Paul continues to give instruction on church members (presumably, believers) having the wisdom of God to judge themselves. In the previous chapter he told them to judge the member who was committing incest and to excommunicate him if he did not repent.
Now he tells them to select a wise church member to judge disputes among themselves rather than any believer having to go to a pagan (non-Christian) court for legal relief. He told them their behavior in defrauding each other was shameful. Paul asks them: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (sodomites), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Co 6: 9-10).
The sins enumerated repeat those listed in the previous chapter where Paul was telling them to judge each other in the church for these sins. In this chapter he clarifies that these sins are reflective of non-believers and that those who habitually, and unrepentantly, practice these sins (including church members) will not be a part of God's kingdom; i.e., they are not true believers. True believers, even if they were engaging in these sins prior to salvation, have been cleansed and set apart from these former things in order to serve Christ.
Paul emphasizes that they must "flee fornication" because in this sin, a person sins against his own body and someone with the indwelling Spirit should not be uniting his body (and by extension, uniting Christ) with a harlot or prostitute. He reminds them that their physical bodies are not their own, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Co 6:20).
Righteousness is not optional for the believer.
Now he tells them to select a wise church member to judge disputes among themselves rather than any believer having to go to a pagan (non-Christian) court for legal relief. He told them their behavior in defrauding each other was shameful. Paul asks them: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (sodomites), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Co 6: 9-10).
The sins enumerated repeat those listed in the previous chapter where Paul was telling them to judge each other in the church for these sins. In this chapter he clarifies that these sins are reflective of non-believers and that those who habitually, and unrepentantly, practice these sins (including church members) will not be a part of God's kingdom; i.e., they are not true believers. True believers, even if they were engaging in these sins prior to salvation, have been cleansed and set apart from these former things in order to serve Christ.
Paul emphasizes that they must "flee fornication" because in this sin, a person sins against his own body and someone with the indwelling Spirit should not be uniting his body (and by extension, uniting Christ) with a harlot or prostitute. He reminds them that their physical bodies are not their own, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Co 6:20).
Righteousness is not optional for the believer.
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