejecting today and you will be without excuse on that great and terrible day of the Lord.
Your guilt will remain upon you. You will have nowhere to hide. All the pleasures of the flesh you sought all your years will be vanity. They will be worthless and they sure won’t be able to save you. No you will be pronounced guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire and brimstone forever.
You will receive the punishment that you deserve. The smoke of your torment will rise forever and ever. You will have no rest day or night. All of your sinful ways will torment you forever. I believe every time you rejected the glorious Gospel will play over and over in your head for all of eternity. It will be as real of Hell as the physical Hell that you will suffer.
Why Share The Gospel?
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). This is why we share the Gospel with you. This is why we come here week after week. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).
I mentioned earlier that most people love John 3:16 and few people read the next few verses. Very, very few people read all the way to the end of the chapter to another overlooked verse – John 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Again, we come out here and share the Gospel because God’s wrath abides upon you right now if you are an unrepentant sinner.
Do You Tremble?
Oh sinner, flee from the wrath you are currently under. The Bible says that demons believe in God and they tremble. They didn’t submit to Jesus, but they know how powerful He is and they tremble. Won’t you tremble today over your sins? Won’t you tremble today over your sins against Almighty God? Won’t you tremble and fall broken at the feet of Jesus and cry out for mercy?
You can be saved today. Repent and believe the Gospel. Admit that you are a sinner and that God is Holy. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus. Submit to His Lordship. Surrender your life fully and completely to Him. Ye must be born again. Confess and forsake your sins. Have repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Confess and Believe
Be ye saved. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:8-13). Call upon Jesus today and be saved. Repent and trust Jesus Christ.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, Mo on October 21, 2016)