1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Paul gets down to the specifics in verse 9 and 10 as to who will not inherit the kingdom of God. True believers who commit these sins, resent that sin and seek to gain the victory over it. Lets look at verse 9 first.The sins are fornicators, which involves all kinds of sexual immorality. Idolaters are those who worship false gods or false religions. Adulterers are those who commit sexual acts out side of marriage. The effeminate or abusers of themselves are homosexuals or sodomites, terms referring to those who exchange and corrupt normal male-female sexual roles and relations. Transvestism, sex changes, and other gender perversions are included. Paul is saying here you cannot go back into sin, and commit the sins the world is guilty of, and not be judged. iIf you were really saved, you would not have the desire in your heart to commit these sins that the world is guilty of.
Well…. last night was rough. I think it thundered all night long. And of course I barked when it thundered. And jumped off the bed to look out the window. And then jumped back up on the bed. And that made Dad not get to sleep.
I do NOT like thunder and lightning – I don’t know why. But I don’t. I already told you how scary it is. I’m always afraid it’s going to get me, or Mom or Dad. I don’t understand why they don’t get up and run around like me. Scout doesn’t even care- she just lays on the bed and snores… silly dog.
Mom says I have anxiety. I don’t know what that is, but it is NOT fun. I know Jesus is watching out for us, but I still get scared – after all, I’m the big sister, and I’m supposed to take care of everybody.
This is the Bible verse Dad says we need to memorize.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7
1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
Paul continues in these two verses to stress how wrong it is to to take a fellow Christian to court over something that should should be settled in a Christ like manner. Jesus told us if someone ask for your coat give them your cloak also. He also said to turn the other cheek, if someone slapped you on one cheek. Jesus taught to give to him that ask and that vengeance was His. What make us a Christian is when return good for evil and kill them with kindness. It will just store up forgiveness for you in heaven, if you forgive the wrong he has done unto you. This last verse Paul is saying it is bad to do wrong to someone of the world ,but it is terrible to wrong a brother in Christ. Those who sue their brothers are just as guilty of wrongdoing for what they are doing. Let us strive to help our brothers that may have wronged us to bring them to realization of the truth of God’s word and His forgiveness.
1 Corinthians 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
Paul starts here asking are we going to go to those that void of God’s truth and spirit to settled a dispute or go to someone that does know the Word of God and are obedient to the Spirit. He continues in the next verse to say how silly it is to use an ungodly person to solve a problem. He is saying Christians should be able to sit down and talk things out even if you have to include others. Pray together and let God decide the outcome. Finally Paul is saying for one Christian to take another Christian gives Christianity a black eye. Christians who take fellow Christians to court, suffer moral defeat and spiritual loss even before the case is heard and they become subject to divine chastening. We should try to always solve problems between church members in the church and not in court of law where God’s guidance is not used. Hope you attend a church today where you can praise and worship God for what He does for you every day.
1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Paul now tells us that as Christians we should not take other Christians to court over a disagreement. As Christians we should be able to work this out between our selves instead of taking it to a worldly court. He goes on to say that as Christians we will be assisting Christ in judging during the millennial reign so we should be able to work out the smallest of matters now. Finally we know that God’s word tells us we will even rule over the angels in eternity so why can we not solve the simplest of matters here on this earth toady. What these verses are saying is if we expect to rule and reign with Christ we need to start doing our part on this earth today to show we are worthy of that responsibly.
1 Coribthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
As Paul closes this chapter we see that he again warns against associating with sinners to the degree that it could lure you into it. He does not mean to totally shun them, just do not condone what they are doing in sin, but we should be ready to help them find their way out of sin. Paul is hoping to keep those that are believers from falling away. He knows that it is a challenge to try to change the world so he has to to keep his converts on the right path. Last he tells us that for those that will not yield to God’s calling they will be judged by God one day. If someone is determined to live in sin like the world, put them out there in the world with the rest of the sinners. Those who are determined to sin should not be left with the Christians to contaminate them.
1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
Paul again here address fellow shipping with sinners. This time it is referencing all types of sexual sins including unnatural acts in sexual relations which includes homosexuals and adultery between male and female. One thing we must note in this, it is alright to go and witness to the lost, this is just speaking of not getting caught up in their sin. In Eph. 5:10 it tells us “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” He goes on to tell us here that because we live in this world where this sin continues to abound we are not to be a part of it. We are a holy people set aside for the purposes of God but we are not own holy in our own right, but are righteousness because Jesus provided for us when He washed us in His precious blood. The purpose of us staying in this world is to win these others that are sinning out of their sin to the living God.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Paul starts here and warns us that if we have sin in our church it needs to be removed or else it will spread. He goes on to say get the sin out of the church. The church needs to be cleansed thoroughly and not leave anything that is associated with it. Just as unleavened bread symbolized being free so the church is to be unleavened, since it has been separated from the dominion of sin and death by the perfect Passover Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. Last he tells us worship not with the old leaven or sin our in our life but with a continual remembrance of the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Sin should not be present in our lives as Christians and we should have no desire to sin in our hearts. We should constantly be sincere with the Lord and truth should be our standard.
1 Corinthians 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
We see in these verse that Paul knew of this mans sin, even though he was not there, and knew what needed to be done about it. The church should have handled this person in the proper way and let them know what they were accused of. Then the ultimate goal of this process is restoration and if you are successful you have gained a brother or sister.In the last verse it is saying if you have to put this person out and basically turn them over to their sin and Satan it could cause them to face judgments that could cause them find their way back to Christ. When you are living in the world you are subject to whatever Satan cares to throw at you and a lot times this could cause a person to repent. If they repent their spirit will be saved even though the body man be ravaged by the sin they committed. It is the will of the Lord that all be saved and none be lost.
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
Paul begins this chapter with addressing a particular sin and that being fornication which could involve harlotry, incest ,or just plan pornography. This sin in the old testament was punishable by death. The church here was minimizing this and Paul had already addressed this issue before. In the next verse we see that the people of the church are upset because they are being reprimanded and have not done anything about it. Is this not like some of our churches today that say it is OK to sin in some ways if you have been baptized or even letting known sinners hold positions in a church. In Eph. 5:11 it says “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” You can also read Matthew 18:15-17 and see how this is to be handled. We are to merely punish someone who willfully commits sin but rather remove them from as someone who would have influence over the fellowship of the church and and regard them as an evangelistic prospect rather than as a brother.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." I John 5:7
