1 Corinthians 6:9

Know ye not? The form of the question in Greek expects a positive answer: “Surely you know.” Have you departed so far from the teaching of the gospel and the principles of righteousness that you do not realize that there is no place in the kingdom of God for anyone guilty of these things?

Unrighteous. The unjust who seek to benefit themselves at the expense of their brethren will not enter into God’s kingdom. Their greedy, grasping, selfish character is altogether out of harmony with the selfless, humble love that characterizes the inhabitants of Paradise.

Inherit. The heavenly kingdom is mentioned in several places as an inheritance (see Matt. 19:29; 25:34; Luke 10:25; 18:18; 1 Cor. 15:50; Eph. 1:11, 14; Heb. 11:9, 10). The unjust, or unrighteous, who are so anxious to obtain material possessions that they are willing to bring the church into disrepute by taking their brethren into civil courts, are told that by so doing they are depriving themselves of an eternal inheritance of far greater value than any earthly possessions.

The kingdom of God. This could be applied to either the kingdom of grace here and now or the kingdom of glory that is to be revealed when Jesus comes (see on Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 5:3). An unrighteous man is not a fit subject for either. Men must qualify for entrance into God’s kingdom of grace on this earth now if they are to be candidates for the kingdom of glory in the hereafter.

Be not deceived. Sin blinds its devotees so that often they do not seem to realize they are doing wrong, or if they do, their senses are so dulled and benumbed by indulgence in evil that they seem unaware of the danger that threatens them (see Jer. 17:9; Matt. 13:14, 15; 2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4). Familiarity with sin frequently causes men to lose sight of its real nature, and they are led to believe that they can live in transgression of the law of God and at the same time confidently expect to be saved. God has made it plain that there can be no compromise between sin and righteousness, and that whoever clings to sin must reap the reward of such shortsighted folly (see Prov. 14:9; Gal. 6:7, 8; MB 91, 92). The Corinthian believers could not cherish ill will toward their brethren to the extent of taking them to the courts of unbelievers, and still expect to be saved.

Neither fornicators. Verses 9, 10 present a list of vices that were common among the heathen people of Corinth. Fornication may be listed first because of the flagrant case of incest (ch. 5).

Idolaters. Idolatry is here classed with a group of sensual sins. Among heathen people licentiousness is usually connected with idol worship. Another reason for including idolatry in this list of fearsome sins of immorality may be suggested: licentiousness centers in the sexual abuse of the human body, and those who practice it may be said to make an idol of the means by which their lust is gratified.

Adulterers. See on Matt. 5:27-32.

Effeminate. Gr. malakoi, meaning basically “soft of nature,” “delicate,” or “tender.” When used in connection with terms expressive of sensual vice as those found in v. 9, it designates homosexuals, more particularly those who yield themselves to be used for such immoral purposes.

Abusers of themselves among mankind. Gr. arsenokoitai, another term describing homosexuals.

The list of sins found in vs. 9, 10 includes most of the common sins of the flesh (see Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7). If a man persists in cherishing any of these evil habits, he will be excluded from the kingdom of God. He who lives a life of slavery to the sins of the flesh not only forfeits his own chance of a share in the glorious inheritance of the saints but passes on to his offspring a legacy of weakness, both physical and spiritual (see 4T 30, 31; CD 118; 3SG 291; IT 304).