1st Corinthians 6:9-11

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been dealing with some pretty difficult texts from the letter of Paul to the Corinthians. This morning is no different, and perhaps one of the more controversial texts in relation to the culture we find ourselves in today. Before we begin, I think it would be beneficial to set the stage with a few really important truths: 

1. Blueprint

We have to go back to the very beginning and look into creation. Specifically, we need to look at the blueprint, the design for humanity and sexuality. In other words, we need to understand how God set things up in perfection in Eden. Genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” 

In Genesis 2, we find a more detailed account. In verse 18, we see God say, “it is NOT good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” We then see that this helper that was a fit for man, was the woman. Among the instructions from God to the man and the woman was to “be fruitful and multiply.” I don’t think we need to expound on this here this morning, but God designed 2 unique bodies that fit together with a goal of multiplication, of procreation. God also clarifies when this is to take place at the end of Genesis 2. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” 

To summarize, in perfection, before sin entered the world, the original blueprint for humanity and sexuality was this: Humanity was created as male and female, and sexual intimacy was given to them in the context of marriage for the purpose of union and procreation. Unfortunately for us, sin entered the world and shattered everything, including clarity around gender and human sexuality. Therefore, anything outside of God’s original blueprint in creation would be considered broken and sinful. 

However, with that in mind, we must also be reminded of what Paul said earlier in his letter to the Corinthians. 

2. It is not our responsibility to hold the world accountable for its brokenness. It is not up to us to place judgment upon the nonbeliever. Our responsibility, as Christians, is to love. We don’t turn our backs on people who struggle with gender identity or sexual sin. I would even say it’s not up to us to expose their sin, but it’s up to us to proclaim the gospel and let the truth of the gospel expose their sin. We are called to love, not to judge. We are called to welcome the sinner, not to shun them. We are not called to affirm their lifestyle but to accept them as a human being made in the image of God, broken because of sin. 

Now, with those things in mind, let's get into 1st Corinthians 6:9-11. Read 6:9-11.

Big Idea: The Gospel Changes Everything

Paul begins this section with the phrase, “do you not know.” This is a rhetorical question. He is in effect saying, “I know that you know!” Paul has already called them out for affirming and celebrating a man involved in an incestual relationship with his step-Mom, as well as confronting them for taking small matters to the secular courts. Now he is reminding them of the power of the gospel in their lives. In this small list of sins are found lifestyles that many of the Corinthians used to be involved in. I also want to note that with every sin that Paul lists, he is referring to a lifestyle of sin, and while in the church we tend to place more emphasis on some rather than others, each has equal weight. In other words, all sin separates us from God, and Paul doesn’t emphasize one over the other.

Before Jesus

Sexually Immoral: A better translation would be “fornicators.” This is the Greek word “pornos” which comes from “porneia.” It’s of course where we get our word “pornography” from, and is an inclusive word that refers to any kind of sexual immorality; anything outside of the blueprint from Genesis 1 and 2. 

Now we have to remember that Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, a city that was known for its sexual promiscuity. Almost anything was acceptable, and as one commentator said, “it was a cesspool…with a depraved philosophy…where sex is a normal physical function, so why not use it as you please?”

Idolaters: Literally a worshipper of an idol, or an image. Idolatry is the worship of anything other than God.

Adulterers: Those who are married and engaged in sexual relationship with anyone who is not their spouse. 

Homosexuality: 

Now, I know that I mentioned that Paul doesn’t emphasize one sin over any others, but given the current climate in our culture, I do think it’s important as Christians to think rightly about this issue in particular. So, we are going to slow down just a bit. 1st Corinthians 6:9 has become a crucial verse in the discussion over homosexuality, so we can’t just breeze right past it. The word “homosexuality” did not appear in English translations of the Bible until 1946, so, many would argue that the Bible doesn’t actually condemn it. Unfortunately for those who would claim this, the idea of homosexuality is in fact found all throughout Scripture: Leviticus 18 & 20. Romans 1:26-27. 1 Timothy 1:10. Jude 1:7-8.

