First Corinthians - Chapter 6

6:1 Chapter 6 starts off where chapter 5 ends, with the same topic of judging. After admonishing the Corinthians to “put away from among yourselves” the man that was fornicating, he continues in this vain but with the with the subject of law suits between the brethren. For a testimony before the world, Christians should get their differences straightened out between themselves, and not before the unsaved.

6:2 “Saints shall judge the world” - this has to do with the White Throne judgment. In (Dan. 7:10) you read about “thousand of thousands ministered unto him,” this is speaking of the saints at the White Throne judgment. In the text in Daniel the Ancient of Days is a reference to Jesus Christ. Christians shall judge the world, and also angels.

Right now Christians are being judged by the world, and one day the tables will be turned and we will judge the world “with” Christ at the White Throne Judgment. Christians should be able to judge the small things here and now (1 Cor. 2:15), if we are going to do the big judgment later.

6:3 The angels that Christians will judge are the Sons of God (Gen. 6:1-4; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Christians are the replacements for the Sons of God that fell and “kept not their first estate.” (Jn. 1:12; Gal. 4:5-6; Rom. 8:14-16)

If we are going to judge angels, then we will surely have to judge things that pertain to this life.

6:4 Let those that are “least esteemed” or feeblest among you do the judging.

6:5 It is shameful how the Corinthians are carrying on. Paul wants to know if there are any wise people there, and if so, can they do the judging and not have the Corinthians go before the world.

6:7 Paul is making the point, that is a brother is going to sue you, then you should allow it, rather than go to court before the unsaved.

6:9 “shall not inherit” - this has nothing to do with a persons salvation. Salvation is a “FREE GIFT” while your rewards are “EARNED.” (See Col. 3:24)

The Kingdom of God is a “Spiritual” Kingdom, that has an inheritance attached to it. Your Millennial Rewards (inheritance) is at stake. A Christian can lose his inheritance, and not reign with Christ during this Millennial Kingdom. (2 Jn. 8)
In this passage Paul is speaking of the unsaved. They “are” the things listed here, but in the text in (Gal. 5:19), Paul is speaking about the “works of the flesh” in a saved person. (6:9) Notice how Paul words it in (vs. 11)… “An such were some of you…”
Before a person gets saved, they are the things that they do. When a person gets saved, they are no longer those things, even though they may do them.

A lost man cannot inherit the Kingdom of God - because he is lost… his reward is Hell. A lost man does not go to Hell because he fornicates, drinks, smokes, chews, steals, lies, covets, etc. - he goes to Hell because he rejects the only provision provided to keep him out (Jn. 3:16). How hot a Hell he burns in depends on how bad a life he lived while here on earth. On the other hand a Christian does not go to Heaven because he does not fornicate, drink, smoke, chew, steal, lies, covet, etc. - he goes to Heaven because he has trusted the Saviour, God provided. What type of rewards he gets after he is there depends on what he did while he was here, and how clean a life he lived. (See 1 Cor. 3:13-15).

Paul says, “be not deceived…” some people think that it is okay to be the things listed here, and God will still accept you into his Kingdom. Once you trust the Saviour to cleanse you from sin, you cease to be those things, and you become a son of God (Jn. 1:12), then, and only then, are you able to enter the Kingdom.

[1]. fornicators - Sex outside of marriage (all kinds), flesh joining flesh.
[2]. idolaters - Worshippers of images and those who put anything before God.
[3]. adulterers - Those who step out on their spouse (physically, and in their heart - Matt. 5:28).
[4]. effeminate - These are men that act this way on purpose, so as to portray themselves as the opposite sex. This is not just mannerisms but it goes much deeper than that. This is a very prominent practice in the Homosexual community… acting as the opposite sex on purpose.
[5]. abusers of themselves with mankind - Here you have the physical act itself where two people of the same sex commit fornication and other gross acts, not worth mentioning. Notice how the Holy Spirit words the text - “abusers of themselves…” When people get involved in homosexual activity, it amounts to “self abuse”. This is surely not what God intended for his creation. He made them “male & female”.
[6]. thieves - People who steal… not just money and goods, but other people’s character, their employers time, and God’s message, salvation, etc.
[7]. covetous - Here you have all of mankind! Man is always wanting something that he doesn’t own so he will even go to war to get it (Jas. 4:1-4). This is one of the Ten Commandments that God wrote down, and that is at least one reason out of 10 that the Federal Government doesn’t want the Ten Commandments posted in public schools, or government offices. They don’t want to be accountable, so they think that by hiding them they are excused.
[8]. drunkards - People who are hooked on the bottle. This is more important to them than anything else. (Prov. 20:1; 23:29-35)
[9]. revilers - Those that assail others with abusive or contemptuous language. This also means to vilify or abuse another person.
[10]. extortioners - Well this sure fits the 21st century where someone is always trying get something for nothing. You could put this right down on the Federal Government. They use the I.R.S. to extort money from you, and the money doesn’t even belong to them. The term “thieves” can also be applied. Extortion means to take by force!
Well, that’s the list… now where do you fit in?

6:11 Now here is the blessed part of this whole thing… there is hope for everyone!! Paul says that some of the Corinthians were those things, but now they are:

6:12 Here Paul says that you can do anything that you want (unto the pure all things are pure…Titus 1:15), but the qualifier is… “but all things are not expedient.” Not all things help you out in your walk with Christ, so these should be left alone. Don’t be brought under the power of these things even though it may be lawful for you to do them. You are no longer “under” the law, but you should still obey it. Don’t let these things take control of your life.

6:13 Don’t put so much emphasis on the do’s and don't's, cause God is going to destroy both the belly and the meats.

The purpose for the body after salvation is for God to use. You are the Temple of God. He will use you until the Rapture, at which time you will get a new body.

6:15 Once you trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you belong to him - body, soul, and spirit. Why join yourself to a harlot. Paul explains why in the next verses.

6:16 If a man and a woman leave father and mother, and become one flesh (Gen. 2:24), this is a marriage in God’s eyes. This means that fornication is a marriage in God’s eyes, because flesh is joining flesh. This is one of the grounds for divorce in (Matt. 19:3-9).

6:17 When you join yourself to the Lord through salvation, you become one spirit.

6:18 This is body joining body. Every other sin that you commit may involve the hands, eyes, mouth, etc. like stealing, lust, blasphemy; but Paul says that the only one that really involves the body is fornication. The rest are, “without the body.”
6:19 You belong to God. You are no longer your own person! You are God’s temple… live clean!

6:20 The price paid for you Body, Soul, and Spirit, was God’s own blood (Acts 20:28) through Jesus Christ. Glorify God in all parts of your body, soul, and spirit (Col. 3:17).