Hard Truths

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9-10).

Paul's list is by no means a complete one, but it does point out hard truths. People who commit sins, be it sexual sins, money sins, drug sins, or sins of pleasure are living lies, and the person they are telling lies to is themselves.

I write this with tears in my eyes, but I must state the truth. You are an addict by your own choice. You can't blame your family, you can't blame the church, or anything else in life. We all are offering you a way out, but you choose to stay in. Satan has you chained, but you always can leave whenever you decide (I Corinthians 10:13). So who is currently the fool?

Your mother called today. I could hear her tears over the phone. She told me about your chain-smoking, your beer-drinking, and your profanity. She realizes that Satan is taunting her for leaving his realm by dangling the ruined body of her son in front of her. She isn't giving up. None of us are. But the cold, hard truth is that the man we love has chosen to go to hell.

You live a lie. You go to church and pretend that you love God. You go to AA meetings and pretend that you are going to get off someday. But it is all a lie, and the only one being duped is yourself. The rest of us can see you are destroying yourself. I don't know why this appeals to you.

I want you back, so I tell you with love that I'm waiting for you to be a man. When you're ready to leave Satan's realm, I will be here. When you are ready to talk, I'll listen. I'm looking for my friend, the young man who loves the Lord his God with his whole heart. I know he is still there. He's just lost.