Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 6:12-14.

We live in a world that treats the body like a playground—something to indulge, use, bend, and satisfy at any cost. Corinth wasn't any different. They had a saying they loved to quote: "All things are lawful for me."

Translation: "I can do whatever I want with my body." But Paul takes that slogan and makes a theological adjustment, as any good Bible teacher would.

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. — 1 Corinthians 6:12–14

The Corinthian church had built an entire theology to justify its sexual habits. And honestly? Churches and believers still do this today—reshaping doctrine, bending Scripture, and redefining holiness to accommodate whatever desires they refuse to surrender. For example:

Some justify porn and masturbation: "It's natural." "No one gets hurt."

Some justify same-sex attraction acted upon: "This is who I am." "God wouldn't deny love."

Some justify multiple sexual partners: "It's just physical." "Everyone does it."

Others justify emotional affairs, hookups, cohabitation, sexting, or "sleeping together because we love each other."

Paul looks at all of this and declares, "Your logic is broken because your theology is broken." The Corinthians even had a clever argument for their desires: "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food…"

In other words: "If my body craves it, then my body must be made for it."

That logic is wild. It's like saying:

• "My anger flares easily, so God gave me the spiritual gift of rage."
• "I crave donuts at midnight, so clearly this is holy hunger."
• "I like Taylor Swift songs, so I must be a liberal."

It sounds ridiculous because it is ridiculous. Desire never defines design. Craving never clarifies calling.

Your body isn't disposable. It isn't personal property that you can use however you want. Your body has a calling. It belongs to the Lord. And the Lord is for your body. Created for holiness. Redeemed by Christ. Destined for resurrection.

So don't surrender your body to impulse. Steward it and its worth.

Your body isn't a playground for desire—it's a temple for the Lord. And when you understand the calling on your body, you stop using it for things that destroy it.

DO THIS:

Identify one desire that tries to dominate your body—lust, impulse, laziness, or escape—and surrender it to Christ today.

ASK THIS:

1. What desire most often tries to tell me my body belongs to me?
2. How does remembering my body's calling reshape my choices today?
3. Which impulse have I allowed to master me that Christ is calling me to resist?

PRAY THIS:

Father, thank You for claiming my body as Yours. Help me honor You with what I desire, what I pursue, and what I allow to shape my habits. Strengthen me to resist impulses that don't reflect who I am in Christ. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lord, I Need You"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

When believers forget who they are, they start acting like who they were. That's exactly what was happening in Corinth. The lawsuits, the fighting, the mistreatment, the "me-first" mindset—none of it fit who they had become in Christ.

So Paul brings them back to the foundation:

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. — 1 Corinthians 6:9–11

Paul's list is not gentle. He names sins the Corinthians once embraced—sins they preferred not to talk about—sins that defined how they lived, what they desired, and who they believed they were.

Then he hits them with four words that change everything: "Such were some of you."

Past tense. Former identity. Old life. Dead self. Not who you are anymore. The Corinthians were living as if their old identity still held power over them. Paul reminds them of the supernatural reality that reshaped their entire existence:

Your filth is gone, not managed. Christ didn't rinse you—He cleansed you.

Set apart. Made holy. Placed into a new category of belonging.

Declared righteous. Given a new standing before God. Not because you earned it, but because Christ secured it.

This was Paul's entire point: Believers acting unrighteously had forgotten they had been made righteous. Their behavior didn't match their identity. Paul is not saying, "Try harder." He's saying, "Remember who you are."

Identity fuels obedience. Identity kills sin. Identity restores relationships. Identity corrects foolishness like lawsuits, bitterness, pride, and division.

And identity always begins with what Christ has done—not what we achieve.

Paul drags the Corinthians out of their petty battles and back into their eternal status:

• Washed from who you were
• Sanctified for who you are
• Justified for who you're becoming

The gospel didn't just change your destination. It changed your definition. And when you remember who you are, you start living like who you truly are.

DO THIS:

Slow down today and say these three truths out loud: Washed. Sanctified. Justified. Let your identity shape your obedience.

ASK THIS:

1. Which part of my old identity tries to pull me back the most?
2. Which truth—washed, sanctified, or justified—do I struggle to believe today?
3. How does remembering my identity change how I treat others?

PRAY THIS:

Father, thank You for washing me, sanctifying me, and justifying me in Christ. Help me live from this identity, not from my past. Let my life show who You've made me to be. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Who You Say I Am"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 6:7-8.

