1 Corinthians 6


1 Corinthians 6 addresses disputes among believers and sexual immorality in the Corinthian church. Written around AD 55 from Ephesus, Paul rebukes the Corinthians for taking lawsuits to secular courts and tolerating gross sin, urging them to live as God’s holy people, redeemed by Christ, in light of their eternal destiny.
Key Sections
Lawsuits Among Believers (6:1–8): Paul criticizes Corinthians for suing each other before unbelieving judges, shaming the church. Believers, destined to judge the world and angels, should resolve disputes internally. It’s better to be wronged than to dishonor Christ with public lawsuits.
The Unrighteous and God’s Kingdom (6:9–11): Paul warns that the unrighteous—those practicing sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, slander, or swindling—will not inherit God’s kingdom. Many Corinthians once lived this way but were washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ and the Spirit.
Fleeing Sexual Immorality (6:12–20): Paul counters the Corinthian slogan “All things are lawful” by emphasizing that not all are beneficial. The body is for the Lord, not immorality, as believers are united with Christ. Sexual sin, unlike other sins, violates the body, a temple of the Holy Spirit. Believers, bought by Christ’s blood, must glorify God with their bodies.
Cross-References
  • Lawsuits and Judgment:
    • Matthew 18:15–17: Resolving disputes in the church.
    • Daniel 7:22: Saints judge the world.
    • James 2:13: Mercy triumphs over judgment.
  • Unrighteous Excluded:
    • Galatians 5:19–21: Works of the flesh.
    • Ephesians 5:5: No inheritance for the immoral.
    • Revelation 21:8: Sinners’ fate.
  • Redemption in Christ:
    • Titus 3:5: Washed by regeneration.
    • Romans 6:11: Alive to God in Christ.
    • Acts 26:18: Sanctified by faith.
  • Body as Temple:
    • 1 Corinthians 3:16: Church as God’s temple.
    • Romans 12:1: Body as a living sacrifice.
    • John 2:21: Christ’s body as temple.
  • Fleeing Immorality:
    • Genesis 39:12: Joseph flees sin.
    • 2 Timothy 2:22: Flee youthful lusts.
    • Colossians 3:5: Put sin to death.
Theological Meaning
  • Church’s Authority: Believers, destined to judge, should handle disputes internally, reflecting God’s wisdom (6:2–3; Ephesians 3:10).
  • Holiness and Inheritance: Unrepentant sin excludes one from God’s kingdom, but Christ’s redemption transforms sinners (6:11; 1 John 3:3).
  • Union with Christ: Sexual sin violates the believer’s spiritual union with Christ, as the body belongs to Him (6:15; Romans 6:5).
  • Body as Temple: The Holy Spirit indwells believers, making the body sacred and accountable to God (6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16).
  • Redemption’s Cost: Christ’s blood purchased believers, demanding a life glorifying God (6:20; 1 Peter 1:18–19).
  • Freedom’s Limits: Christian freedom is constrained by what edifies and honors God, not self-indulgence (6:12; Galatians 5:13).
Questions and Answers
  1. Why not sue before unbelievers (6:1–6)?
    It shames the church, as believers, destined to judge, should resolve disputes internally (6:4; Matthew 18:15).
  2. Who will judge the world and angels (6:2–3)?
    Believers, in Christ, will participate in God’s future judgment (6:2; Revelation 20:4).
  3. Who are the “unrighteous” (6:9–10)?
    Those practicing sins like immorality, idolatry, or greed without repentance (6:9; Ephesians 5:5).
  4. What does “washed, sanctified, justified” mean (6:11)?
    Cleansed from sin, set apart for God, and declared righteous through Christ (6:11; Titus 3:5–7).
  5. Why is sexual sin unique (6:18)?
    It sins against one’s own body, violating union with Christ and the Spirit’s temple (6:18–19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–4).
  6. What does “bought with a price” mean (6:20)?
    Christ’s death redeemed believers, making them God’s possession (6:20; Acts 20:28).
  7. How does this apply today?
    Resolve conflicts in the church, flee sexual sin, and honor God with your body, living as His redeemed (6:20; 1 Peter 2:9).
Additional Notes for Readers
  • Historical Context: Written during Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 19:10), this chapter addresses Corinth’s litigious culture, where lawsuits were common in Greco-Roman courts (Acts 18:12–17). Sexual immorality (6:13) was rampant in Corinth, with temple prostitution and lax morals (1 Corinthians 5:1). The church’s tolerance of sin reflected its diverse, pagan background (Acts 18:8). Paul’s list of sins (6:9–10) mirrors Corinth’s vices (Romans 1:29–31).
  • Cultural Questions: Lawsuits (6:1) shamed the church before a status-conscious society (James 2:6). Homosexuality (6:9) included practices common in Greco-Roman culture, condemned in Jewish and Christian ethics (Leviticus 18:22). The slogan “All things are lawful” (6:12) likely came from Corinthian libertines misusing freedom (Galatians 5:13). The body as a temple (6:19) countered Greek dualism, which devalued the physical (Romans 8:11). “Judging angels” (6:3) may refer to fallen angels (2 Peter 2:4).
  • Application: 1 Corinthians 6 calls believers to settle disputes with grace, reject unrepentant sin, and honor their bodies as God’s temple. It challenges cultural norms of litigation and sexual laxity, urging a holy life that reflects Christ’s redemption in a sinful world (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:7).
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