Others who find no issue with it biblically would say, “ok, well if you dig down into the cultural context and the Greek words that Paul used, he was actually talking about pedophilia, not homosexuality.” Let’s look at the words that he used. A more accurate translation of this verse would say, “nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor men who practice homosexuality.” Paul uses 2 Greek words here: 

“Malakoi” - means “soft”, translated “effeminate.” This had a few different meanings, and according to one commentator, “in the ancient world, effeminacy entailed a moral frailty (acting cowardly or “womanish” in battle), inordinate love for luxury (rendering men delicate and tender), and the sexual deviancy of acting like a woman in one’s demeanor, speech, and gesture…each of which are addressed in the Bible.” He continues, “The term effeminacy is not an attack on femininity itself — which is a woman’s glory — but rather on femininity when attached to a male.” Many commentators would agree, based on the word and on the context of what Paul is addressing, that this was the passive participant in a homosexual relationship. 

“Arsenokoitai” - This is a word that many believe that Paul constructed himself. It’s found nowhere else in Scripture before Paul uses it here. It’s a compound word made up of 2 words; “arsen,” which means “man,” and “koitai,” which means “bed.” In the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, in Leviticus 18:22, these 2 words are found close to each other when talking about “unnatural relationships between men,” and the same is true in Leviticus 20:13. It’s believed, then, that Paul takes these 2 Old Testament passages, uses the same words that are found there, and combines them to create a word that explicitly defines it; “Man-bed.” Or, men who bed other men. There is much more to say, but one final word on it. One more argument that comes from those in opposition is that Paul is actually referring to “pederasty,” which was sadly a very common practice in ancient Greece that involved sexual relationships with young boys. There is a Greek word for that, “paiderastḗs,” which Paul could have used but intentionally chose not to. 

Paul continues in verse 10…

Thieves: Those who steal secretly. 

Greedy: Also translated as “covetous.” Those who want more, especially seeing what other people have.

Drunkards: Those who abuse alcohol.

Revilers: One who intentionally abuses another with speech.

Swindlers: People who take unfair advantage of others for personal gains, for example embezzlement or extortion. 

Paul says, “if you live a life that is marked by any of these things, you will not inherit the kingdom of God.” We have to remember that there is one overarching theme that all of these fall under, and that is categorically, sin. And while this list is not exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination, Paul mentions all of these by name for a very specific reason. Look again at verse 11 (Read vs. 11a).

After Jesus

Such were some of you! Remember Paul had just reminded these believers not to place judgment on the world, and here we see justification for it. “Before Jesus, you were living in sin. Your lives were marked by sin. Whether sexual sin, dishonest gain, substance abuse, greed, idolatry…this is what defined you. But NO MORE! You were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified. Your life is defined by the power of the gospel.” 

You were washed. Isaiah 1:18 says, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” Because of our sin, we deserve death, eternity separated from God, but Jesus stood in our place before the Father, and shed His blood, taking the full body of sin upon Himself, and died the death that we deserve. And because of that, our sin no longer has a hold on us. It no longer has power over us. We are forgiven. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” 

Oh but it gets better. Paul says we are sanctified. We are snatched out from under the power and spiritual oppression of this world, and placed into the family of God. We were throttled out of darkness into light. Out of bondage into freedom. Sanctified means to be set apart for a purpose. Now we, as those who have experienced the power of the gospel in our lives, have the incredible privilege of proclaiming Jesus to a world that so desperately needs Him. 

And oh it just keeps getting better. Paul says we are justified. It’s “just as if I had never sinned.” In other words when God looks at me He doesn’t see my sin, He sees the cross of Christ in my place. He sees the power of the gospel in my life. He looks at me and He doesn’t see my brokenness any longer, He sees Jesus. THIS, is the power of the gospel. The Gospel changes everything.

Application

I don’t want us to lose sight of the bigger picture. Let’s zoom out for just a moment and contextualize this morning into the greater body of work that is the letter to the Corinthians. 

The church was wayward. They had lost sight of the gospel. They had allowed culture to infiltrate, even to the point that they were allowing things in their midst that the world looked at as shameful. They were proud of their affirmation of sinful behavior. They were abusing their Christian liberty. Paul writes this letter call them out, and remind them of who they were called to be. He wrote this letter to remind them of the power of the gospel in their lives. 

The way they were living, what they had allowed into the church, was not of Jesus. So the point of these 3 verses is not to call out specific sin, but to remind them of who they were before Jesus, who they had become because of Jesus, and how that should impact the way that they live. 

And that’s what I want for us this morning, to be reminded of who we were before Jesus, and who we are now because of the gospel at work in our lives. Will we be perfect? No. Will we, like Paul, be tempted to do the things we know that we shouldn’t do? Yes. Will we slip up sometimes? Yes. But by the power of the Holy Spirit we fight. We hold on tightly to the claim that the blood of Jesus has on our lives. 

We are washed. We are sanctified. We are justified.