Be Not Deceived

By Dan Bailey

 (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 —Article #1)

The Bible is filled with warnings about deceived. Noah Webster defined the word deceive as: "To mislead the mind; to cause to err; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose on; to delude." After giving this definition, Webster quoted two portions of scripture from the word of God. "Take heed that no man deceive you. Matthew 24." And, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. I John 1." Of course, if we are deceived the Devil has a hand in it.

Paul was acquainted with how the Devil operated and as an inspired apostle, he warned the saints in Corinth not to be deceived about sin. We read in I Corinthians 6:9-11: "9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornication, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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."

Paul actually enumerates ten specific sins in this passage. In this short article we will consider the first sin on the list, be not deceived about fornicators. It is critical to point out that he also warned that fornicators shall not "inherit the kingdom of God." The Greek word for fornicator, pornos, is defined in Thayer's Greek Lexicon as, "a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire, a male prostitute." Also, "a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator." God has designed and arranged for one man to marry one woman until death separates them. If one of the two parties becomes unfaithful by committing fornication, the innocent party can divorce and remarry so long as he or she marries one who is scripturally qualified.

Fornication is very popular today. Many young people as well as older couples, live together and engage in sexual acts contrary to the express and clear word of God. God designed sexual contact for the relationship between a man and a woman, or to be more specific, a husband and a wife. We read in Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."

May God help us to refrain from fornication. Peter exhorts us in I Peter 2:11, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." Let us never forget the admonition that instructs us that fornicators shall not "inherit the kingdom of God." And let us take heed to the word of God. "3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." (Ephesians 5:3-5).