1 Corinthians 6

The Explanation

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul writes a letter to the church in the city of Corinth. Corinth was a big harbor city, kind of like a busy port with people from everywhere. The church there had a lot of problems, and Paul does not shy away from them.

The first problem is really strange. Christians in Corinth were dragging each other to court. When they had an argument, they went to a judge who did not even believe in God, and they let him decide who was right. Paul says: how is that possible? You belong together. You are brothers and sisters. Can you really not solve this among yourselves? He even says something bold: one day God's people will help judge the world together with Jesus. If that is true, can you not handle a small quarrel about money or possessions?

Then Paul writes something painful. He reminds the Corinthians of who they used to be. Some of them stole, cheated, got drunk, or did wrong things with their bodies. But then he says something wonderful: "You were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus." That means: you have been cleaned, set apart for God, and declared right. It is as if Paul says: look at who you are now. Do not go back to who you were.

At the end of the chapter, Paul talks about the body. Some people in Corinth thought: my body does not really matter, I can do whatever I want with it. Paul disagrees strongly. He says your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. God lives in you. So your body is not just yours, it belongs to God too. Paul ends with: "Therefore glorify God in your body."

What Does This Mean?

Paul is teaching the Corinthians something important. Being a Christian is not only about what you believe in your head. It is about how you live with each other and what you do with your body. Faith reaches into everything.

Paul is honest. He does not pretend the Corinthians are perfect. He names their old lives. But he also says loudly: that is no longer who you are. God has changed you. You have a new name and a new home.

The Common Thread

Do you see that one little sentence in the middle of the chapter? "You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." That is the heart of everything.

Paul is not saying: try harder to be a good person. He is saying: Jesus has already done something for you. Jesus died and rose again, and because of Him, God looks at you differently. You are washed clean. You have been set apart, which means God has chosen you for Himself, like something precious. You are justified, which means God says: it is good between us.

The whole Bible tells this story. God makes people His own, and then He teaches them how to live as His people. First the gift, then the way of living. Never the other way around.

For You

This chapter has something to say to you too. Think about arguments. Maybe with your brother, sister, or a friend from church or school. Paul would say: try to work it out together. Do not always run straight to someone else to settle it for you. That is hard, because sometimes you really want to be proved right.

And think about your body. Paul says your body is a temple where God's Spirit lives. That is huge. It means what you do with your hands, your mouth, your eyes matters to God. Not because God is watching angrily, but because He lives so close to you. Your body is not something separate from your faith.

You are washed. You are God's. That is who you truly are, even on days when you do not feel it.

Talk About It

Paul says God's Spirit lives in your body like in a temple. What do you think changes when you really believe that?

Why do you think Paul reminds the Corinthians of who they used to be? Is that mean, or is there something good about it?

Praying Together

Lord Jesus, thank You that You have washed me clean and made me Your own. Help me to live with others in peace, and help me to remember that Your Spirit lives in me. Teach me who I truly am in You. Amen.