“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.”
(I Corinthians 6:9-11)
Twice Paul says that some group will not “inherit the kingdom of God.” As righteous and godly as each group may be by their own ability, neither have what they need to enter into eternal life, to “inherit the kingdom of God.” Paul is speaking of the unsaved, while talking to a saved group telling them “such were some of you.” The saved will receive a glorified, sinless, perfect body at the Rapture, enabling them to “inherit the kingdom of God” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Philippians 3:20-21). The reason for the glorified body is because after salvation we still live on this earth in the same sinful flesh, and God said that sin cannot enter into His Kingdom (Revelation 21:27). So, to “inherit the kingdom of God” has nothing to do with the body we currently live in, but rather the heart in salvation because only the saved will receive the necessary glorified body to be able to enter into His Kingdom.
I. Such were some of you in UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (6:9a)
A. Man’s righteousness is unrighteous (Is 64:6)
B. Man is righteous only through Christ (II Cor 5:21)
II. Such were some of you in UNGODLINESS (6:9b-10)
A. Man’s godliness is ungodly (Rom 7:14-24)
B. Man is godly only through Christ (Rom 5:6)
III. Such were some of you in UNABLENESS (6:11)
A. Man’s ability is inability (Tit 3:5; Eph 2:8-9)
B. Man is able only through Christ (Acts 4:12)
1. Christ washes by the blood (Rev 1:5; many other verses)
2. Christ sanctifies by the Word (John 17:17)
3. Christ justifies by faith (Rom 5:1-2)