Most people believe strength looks like fighting back, striking first, or refusing to let anyone take advantage of them. Paul flips that entire worldview in two sentences.

To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! — 1 Corinthians 6:7–8

Paul doesn't merely say lawsuits are messy or unfortunate. He says they reveal defeat—a spiritual collapse long before a judge renders a verdict.

Why? Because believers were willing to destroy each other to protect their pride, their possessions, their image, or their "rights."

So Paul asks the question no one wants to ask: "Why not rather suffer wrong?"

This cuts against everything the world teaches—yet it matches everything Jesus modeled.

Strength in the Kingdom is not the ability to crush someone. It's the ability to be mistreated without becoming bitter. It's the willingness to take the hit without hitting back. It's the courage to absorb injustice—when necessary—for the sake of love, unity, and witness.

This isn't weakness. It's Christlike power.

It's the strength that made Jesus stay silent before His accusers. It's the strength that kept Him from calling legions of angels. It's the strength that absorbed the cross instead of avoiding it.

The Corinthians thought they were strong by standing up for themselves. But in doing so, they didn't just protect themselves—they wronged and defrauded their own brothers.

Paul is asking them—and us—to consider a harder path: Sometimes the strongest thing a Christian can do is suffer well. Because suffering wrong for the sake of righteousness is never defeat. In the Kingdom, it's victory.

And sometimes choosing to lose makes room for Christ to win through you.

Suffer well. Trust Christ with the outcome.

DO THIS:

Choose one place where you're tempted to fight for your "rights." Ask God if surrender—not retaliation—is the better witness.

ASK THIS:

1. Why does suffering wrong feel so impossible in the moment?
2. Where am I choosing pride over peace?
3. How might Christ be calling me to a harder, stronger path?

PRAY THIS:

Father, give me the strength to suffer well. Keep my heart soft when I'm wronged, and make me more like Jesus—strong, humble, and willing to trust You with every outcome. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lead Me to the Cross"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 6:4-6.

We all know what it feels like when a conflict gets ugly. But what Paul describes here is something deeper—something darker. When believers drag each other before unbelievers, it's not just a problem. It's a symptom of a spiritual disease.

So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? — 1 Corinthians 6:4–6

Paul says it plainly: "I say this to your shame."

He is calling out their foolishness—their lack of wisdom—with almost painful bluntness. Paul isn't shocked that believers disagree. He's shocked that a church claiming to have the Spirit, gifts, teachers, apostles, and the mind of Christ somehow has no one wise enough to help two Christians settle a grievance.

That's not just sad. That's spiritually foolish.

And that foolishness reveals something deeper than the conflict itself: The issue isn't the lawsuit. The issue is the heart that would rather win than reconcile.

Dragging our spiritual family into court before unbelievers exposes a hidden sickness:

• Pride that won't yield
• Bitterness that wants public victory
• Immaturity that refuses correction
• Selfishness that doesn't care about the witness of the church
• A craving for personal justice instead of God's justice

The lawsuit is only the surface-level problem. The deeper problem is a church unwilling—or unable—to address spiritual rot in its own members.

Paul is essentially saying, "If you can't solve small disputes, what does that say about your spiritual condition?"

Because when believers run to unbelievers to fix their relationships, it reveals:

• A failure of discipleship
• A failure of community
• A failure of wisdom
• A failure of courage
• A failure of love

And the world watches all of it.

Paul's sting is intentional. He wants them to feel the weight of their compromise—not to shame them into despair, but to wake them into maturity. Because a church that can't handle conflict will never be a church that transforms culture.

The deeper message? Until the heart is healed, the conflict won't be. And no secular court on earth can fix what only the Spirit can restore.

DO THIS:

Bring one unresolved conflict before God today. Ask Him to expose anything in your heart—pride, stubbornness, or fear—that may be preventing reconciliation.

ASK THIS:

1. What does my response to conflict reveal about my spiritual maturity?
2. Who in my church family can help me work through a difficult grievance biblically?
3. What heart issue—not just the dispute—needs God's correction?

PRAY THIS:

Father, reveal the deeper issues in my heart that fuel conflict. Give me humility, courage, and wisdom to pursue reconciliation in a way that honors You. Heal what I cannot see and restore what is broken. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Give Us Clean Hands"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 6:1-3.

