Changed For Good

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (New International Version)

9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Once as Dr. Harry Ironside was speaking before an assembly, he noticed a man in the crowd writing on a card, which he presently handed to the speaker. The man was Arthur Lewis, an agnostic lecturer, and he proposed a challenge to Dr. Ironside to debate the subject "Agnosticism vs. Christianity," and offered to pay all the expenses involved in the debate.

Dr. Ironside read the card aloud to the audience and then said, "I accept your challenge on these conditions:

"First... that you promise to bring with you on the platform one man who was once an outcast, a slave to sinful habits, but who heard you or some other infidel lecture on agnosticism and was helped by it and cast away his sins and became a new man and is today a respected member of society, ALL because of your unbelief!

"Second... that you agree to bring with you one woman who was once lost to all purity and goodness, but who can now testify that agnosticism came to her rescue while deep in sin and implanted in her poor heart a hatred of impurity and a love of holiness, causing her to become chaste and upright, ALL through a disbelief in the bible!

"Now sir," he continued, "if you will agree, I promise to be there with one hundred such men and woman, once just such lost souls, who heard the Gospel of the grace of God, believe it and have found new life and joy in Jesus Christ our Savior. Will you accept my terms?"

Lewis walked away in silence....

One of the evidences of the inspiration of the Scriptures is the "change for good" we see in peoples lives. The power of the Gospel has changed persecutors into preachers, swindlers into saints, victims into victors!

This change can be experienced if:

HEARTS - are changed by faith in God and Christ (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 16:31),

WILLS - are changed by turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31),

ALLEGIANCE - is changed in confessing Christ as the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10),

STATE - is changed through baptism (immersion) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

Let us submit our life to Him today, so that we can be changed for good.

Dear Lord we thank You for changing us. We thank You that when we put our trust in You we will be changed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.