How does 1 Corinthians 6:9 define unrighteousness? Immediate Text (1 Corinthians 6:9) “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, … ” Catalogue of Specific Practices 1. Sexually immoral (pornoi) – all sexual activity outside covenant marriage (Genesis 2:24; Hebrews 13:4). 2. Idolaters (eidōlolatrai) – worship or trust in anything besides Yahweh (Exodus 20:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:9). 3. Adulterers (moichoi) – violations of marital fidelity (Proverbs 6:32). 4. Men who submit to or perform homosexual acts (malakoi, arsenokoitai) – passive and active participants in same-sex erotic behavior, rooted linguistically in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13 (LXX arsenos koitēn). 5. Thieves (kleptai) – taking what is not granted by God or man (Ephesians 4:28). 6. The greedy (pleonektai) – insatiable acquisitiveness equal to idolatry (Colossians 3:5). 7. Drunkards (methusoi) – habitual intoxication contrary to Spirit-control (Ephesians 5:18). 8. Verbal abusers (loidoroi) – slanderers whose speech destroys (Proverbs 10:18). 9. Swindlers (harpages) – violent or deceptive seizure of goods/rights (Micah 2:2). Broader Canonical Witness Unrighteousness encapsulates every departure from divine holiness (Isaiah 5:20; Romans 1:18-32). Scripture treats deeds and desires as a single moral fabric; thus internal lust (Matthew 5:27-28) classifies with overt acts. Eschatological Gravity The phrase “will not inherit the kingdom of God” attaches eternal consequence. Similar lists appear in Galatians 5:19-21 and Revelation 21:8, showing consistent biblical testimony that persistent, unrepentant practice of such sins excludes from final salvation. Transformative Counterbalance (1 Cor 6:11) “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Unrighteousness is neither unforgivable nor immutable when confronted by Christ’s resurrection power (Romans 6:4). Corinthian Cultural Backdrop Archaeology of Corinth’s Temple of Aphrodite (Strabo, Geog. 8.6.20) verifies rampant cultic prostitution, explaining Paul’s emphasis on sexual sin. Inscriptions (CIL III 450) confirm pervasive idolatry and commercial fraud, aligning with Paul’s list. Practical Implications Believers must: • Reject cultural redefinitions that normalize listed behaviors (Romans 12:2). • Offer gospel hope to those ensnared (1 Peter 3:15). • Pursue sanctification empowered by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Comprehensive Definition In 1 Corinthians 6:9, “unrighteousness” is the state of living in deliberate, unrepentant violation of God’s moral order, exemplified by the nine representative sins Paul enumerates. It is ethical, spiritual, and eschatological—a posture that disqualifies from God’s kingdom unless cleansed by Christ. |
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