“For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience<\/em>” (Ephesians 5:5-6).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n We are not being judgmental when we simply refer people to what Scripture teaches. God is the Judge; we are not judges. However, we are able to “know with certainty” what Scripture says is the truth about God’s judgments: “no immoral person… has an inheritance in the kingdom…<\/em>“<\/p>\n This modern lack of knowing “with certainty” surely affects our efforts at evangelism, also. If we aren’t sure that people are lost, then we cannot present the certainty of the gospel message with clarity. “Repent” is a signal command of the gospel, but it is obscured by our lack of conviction regarding the problem of sin and its consequences. If “I’m okay and you’re okay” and “God just accepts us as we are,” then the message of repentance becomes repugnant and offensive. Consequently, the gospel itself loses its relevance.<\/p>\n Empty words have indeed deceived. We need to “know for certain<\/em>” that Jesus is both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36), and we need to “know with certainty<\/em>” that people are lost without Him. This is the basis for the fire that ought to be lit under our feet to teach the good news of God’s grace.<\/p>\n “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …<\/em>” (II Corinthians 5:10-11).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Doy Moyer “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[250,713],"class_list":["post-43774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-confidence","tag-judging-others"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":47293,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-danger-of-doubt\/","url_meta":{"origin":43774,"position":0},"title":"The Danger of Doubt","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Larry Rouse \"If you were to die today, do you know where you will spend eternity?\" This is a question that others have asked me and one that I have asked others. John wrote so that \"you may know that you have eternal life\" (I John 5:13). Men today\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67907,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/has-that-which-is-perfect-always-been-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":43774,"position":1},"title":"Has “that which is perfect” always been the Bible?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I have a question regarding whether \"that which is perfect\" has always been the New Testament. Before the question, let's consider some verses of Scripture, Jas 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55455,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-certified-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":43774,"position":2},"title":"The Certified Gospel (Adams)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Connie Adams via\u00a0Searching the Scriptures \"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man\" (Galatians 1:11). In this statement, Paul placed the gospel he preached in contrast to the perverted gospel which some had brought to the churches of Galatia (Galatians\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/certified.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24457,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-jesus-die-to-remove-gods-wrath-against-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":43774,"position":3},"title":"Did Jesus die to remove God’s wrath against sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 8, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, Is there Scripture that says God's wrath was removed for sin after Jesus died on the cross? Answer: \"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20553,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-my-soul-in-jeopardy-if-i-dont-talk-to-a-christian-about-his-smoking\/","url_meta":{"origin":43774,"position":4},"title":"Is my soul in jeopardy if I don’t talk to a Christian about his smoking?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is my soul in jeopardy if I don't address the issue of a known smoker that attends the church where I attend?\u00a0\u00a0He was baptized years ago and partakes of the Lord's Supper. By not addressing the issue with him, am I now out of Christ?\u00a0 Also, if a preacher\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15777,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-could-satan-be-a-fallen-angel-when-god-did-not-put-cherubim-in-the-garden-until-after-adam-and-eve-fell\/","url_meta":{"origin":43774,"position":5},"title":"How could Satan be a fallen angel when God did not put cherubim in the Garden until after Adam and Eve fell?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Satan was in the garden in the form of a serpent (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 20:2). Since Satan is not God we know he was created and as all of creation, he was a part of the very good (Genesis 1:31). This one in the garden was a cherub. 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It seems that in our wishy-washy world of “don’t ever judge anyone for anything,” we’ve lost this sense of certainty that some people are, without question, lost. We’ve been deceived with empty words, thinking that we can remake God in our own image – a god who is non-judgmental and accepts everyone regardless of how they choose to live.<\/p>\n