We crave justice—deeply. When someone wrongs us, cheats us, mistreats us, or lies about us, something in our soul cries out, "Make this right." But too often we run to systems that don't share our worldview, don't understand our values, and don't operate under the Lordship of Christ. It's no wonder Paul is stunned: believers are running to secular courts to solve spiritual family matters.

Before Paul rebukes them, he raises their identity:

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! — 1 Corinthians 6:1–3

This is Paul at his sharpest—and most surprising.

"You will judge angels."

He's not talking about cute heavenly messengers. He's talking about evil angels—fallen beings—those who rebelled against God.

That's cosmic responsibility. That's eternal authority. That's weight reserved for the redeemed.

Paul's point is simple: If God trusts you with cosmic judgment, why can't you handle everyday conflict?

The Corinthians were acting spiritually powerless, begging unbelievers to settle disputes that believers—with the mind of Christ—were more equipped to handle. Their shame was magnified because they were behaving like spiritual infants while being destined for heavenly authority.

Paul isn't telling Christians to reject the legal system entirely. He's telling them to stop outsourcing what God equipped the church to handle spiritually and relationally.

• You're going to judge angels.
• You're going to judge the world.
• You're entrusted with eternal authority.
• So act like it now.

Paul's rebuke invites us to recover something the modern church has nearly lost: Spirit-filled, Scripture-shaped, wise believers resolving disputes in the household of faith.

We're not powerless. We're not dependent on the world for wisdom. We're not helpless victims needing secular referees.

God has given His people everything they need—truth, Spirit, counsel, unity, courage—to handle conflict within the family of God.

Paul's message is this: You carry future authority, so live with present responsibility.

Don't act like someone who needs the world to fix what the Spirit can resolve.

DO THIS:

Ask God to help you handle conflict with spiritual maturity. If there's a grievance you've been tempted to take outward, bring it inward—to wise believers who can help you resolve it with grace and truth.

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I run to worldly systems for justice instead of pursuing reconciliation within the body of Christ?
2. Who in my church family could help mediate a conflict biblically and wisely?
3. How does my future role in God's kingdom shape how I handle conflict today?

PRAY THIS:

Father, give me wisdom and courage to handle conflict in a way that honors You. Remind me of the authority You've given Your people, and help me pursue reconciliation with humility and strength. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Justice"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 5:13.

Some threats don't walk through the front door shouting. They slip in quietly, sit in the pew, smile during worship, and destroy slowly. Paul ends this chapter by ripping the mask off one of the greatest dangers to a church's health: unrepentant sin that everyone sees but no one confronts.

God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you." — 1 Corinthians 5:13

Paul doesn't whisper this. He doesn't soften the command. He ends the chapter with a call so sharp we can feel the edge of it: remove what is destroying the body of Christ before it destroys you.

He's not talking about someone who's struggling or fighting sin. He's talking about the person who refuses correction, rejects repentance, and insists on living in open rebellion while claiming the name of Christ. This kind of sin doesn't stay contained. It spreads. It shapes culture. It numbs conviction. It confuses new believers. And eventually it corrupts the whole church.

This command echoes Jesus' words about cutting off a hand or tearing out an eye. Some things must be removed decisively because they can't be managed gently. If we don't cut out what kills us, it will cut out what's holy in us. And Paul draws a hard line that every believer must take seriously...

Our job is not to police unbelievers—God handles that. Our job is to protect the church. Not to condemn the world, but to guard the family of God. Not to rage at culture, but to confront the compromise within our own community.

This means addressing sin when we see it—not ignoring it, excusing it, or hoping it disappears. When a believer we love is drifting into rebellion, we step in. We speak clearly. We call them back. We risk the awkward conversation. That's what love does.

It also means raising concerns when leaders overlook sin. Paul's command applies to pastors, elders, small group leaders, and every believer in the house. If something poisonous is spreading, silence is not faithfulness. Silence is surrender.

And sometimes—this part is hard—the right response is to leave. If your church normalizes what God condemns, if leaders minimize sin or celebrate what Scripture calls destructive, if purity is treated as optional and holiness is mocked as legalism, then the command of Paul lands on your doorstep...

Don't let corruption disciple you. Don't stay where sin is protected. Don't remain where truth is optional.

Leaving isn't betrayal. Leaving is protection. Leaving is obedience. Leaving is spiritual survival.

Paul ends the chapter with a decision-point: Will we be a church that trims sin—or a church that tolerates it?

