Romans 12:1-2 encourages us to put our everyday lives (see the Message) before God and not be like the culture around us. Our everyday lives should be an offering and sacrifice to God. Don’t hold anything back from Him; otherwise there will be problems. Open up your soul and give it to God.

What is God’s will? Read the Word to find out and then apply it. As a review from last week’s sermon, we should get an MRI– M: Memorize the Word, R: Read the Word, I: have our identity in Christ.

The main passage of the sermon is from I Cor. 6:1-11. The Apostle (the missionary or church planter to the city of Corinth) Paul is speaking to the Corinthian Christians about what they once WERE (v.11) but are not now. Why is Paul talking about this in the church? They needed (and we need) to repent. He taught these new believers for 18 months (Acts 18:9-11) and knew them well. There were “messy” people in the church as there are in every church. New believers–and old ones–all need to be cleaned up spiritually.

Pastor Ken briefly shared his own testimony about being a new Christian and the messes that were exposed in his life when he came to Jesus. Repentance (turning away from his sin) was an integral part of that. What is your mess to message story? Are you ready to share it with others?

When we have a new identity in Christ, we must not go back to “shameful” things (I Cor. 6:5, Pr. 26:11). We must remember WHO we are and WHOSE we are. (See the bookmark in the pews called “Who I Am in Christ.”) The Corinthians were Paul’s spiritual children (I Cor. 4:14-15), and as a father, he lovingly corrected them (I Cor. 16:24). Our current culture emphasizes acceptance instead of correction, while the Church often stresses correction over acceptance. Neither is correct. Acceptance WITH correction is God’s way.

Are you born again? Then you are a NEW creation– a SAINT. We are no longer sinners who sin but saints who sin sometimes. Read and meditate on Ephesians chapter 1 for a year to get it in your spirit! As saints, we are able to make decisions. The Church has done some things recently that have created scandal and shame. We must make tough decisions at times to bring correction. (I Cor. 6:4, 7-8). Our identity must be rooted in GOD and not US.

What about you? Are you easily offended? Do you have no empathy for others? These are signs that you are operating in the flesh, not the Spirit. Phil 2:2-3 shows how our identity in Christ should be demonstrated–with encouragement, love, tenderness, compassion, and considering others as better than ourselves (v.2-3). The church is the family of God. Are you willing to serve, or are you easily offended? Be humble and work like Christ (v. 4-5).

As followers of Christ who have new identities as saints, we cannot continue to live a life of sin (I Cor. 6:9-10). If we are, we must ask, “Am I really saved?” Notice I Cor. 6:11 says, “And such WERE some of you.” We don’t have to be the same person. Transformation happens in Christ. (Titus 3:5-6, Col 1:13-14). When our identity is in Christ, we experience healing, wholeness, and are able to follow God. God LOVES us so much!

Are you a saint or a sinner? What are you working out in your life? What is God working in you? TAKE ACTION! Confess your sins, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness.