“…that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers — in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching” (1 Timothy 1:9-10 NET).
This passage continues a list of sample violations of the Law with “…those who kill their fathers or mothers.” Murder (or the unlawful killing of one human being by another) is an act that disregards the inherent value of human beings who are made in the image of God. Because of this, the murder of a father or mother represents the ultimate demonstration of disrespect towards those we are instructed to honor.
Next comes the sexually immoral. This phrase is associated with our modern-day concept of “pornography” when it appears within the New Testament. The Biblical use of this term identifies various forms of inappropriate sexual conduct including adulterous relationships, sexual relationships between unmarried couples, and polyamorous relationships, among others. Jesus also expanded this definition to include internal expressions of sexual immorality as well. Thus, “sexual immorality” generally encompasses any kind of sexual activity that goes beyond God’s original design for marital relationships.
This is followed by practicing homosexuals, a reference to sexual activity between persons of the same gender. Much like the prohibition against heterosexual adultery, the admonition against this type of sexual activity finds its origin in the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads” (20:13 NIV, see also Romans 1:26-27).
As is true within many 21st century cultures, homosexual engagements were common among some members of first-century Roman society. In fact, many sources note that over one dozen of the first fifteen Roman Emperors were involved in homosexual or bisexual relationships. Nevertheless, it is important to observe that homosexual behavior does not serve as the focal point of this passage.
Much like the other attitudes and behaviors identified within these verses, this practice reveals an internal mindset that misses the mark of God’s will for His creation. In the words of one commentator, “Christians err when they excuse homosexuality, and deny that it is sin. But they also err just as badly when they single it out as a sin God is uniquely angry with.” (1)
(1) David Guzik, 1 Corinthians 6 – Lawsuits and Loose Living [4. (8-11)] https://enduringword.com/commentary/1-corinthians-6/