In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, Paul speaks directly to us as believers, calling us to live in a way that reflects our new life in Christ. He challenges us to think about how we handle disputes among ourselves, how we relate to the world, and how we treat our bodies, which belong to the Lord. This chapter is a powerful reminder that our lives are no longer our own—we have been bought with a price, and that reality should shape every decision we make.
Paul begins by addressing the issue of lawsuits among believers. He is astonished that some in the church are taking their disputes to secular courts rather than resolving them within the body of Christ. He asks, “Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world?” If we will one day have the responsibility of judging in God’s kingdom, how can we not settle minor matters among ourselves? Paul sees this as a failure of our witness. If we bring our disputes before unbelievers, we show that we lack wisdom and unity. Instead of modeling the reconciliation that comes through Christ, we expose our divisions to the world.
Paul also makes a striking statement: “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” This challenges us to consider what truly matters. Is our reputation, wealth, or sense of justice more important than the unity of the church? Paul encourages us to accept personal losses rather than cause damage to our testimony. His words challenge us to embrace humility, trusting that God sees and will ultimately bring justice.
Then Paul shifts to a sobering warning about unrighteousness. He reminds us that those who persist in sin—those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, thieves, drunkards, and more—will not inherit the kingdom of God. These words are not meant to condemn but to call us to remember who we are in Christ. He says, “Such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.” This is a defining truth for us. No matter what our past looked like, we are no longer bound by sin. We have been made new, set apart, and declared righteous through Jesus.
This leads Paul to another important issue: how we view our bodies. The Corinthians had adopted a mindset that treated physical desires as separate from their spiritual lives. They argued, “All things are lawful for me” and “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” Essentially, they believed that what they did with their bodies didn’t matter because only the spirit was important. Paul strongly rejects this thinking. Our bodies are not meant for sin; they belong to the Lord.
He reminds us that just as God raised Jesus from the dead, He will also raise us. Our bodies have an eternal purpose, and that should affect how we live. When we join ourselves to sinful acts, especially sexual immorality, we dishonor the very bodies God has redeemed. Paul uses a powerful metaphor: our bodies are members of Christ. Would we take what belongs to Christ and unite it with sin? The thought should shock us.
Sexual sin, Paul explains, is uniquely harmful because it is a sin against our own body. While other sins happen outside of us, sexual immorality strikes at the very core of who we are. It is not just a private matter—it impacts our relationship with God and the way we see ourselves. Paul’s words here are not meant to shame us, but to awaken us to the incredible value God has placed on our bodies.
Perhaps the most profound statement in this chapter comes at the end: “Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?” This truth changes everything. We are not just physical beings acting on impulses. We are walking temples of God’s presence. The Holy Spirit lives within us, and that should shape the way we treat ourselves. If we truly grasped this, would we be careless with our actions? Would we use our bodies in ways that dishonor God?
Paul ends with a call to action: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.” This is the heart of the message. We belong to Jesus, and His sacrifice has given us new purpose. We don’t have the right to live however we want because we have been rescued at great cost. The price was His own blood, and now, in gratitude and love, we are called to honor Him with everything we do.
This chapter calls us to a higher way of living. It reminds us that how we handle conflicts, how we relate to sin, and how we treat our bodies all matter deeply. Our lives should reflect the truth that we are no longer slaves to sin but temples of the Holy Spirit. As we walk forward, we do so with the knowledge that we belong to Christ, and that reality should shape every decision we make.