“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

The Bible is not known for being the authority modern culture consults for political commentary, practical living, or ethical advice. The Apostle Paul is especially derided. Even some professing Christians regard his sexual ethics as outdated. Instead of pulling the old let’s-reinterpret-this-Bible-text-to-be-gay-affirming approach, some believers simply say he’s wrong. Let’s just focus on Jesus, they suggest, who allegedly never said anything about homosexuality. That’s why it’s not surprising that one of Paul’s passages should rise to the top of “The Most Politically Incorrect Bible Passage” Hall of Fame.

Paul’s first epistle to the church in Corinth has many challenging admonitions. First Corinthians 6:9–11, however, seems to top them all, especially in light of our country’s ethos. Let’s look at Paul’s words.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Wow. Just wow. Shock jock radio hosts got nothing on this. Here are three reasons why Paul’s passage is the most politically incorrect passage.

1. The passage states that homosexual sex is sin. That’s a big no-no. You can’t say that what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedroom is wrong. Calling it “sin” just overlays a religious tone to it, which makes it doubly wrong. Plus, our country just celebrated “Pride Month,” a time when companies, politicians, and others went out of their way to show their support for the LGBT community. Saying the L, G, and B are morally wrong is countercultural. To be sure, this passage also says that fornicators (those who have sex before marriage), adulterers (those who have sex outside of marriage), drunks, and many others are also equally in sin. Paul claims that anyone engaged in any sexual activity—apart from a married man and woman—is in sin. That throws a whole lot of people in our world into the “sinner” category. Indeed, everyone is guilty of some sin. That includes me. Needless to say, this first point alone qualifies Paul’s words as wildly politically incorrect.

Read More