One of the most powerful little words in the English language is the word but. It’s powerful because it usually negates, diminishes, or renders moot whatever has come before it. “He’s a nice guy, but he’s too short.” “The car is beautiful, but the transmission’s shot.” “I was going to clean the kitchen, but the game went into overtime.” “She’s cute, but she’s a Red Sox fan.”
The sentence starts out one way, then the word but is inserted, and the entire direction of the thought changes.
And that’s why I think it’s the most powerful word in Scripture—especially where it’s found in 1 Corinthians 6.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV ’84) Paul, writing to the church at Corinth says, “Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul’s been addressing some behavior among people in the church that needs to change—specifically in this passage, the fact that some church members have been cheating each other. And he warns them of several types of people who won’t be part of God’s kingdom. And while it’s not an exhaustive list, it’s one that’s very personal to them, because it’s describing a life a lot of them have lived. Thankfully, though, that’s not the end of the story. He goes on,
11 “And that is what some of you were.” [Past tense. That was you. You were guilty of these things and living a life characterized by these sinful behaviors. Thankfully, though, that’s changed. It says that’s what some of you WERE. And here’s the big word:] “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.”
That little three-letter-word, especially when combined with the word “were” here, provides hope. “That is what some of you WERE—BUT not anymore. That is what some of you WERE, BUT you’ve been changed. That is what some of you WERE, BUT you’ve been forgiven; you’ve been restored.
Their repentance and willingness to change allowed God to work in them to not only forgive them, but to CHANGE them. So, while some of them USED TO BE drunks, they aren’t anymore. While some of them USED TO BE thieves, they aren’t anymore. While some of them USED TO BE sexually immoral—whether gay or straight—they aren’t anymore. They repented, and God has made a change in them. Their past done, their present has been made new, and their future looks so much better, because they have eternity with Christ to look forward to.
Such a small word; such a big impact. Maybe the biggest example is this: “Christ died… BUT He arose.” That’s what we look forward to in this Lenten season. So, as you pray today, thank God that Jesus’ death wasn’t the end of His story, and that our sin doesn’t have to be the end of ours.