This is as much of a command as it is a promise. Jesus promises that if we forgive others then we will be forgiven. Now, this doesn’t give us a license to sin, either, for Romans 6:1-2 says,
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
However, Ephesians 5:5 states clearly that those living in a lifestyle of sexual immorality are not on their way to heaven. “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” I will get into the second half of Ephesians 5:5 in the sixth condition of salvation.
The sinner’s prayer alone does not save you.
The sinner’s prayer does not save you. Knowledge of this should make you afraid – very afraid – for your very salvation, for your very eternal life. If you do not at once terminate this lifestyle of sexual immorality, you are almost certainly currently headed to hell.
You may not be able to do it on your own. You should definitely swallow your pride and ask the church and godly people to help you immediately. If you are too afraid, go to a church far away where no one knows you in order to get the godly conviction and help which you need in order to terminate this condemning lifestyle. In any event, if you die while living in sexual immorality, according to Ephesians 5:5 you will not be saved.
Living a life free from sexual immorality is of critical importance with regards to your eternal salvation. If you do not end this lifestyle if you are living in it, you could end up losing your chance at salvation if you die in your sins.
Purity is more difficult in today’s day and age than ever before.
Now, this is a very scary thing for many western Christians. With the pornography industry so rampant and adult content at the fingertips of everyone with an internet connection – which is almost all of the 400 million people living in America – it can be extremely difficult to resist the temptation.
And with so many evil elements in western culture, from scantily-clothed swimsuit models and lingerie models taking up entire walls and billboards that cannot be avoided even just going about your daily business, to depraved website promoting and enabling adultery and other elements of sexual immorality, many western Christians have become completely enslaved to sexual immorality.
Some have even been twisted and corrupted by the horrible depravity of the LBGT movement. Once on a missions trip in college I borrowed the laptop of one of the other members of the trip. I accidentally stumbled upon his browser history which showed me that he, a pastor’s child and a person on a missions trip, was seeking homosexual companionship through craigslist even during the missions trip. This was as shocking to discover as it was appalling.
This sexual depravity of western culture did not happen by accident. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The devil knew the temptation of sexual immorality and as a result he was the power and instrument behind corrupting western society and creating a culture in which sexuality was recklessly and wantonly corrupted.
Millions of Christians lost in sexual immorality are very possibly headed to hell.
This means that there are millions of Christians, enslaved to sexual immorality, who are not going to be able to partake in the inheritance of God in heaven. Their sinner’s prayer and belief in their heart will not save them. Satisfying just one condition of salvation is not enough; you must satisfy every condition.
This is a very scary thought. Of course, only God really knows your heart, but this also means that if you are addicted to any kind of sexual immorality, you may very well be on your way to hell despite the fact you believe in God and prayed the sinners prayer and got baptized and even if you go to church every Sunday. You need to break this bondage to sin if you are to be certain about your eternal salvation. This is no light matter – if you do not get help, then your eternal life is in grave danger.
“Why are you trying, to earn grace?” as the popular song goes. People are trying because God placed it on their heart that in despite of what they are taught by the corrupted Reformed modern church, salvation is not free, and it is not unconditional. God placed a nagging on people’s hearts that they need to change, they need to follow after God, before it is too late.
Do not wait until it is too late, and end up on Judgement Day cast out, as Jesus says in Matthew 7:23, “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Do not let yourself be cast out of heaven because you followed after the popular preachers who taught unconditional grace and total depravity. Your salvation and eternal life is at stake.