Introduction
Chapter 6 ends the first section of 1 Corinthians dealing with sins in the church. The source of these sins–divisions, immorality, disputes, and defilement–stem from the fact that the Corinthians believers were spiritual babies and not growing in the Lord. They had their eyes on men, not Christ; they were feeding on milk, not the meat of the Word; they were unwilling to admit sin and deal with it.
Disputes between Christians, vv. 1-8
A. Greek Culture: each city had its courts and sons often sued their own fathers.
B. Christian Conduct: civil matters between Christians are not to be exposed to unbelievers.
1. Criminal matters are handled by courts of law b/c the govt is instituted by God for our good, Romans 13.
2. Civil matters between Christians are to be handled between Christians, not civil court.
a. Matthew 18:15-17
b. 1 Corinthians 6:5
3. It is better that a Christian lose money than to lose his spiritual reputation and bring shame to Christ’s name, vv. 7-8.
C. This does not answer civil disputes between a Christian and an unbeliever.
Defilement of Christians, vv. 9-20
A. Greek Culture
1. Worship of Aphrodite was prostitution in the name of religion.
2. Worship of Bacchus was drunken sexual orgies in the name of religion.
3. Greeks were ruled by desires: “My body wants food, so I eat. My body wants sex, so I hire a prostitute. What’s the problem?” v. 13.
Homosexuality was rampant in the ancient world; 14 out of the first 15 Roman emperors were bisexual or homosexual. At the very time Paul wrote, Nero was emperor. Nero castrated a boy named Sporus and then married him (with a full ceremony), brought him to the palace with a great procession, and made the boy his “wife.” Later, the emperor lived with another man, and Nero was declared to be the other man’s “wife.”
B. Christian Conduct
1. Christian liberty is not a license to sin, vv. 9-14
a. The Unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God:
1) fornicators = male and female prostitutes
2) idolaters = participating in illicit worship of other gods
3) adulterers = those who willfully break the marriage vows
4) effeminate (malakos) = to make womanish, to unman, transgender
5) abusers of themselves with mankind (arsenokoites) = sodomite, sin against nature
6) thieves
7) covetous = to defraud
8) drunkards
9) revilers = those who cause mischief
10) extortioners
b. Christians were once like this, but no more.
1) “ye are washed” in Christ’s blood, purged from sin’s stain
2) “ye are sanctified,” made holy, purified
3) “ye are justified”
c. Christians are free from rules and regulations, but not free to sin.
d. Christian liberty does not mean I am free to do what I please, but that I have been freed to do what pleases Christ.
e. Christians are new creatures, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
2. Christians no longer belong to self; we belong to Christ, vv. 19-20.
a. We are bought with Christ’s blood.
b. We are the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
c. We no longer belong to ourselves.
d. Therefore, glorify God in your body and spirit, which belongs to God.
Conclusion
In these latter days, we see a shameless increase of sexual sins. We dare not close our eyes to it.
The attitude of the world is, “Everybody’s doing it, so why be different?”
It is sad when Christians think they can violate God’s moral code and get away with it.
Sexual sins are sins against Christ (who purchased our bodies), against the Spirit (who indwells our bodies), and against ourselves (1Corinthians 6:18).
Single people in particular need to read and ponder Proverbs 5:1-23, 6:20-35, and 7:1-27. These are plain chapters, but they warn against sexual license.
Married Christians need to read and ponder 1Thessalonians 4:1-8, where God warns Christians in the church against breaking their wedding vows.