Living Set Apart in 1 Corinthians 6

Where Do You Take Your Conflicts?

In verses 4–6, the Apostle Paul gives a reality check. When believers have conflicts, taking them before unbelievers for judgment makes no sense because their standard is not rooted in the Lord. Paul’s point is not just about lawsuits but about discernment. Why place your trust in a system that does not know Christ? Disagreements should be handled with wisdom among those who belong to Him, not exposed before those who do not share the same foundation.

What’s the Point of Lawsuits?

Verse 7 pushes further. What is really gained when believers take one another to court? Even if you win, the outcome is no different than what the world offers. In fact, Paul suggests it would be better to be wronged than to lose your witness by dragging disputes into the world’s arena.

The Freedom to Choose, but Not All Things Lead to Life

In verse 12, Paul reminds us that while we have freedom, not everything is beneficial. We can choose what we want, but not every choice leads us toward Christ. Freedom without discernment becomes bondage, and whatever rules over our desires becomes our master. To follow Jesus is to let Him, not our flesh, have the final say.

What You Unite With Shapes You

Verses 16–17 highlight how intimacy binds us. When we unite ourselves with something or someone, we become one with it. Sexual sin is unique because it misuses what God designed as sacred. Outside of marriage, it corrupts instead of reflects. Paul’s reminder is that our true calling is to be united with Christ, and every other union should flow from that relationship.

You Were Bought With a Price

Verses 19–20 bring everything back to the cross. Our bodies are not our own; they are temples of the Holy Spirit. The price Jesus paid was not partial but complete. To honor Him means to live with the constant awareness that our lives were purchased at great cost. We are called to glorify God with both body and spirit.

From the Old to the New

Paul’s words are not abstract. In verses 9–11, he lists sins that many of the Corinthians once lived in: sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, greed, drunkenness, slander, and swindling. These were not distant issues but real struggles in their lives. Yet Paul reminds them that they were washed, sanctified, and justified through Jesus Christ.

And that is the point. All of this is possible because of Jesus. The good, the bad, and the ugly parts of our lives are not beyond His reach. Many of us have lived some of these same struggles, but through Jesus, much has changed. Even beyond that, we still need His help every day. The cross reminds us not only of what He has already done, but also of the ongoing grace that sustains us.

Living Set Apart

The message of 1 Corinthians 6 is direct. Handle conflicts with wisdom. Do not let freedom become your master. Guard what you unite yourself with. And never forget the price of the cross. Everything comes back to Jesus, who turns what was broken into something redeemed.

Reflection Prompt: What are you uniting yourself with in daily life, whether people, habits, or desires, that is pulling you away from being fully united with Christ?

If you have ever wrestled with conflict, compromise, or temptation, In His Voice, I Walk gives you space to process those struggles honestly with God. Writing helps you see where your life is drifting toward the world and where His Spirit is calling you back to live as one who has been bought with a price.