Article from the East Main Messenger, dated 8/10/2025.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
The Corinthians were defrauding each other (1 Cor. 6:1-8) and tolerating sexual immorality among their ranks (1 Cor. 5:1-13) and thus needed to be reminded of what they had overcome and why it was so important that they not return to it. For this reason, Paul writes to them something very similar to what he had written to the Galatian churches: a list of unrighteous works of the flesh with the promise that those who commit such sins “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10; cf. Gal. 5:19-21).
Paul starts this list of unrighteous sins by mentioning “the sexually immoral” (pornos, fornicators, those who indulge in unlawful sexual intercourse – Thayer), likely to emphasize to Corinth that they need to withdraw fellowship from the fornicator among them (1 Cor. 5:1ff). He then mentions “idolaters” (eidololatres, worshippers of false gods – Thayer); the temptation to join in the pagan idolatry which was rampant in Corinth would have constantly been present in the lives of these Christians. “Adulterers” are then cited, once again as a reminder that the “man (who) has his father’s wife” (1 Cor. 5:1) is in danger of losing his salvation because of his adultery. “Men who practice homosexuality” are also cited in this list of the unrighteous. Homosexuality is accepted in modern society as it was by the culture of Paul’s day, but those who follow Christ must not condone this sin even while we show love and kindness to those who commit it. “Thieves” and “the greedy” are listed among the unrighteous as well; the former sin is almost always the result of the latter. “Drunkards” are also mentioned. God’s command for Christians to be “sober” (nepho, to abstain from wine – Strong) and to “not be drunk” (methusko, literally to not be moistened) with wine shows that our Creator knows that our minds are negatively affected by alcohol from the first drink (1 Thess. 5:6, 8; Eph. 5:18); medical science has also shown this. “Revilers” (loidoros, those who abuse others by profanely insulting them) are also indicted as unrighteous, as are the “swindlers” (harpax, con artists, extortioners) whom he had just condemned for defrauding their brethren (1 Cor. 6:1ff).
The apostle then reminds the church, “And such were some of you…” (1 Cor. 6:11a). Yet they were no longer due to having repented of these sins when they obeyed the gospel (Acts 3:19; 17:30). This shows that it is possible to turn away from any sin, including every sin listed above. If they had not repented, then they would not have inherited the kingdom of God which is presently manifested in Christ’s church (Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:12). As Christians, if they or we again commit any of these acts of unrighteousness and fail to repent of them, we will not inherit God’s kingdom for eternity on the last day when Christ gives his kingdom back to his Father (Matt. 13:41-42; 1 Cor. 15:24; cf. 2 Pet. 1:5-11; 2 Cor. 7:10).
Paul reminds them not only of their past repentance, but that they were also “washed…sanctified…(and) justified” (1 Cor. 6:11b). The washing is a reference to how they had been baptized in order to receive salvation and forgiveness of sins (1 Cor. 1:13b-16; cf. Acts 18:1-8; 22:16; 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21; Col. 2:12; Rom. 6:3-4; Mk. 16:16). This was when they had become Christians and had thus been “sanctified” – or set apart from the sin-filled world in which they lived (1 Cor. 1:2; cf. John 17:17, 19; Acts 20:32; 26:18; Eph. 5:26) – and “justified” (dikaioo, deemed to be right or righteous – Vine). All of this was done “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (onoma, by Jesus’ authority) “and by the Spirit of our God” (cf. Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:13).
Christians, the best thing about this passage is that it is all true for us just as it was true for them. Praise God for his grace and mercy!
— Jon
To read Jon’s series on 1 Corinthians from the beginning and many other articles, visit https://predenominationalchristianity.com.