Note 6 at 1Co 6:11: Paul placed an emphasis on the word "were." He was contrasting their previous condition with their current righteous position in Christ. Was this because they had ceased committing all these sins? Definitely not!

Paul had just dealt with a man who was living in open incest (1Co 5:1). While Paul did instruct the Christians at Corinth to discipline this man, he did not treat him as an unbeliever. Instead, in 2 Corinthians he told the church to forgive that man and receive him back into the fellowship of the believers (2Co 2:5-11).

In this very chapter, Paul dealt with Christians taking each other to court and said they were defrauding each other (1Co 6:8). This would fit into the category of "covetous" or possibly "extortioners" that Paul mentioned in 1Co 6:10. In the next chapter, Paul talked about adultery, and it is evident from his instructions that some of the Corinthian believers were having trouble in that area.

Some of these same Corinthian believers were getting drunk at the Lord's Supper (1Co 11:21); that would put them in the "drunkards" category (1Co 6:10). The division in the body that Paul dealt with for the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians would put many of the believers into the class of "revilers."

Therefore, it is easy to see that these Corinthian Christians were not totally free from these ungodly actions that Paul listed in 1Co 6:9-10, yet they were not considered by Paul to be fornicators, idolaters, etc., anymore. The sins of Christians don't make them sinners any more than the righteous acts of sinners make them righteous (see note 1 at Ro 6:20).

Sin is a very deadly thing that even Christians should avoid at all costs, but it does not determine our standing with the Lord (see note 2 at Ro 6:2). Those who are born again are not "in" the flesh even though they may walk "after" the flesh (see note 20 at Ro 8:9).

Note 7 at 1Co 6:11: The usual term used to describe the Spirit of God in the New Testament is the "Holy Spirit." It is the clear and undeniable teaching of Scripture that the Holy Spirit is a divine personage. We are told that the Holy Spirit has intelligence and knowledge (1Co 2:10-13 and 12:8); speaks and guides (Ac 13:2, 16:6, 21:11; Ro 8:14; Re 2:7, 11, 17, and 29); commands and appoints people (Ac 8:29; 13:2, 4; and 20:28); has feelings (Eph 4:30); and can be lied to (Ac 5:3), resisted (Ac 7:51), and blasphemed (Mt 12:31).

Divine attributes such as omniscience (Joh 14:26, 16:12-13; and 1Co 2:10-11), omnipotence (Ps 62:11 with Ac 5:3-4; Lu 1:35; Ro 1:4, and 8:11), omnipresence (Ps 139:7-10), holiness (Lu 11:13 and Ro 1:4), eternalness (Heb 9:14), truth (1Jo 5:6), wisdom (Isa 40:13), and life (Ro 8:2) are all ascribed to Him.

The name of the Holy Spirit is coupled in equality with the Father and the Son (Mt 28:19 and 2Co 13:14), and it is identified with the Jehovah of the Old Testament scripture (Isa 6:8-10 with Ac 28:25-27, and Jer 31:31-34 with Heb 10:15-17).

Symbols of the Holy Spirit used in Scripture are the dove (Mt 3:16, Mr 1:10, Lu 3:22, and Joh 1:32), fire (Ac 2:3), water (Joh 7:38-39), wind (Joh 3:8 and Ac 2:1-2), and oil (Lu 4:18, Ac 10:38, 2Co 1:21, and 1Jo 2:27). These are material emblems that help represent and portray the Spirit.

In the life of the believer, the Holy Spirit regenerates (Joh 3:3-5 and Tit 3:5), indwells (1Co 6:19), seals (Eph 1:13-14 and 4:30), fills (Ac 2:4 and Eph 5:18), anoints (1Jo 2:20 and 27), guides (Ro 8:14; Ga 5:16, and 25), teaches (1Jo 2:27), comforts (Joh 14:26), and empowers (Ac 4:31, Ro 8:2, and Ga 5:16).

There is no such thing as victorious Christian living without a moment-by-moment, hour-by-hour, day-by-day dependence upon the Spirit of God (Ro 7:24-25 and 8:2). Not only is the Christian life hard to live, it is impossible to live without the power of God Himself (Joh 15:5).