What does it mean that a person will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)?

TL;DR:

Those who live in unrepentant sin will not spend eternity with the Lord after death. Although we are all prone to sin, God’s children lead a lifestyle that glorifies Him.

The Bible teaches that loving God means wanting to please Him (1 John 5:3), which is revealed through our behavior (Matthew 7:16–20). The Bible also shows that as fallen human beings, we will sin (Genesis 3:1–24). Many of the Psalms are pleas for the Lord to cleanse us of unrighteousness, which demonstrates a recognition of our fallen nature (Psalm 5:10–12; 19:12–14; 51:1–12; 139:23–24). The Mosaic Law also testifies to that. Yet, God made a way for us to be made right with God. He instituted a sacrificial system for the nation of Israel to temporarily atone for sins (Leviticus 4:20; 17:11). This system pointed to the permanent atonement for our sin through Jesus’s death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 10:4; 1 Peter 1:18–19). Scripture teaches that when we are saved by grace through faith, we become new creations, and the fruit of our life will show that (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22–24). We will still sin after salvation, but our lives are no longer defined by sin. The Bible shows that God’s children lead a lifestyle that glorifies Him.

from the old testament

Old Testament believers like David knew the power of God to cleanse us from unrighteousness, as Psalm 51:10–12 shows: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Though David was born hundreds of years before Christ came to earth, he knew the promises and power of God to deliver him from his sin.
Ezekiel 18:31–32 shows God’s loving nature and willingness to rescue his children from iniquity: “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations, yet they repeatedly sinned against God, subjecting themselves to His judgment. God’s judgment for those who lead a life of unrepentant sin is eternity separated from God, as shown in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11.

from the new testament

In 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, Paul reminds the Corinthian church that a lifestyle of sin is not the mark of a follower of Christ: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Our eternal salvation is assured when we accept Christ (John 10:28). Those who claim to be a Christian but are living an unrepentant, sinful lifestyle are either not really Christians, or they are in need of the Holy Spirit's conviction to be sanctified.
Galatians 5:19–21 reinforces the message of 1 Corinthians 6:9–11: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” It’s not that the saved can lose their salvation; it’s that the fruit of their lifestyle will reveal if they are truly saved.
Romans 8:38–39 affirms that the saved truly are assured of being with God for eternity: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Though a believer may slip into sin occasionally, a true believer will not live in sin, as that would separate us from God—and as Paul writes to the Romans, that cannot happen.

implications for today

Makeovers are fun to watch and even better to experience. Whether a new haircut or a fresh coat of paint for the living room, transformations are exciting. But eventually, hair grows out and paint fades. One makeover, though, is permanent: The moment when a Christian accepts Jesus as Savior and is cleansed from unrighteousness. Jesus described this as being “born again” (John 3:3). From that point on, a Christian is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This doesn’t mean we no longer sin; as fallen human beings, we still occasionally stray from God’s will for us. But as Christians, we seek God’s mercy and rely on His promise to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Through our Christian life, the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, bringing us closer to the perfection of Christ (1 John 3:1–3). You may notice the coarse language that used to roll off your tongue sounds jarring now. Maybe the movies you used to enjoy are now too violent and carnal, not in line with your new life in Christ. This is God sanctifying you, drawing you away from the world and closer to Christ. God’s children lead a lifestyle that glorifies Him.

understand

Those who are saved do not live in an unrepentant lifestyle.
Those who live in an unrepentant lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of God because they are not saved.
A person will not inherit the kingdom of God if they reject Christ’s salvation.

reflect

How does understanding the seriousness of unrepentant sin challenge you to examine areas of your life that need to be surrendered to Christ?
What evidence of God’s transforming work do you see in your life since you became a new creation in Christ, and how does that encourage you?
How does God’s promise of forgiveness encourage you when you struggle with sin?

engage

How can we support one another in living lives that reflect God’s sanctifying work?
What role does accountability play in helping believers avoid the trap of unrepentant sin, instead living as those who will inherit the kingdom of God?
How does understanding God’s judgment and grace shape the way we share the gospel with others?