9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV)
Who shall not inherit the kingdom?
Here, the apostle warns the Corinthians against many serious sins to which they had once been addicted. He reminds them of a truth they could not ignore: the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). Such people will not be recognized as true members of Christ’s church on earth or be welcomed into heaven. All sin is unrighteousness, and every deliberate, unrepented sin excludes a person from God’s kingdom.
Paul lists examples: idolaters who break the first and second commandments; adulterers, fornicators, the sexually immoral, and homosexual offenders who violate the seventh; thieves and extortioners who break the eighth by wronging others through fraud or force; revilers who violate the ninth; and the covetous and drunkards who reveal the roots of many other sins. Those living in such ways have no share in God’s eternal reward. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and those who do the devil’s work cannot expect to receive God’s reward.
Paul warns them not to deceive themselves. Even though they knew this truth, people often ignore it. Many convince themselves that they can live in sin and still die in Christ, that they can serve the devil and still receive the inheritance of the children of God. But this is a dangerous delusion. We cannot sow to the flesh and reap eternal life. It is every person’s concern not to be self-deceived in matters of their soul.
Then Paul reminds them of the change the gospel had brought in their lives: “Such were some of you” (1 Corinthians 6:11). They had once been guilty of these very sins. But now they were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. The worst sinners can be transformed by God’s grace into saints and children of God. Their past sins are no barrier to redemption. Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit’s work cleanse all guilt and impurity.
Paul speaks of sanctification before justification, and yet he places the name of Christ before the Spirit. Justification is through Christ’s merit, while sanctification is by the Spirit’s power. Though they are distinct, they always go together. No one is justified without also being sanctified. Those who are made right with God are also made holy by Him.