• Purge what pollutes.
• Remove what corrodes.
• Cut what kills.
• Protect what's holy.
• Guard what Christ died to make clean.

The world doesn't shape us. Sin doesn't define us. And compromise doesn't get a seat at the table. Christ leads us. Holiness marks us. Courage protects us. This is how chapter 5 ends—with fire and clarity. And now it's our turn to act.

DO THIS:

Ask God to reveal one area of compromise—personal or within your church—that needs decisive action. Speak up, confront it, or walk away if needed. Protect what's holy.

ASK THIS:

1. What sin have I tolerated that God wants removed?
2. Where do I need to speak up instead of staying silent?
3. Is my church confronting sin—or quietly accepting it?

PRAY THIS:

Father, give me courage to remove whatever harms my walk with You. Help me protect the purity of Your church and confront sin with boldness, humility, and conviction. Keep me faithful and fearless as I follow Your Word. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Clean Heart"

Tolerance feels kind.

Until it destroys a soul—and a church.

Our culture celebrates tolerance—but Paul draws a hard line in 1 Corinthians 5. When a church confuses love with silence, grace with affirmation, and maturity with tolerance, sin spreads and souls are damaged. This chapter reminds us that real love doesn't ignore sin—it confronts it for the sake of repentance, restoration, and the integrity of the church.

1. Where have you seen tolerance confused with love—personally or in the church?

2. Why do you think silence often feels easier than truth?

3. What stood out most to you about Paul's response in 1 Corinthians 5?

4. How does false grace differ from biblical grace?

5. Why does tolerated sin eventually affect more than just one person?

6. How does church discipline actually protect both the sinner and the church?

7. Where do you need to confront sin in your own life rather than excuse it?

8. What fears keep believers from having hard but loving conversations?

9. How should churches balance compassion and conviction today?

10. What does it look like to restore someone without affirming their sin?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 5:12.

It's easy to get worked up about everything happening "out there." We shake our heads at culture, critique the headlines, and grow frustrated with people who don't follow Jesus—as if their choices should shock us. But before Paul gives direction, he gives clarity: you can't expect the world to live by a standard it never agreed to.

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? — 1 Corinthians 5:12

Paul tells the Corinthians to stop policing people who don't claim Christ. Unbelievers behaving like unbelievers is not a crisis. It's expected. What is a crisis is when believers behave like unbelievers and no one says a word. When Christians focus more energy on condemning the outside world than shepherding their own community, everything gets upside down.

Jesus didn't police the world—He moved toward it. Paul didn't police the world—he preached to it. The early church didn't police the world—they loved it and reached it. But inside the church? They confronted sin, practiced discipline, and protected one another with humility and truth. They judged behavior not to shame but to restore. That's the difference.

Many believers today get trapped in endless cycles of judging outsiders. We complain about politics, cultural decay, Hollywood, the news, and the morality of people who don't even claim to follow Christ. Meanwhile, friends we love are drifting, compromising, and slipping into patterns that are far more dangerous—and we stay silent. We end up policing the wrong people and ignoring the ones God called us to shepherd.

The real problem isn't worldly people acting worldly. The real problem is God's people acting worldly and no one having the courage to intervene. Policing outside breeds resentment. Policing inside breeds restoration.

So what does it look like to lovingly "police" believers in a biblical way?

• Ask honest questions instead of assuming everything is fine: "Hey, you seem distant lately. How are you doing spiritually?"
• Address what you see, not what you hear: "This is something I've noticed myself, and I care too much not to bring it up."
• Correct gently and clearly: "I'm saying this because it's dangerous for your walk, and I want to help."
• Refuse to normalize what God condemns: "I can't pretend this is okay. I care about you too much."
• Aim for restoration, not embarrassment: "I'm with you in this, and I'm not giving up on you."

This is policing with a shepherd's heart—firm, honest, and aimed at rescue rather than ridicule. It's the kind of accountability that leads believers back to health and strengthens the whole church.

DO THIS:

Choose one believer in your life who may be drifting. Pray, reach out, and take a loving step toward honest conversation or gentle correction.

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I spent more time judging the world than shepherding believers?
2. Who in my life needs loving accountability right now?
3. What step could lead someone I love toward restoration instead of ruin?

PRAY THIS:

Father, help me stop policing the world and start loving, correcting, and restoring the believers You've placed around me. Give me wisdom and courage to speak truth with humility and protect the purity of Your church. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Take My Life and Let It Be"