Paul exhorts the new person not to live like the old person, explaining that the old person has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God and can expect only the coming wrath of God. Paul describes how not to live, if you are a Christian.
Sexual immoral
The first term pornea can include any sexual misconduct. It is most often used of physical sexual behaviors, including premarital sex, adultery, prostitution and homosexuality—any “illicit sexual activity.” The NIV translates it “sexual immorality” since it includes all types of sexual behavior outside of marriage. Jesus did call lust adultery (Matthew 5:28), and adultery is a type of porneia. The New Testament consistently warns against porneia: “The body is not meant for porneia but for the Lord” (1 Cor 6:13). “Flee from porneia. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Cor 6:18).
Figuratively, porneia can refer to spiritual unfaithfulness or “spiritual adultery.” In Revelation, “Babylon the Great” is pictured as a prostitute committing spiritual adultery. “With her the kings of the earth committed porneia, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her porneia” (Rev 17:2) This is spiritually cheating on God, our Lord, and Jesus, our Lord and Savior, our Groom, as we are the bride of Christ. Consider the impact of the choices of sexual immorality has had. Maybe your choices, maybe the choices of others, but think about what it has done to some of the relationships in your lives. Reflecting on how sexual immorality affects interpersonal relationships, families, and communities is crucial to understand that God challenges us, and commands us to uphold a high moral standard and strive for holiness in our conduct.
Impure/filthy–The word akatharsia ἀκαθαρσία means moral “impurity,” which includes any kind of impurity which defiles a person, degrades them, or makes them less than who God created them to be. Paul says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.… For sin will have no dominion over you” (Rom. 6:11, 14). Paul says that Christians have been “set free from sin” (Rom. 6:18). In this context, to be dead to sin or to be set free from sin involves the power to overcome acts or patterns of sinful behavior in one’s life, to be free of all kinds of impurity. Paul tells the Romans not to let sin “reign in your mortal body,” and he also says, “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God” (Rom. 6:12–13). To be dead to the ruling power of sin means that we as Christians, by virtue of the power of the Holy Spirit and the resurrection life of Christ working within us, have power to overcome the temptations and enticements of sin. Sin will no longer be our master, as once it was before we became Christians. Sin in our live, but instead have an overriding love for Jesus, and an increasing likeness to God in our thoughts as well as our words and deeds. The author of Hebrews tells his readers to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” (Heb. 12:1) and to “strive for … the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). James encourages his hearers, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22), and Peter tells his readers, “Be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). It’s unanimous—all the Bible’s authors say that we are to live holy lives, because we follow a Holy God!
Greedy–The third term here, pleonexia means “covetousness, greediness.” The opposite of moderation, it is selfishness to an extreme degree. This is greed for material possessions to be consumed by oneself rather than sharing them with the community of believers and depending on the Lord to supply them as the need arises. Greed is a strong and selfish desire to have more of something, most often money or power. There are many warnings in the Bible about giving in to greed and longing for riches. Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal… You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:19, 24b). Greed and a desire for riches are traps that bring ruin and destruction. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” and Christians are warned, “Do not put your trust in wealth”
who is an idolater
To covet is idolatry, to want to become rich, so that we can buy lots of things is idolatry. That which is coveted becomes the center of one’s life and is worshiped instead of the Creator. The greedy person is willing to exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for a corruptible idol.
has an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God– Every person who is characterized by the qualities mentioned above has no inheritance in the kingdom of God. “inheritance. The eternal inheritance that does not belong to the sinner but to the saint. This inheritance is obtained as a result of redemption. As His children, we are to do everything in light of our great heritage. Colossians 3:23–24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” The Bible urges us to set our sights on an eternal heritage. Matthew 6:19-20 19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; Colossians 3:1–4 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. We can invest our temporary earthly lives in service to God that results in “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).
We, as Christ-followers, bought with a price, are given the status of Children of God, and fellow heirs with Christ. Romans 8:15-17 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received [l]a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. James 1:22-25 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.
of an eternal inheritance Acts 20:32 And now I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Col 3:24 24 knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.; 1 Pet 1:4 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time), So we have an eternal inheritance, which will not fade away, not rust, not be stolen, will not die away, or be tarnished, because of the Father’s election, the Son’s redemption, and the Holy Spirit’s sealing. Because we have been adopted into God’s family with all the privileges of being His child, we have an inheritance from God. This inheritance qualifies believers to live eternally in heaven in the presence of God. But the inheritance is based on our cooperating with God’s will for our lives, and it’s a process of denying our will, our self, and doing what God would have us do. It doesn’t happen overnight. The day is coming when all Christians will be like Christ. But now we are growing and preparing. As we follow the Spirit’s guidance through one experience after another, we become more and more like the masterpiece we will be someday in Glory. Paul, addressing believers, rightly assumes that they have inherited the kingdom of God. However, Paul warns that those whose lives are characterized by immorality, impurity, and greed, even though they may claim to be Christians, are not included in the kingdom of God.