I was just simply focusing on the same idea you and Ducky were with 1 Cor.6:12, comparing it with other Scripture by Apostle Paul. My point is that all of what Paul said there must be included, also with other of Paul's Epistles where he speaks of the same things. Galatians 5 is one of them. So is 1 Timothy 1:9-10.
The problem is how some misinterpret the idea of "lawful" there from Paul.
1 Cor 6:9-11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
(KJV)
Paul just said that prior to the 1 Cor.6:12 verse, so that MUST be included with his Message.
He began in 1 Cor.6 of how some of the brethren were going before the law among the unjust against other Christian brethren, instead of their being able to settle their differences among themselves as Christ's body.
The Greek word for "lawful" involves the idea of having power over, and power to do. Paul said in 1 Timothy 1 that the law was made for the unrighteous and not for Christ's body. He was rebuking them for not showing that. He was not LITERALLY intending that all things are 'lawful' in the absolute sense for Christ's body, which is clear with what he said in those 1 Cor.6:9-11 verses above, and even in Gal.5 about those who walk by their flesh not inheriting the Kingdom.
This reveals that the law has not passed away, and that we as believers can bring ourselves back into bondage under the law by not walking by The Spirit. Refusing to forgive another's trespasses against us, and instead going to the law among the unjust is like walking by our flesh, and not by The Spirit. At the same time, our Lord Jesus and Paul covered what to do with an unrepentant brother that keeps doing trespass among Christ's body.
So really, Paul was not preaching that all things are literally lawful to us, but that Christ's body has been given power to be ascendent over the law by not doing things which bring the power of the law back over us. That was his message in Galatians 5 also; for doing the works of The Spirit, against such there is no law.
First off, an apology is in order on one thing. You stated on July 16th at 3:29 AM:
"So how do we reconcile that
1 Cor.10:23 verse with what Paul said in Galatians 5?"
I in turn commented you were leaving out 1 Cor 6:12. You weren't in that you were addressing similar verses. I cannot describe the thought process that lead me to say that, but there was one. In any sense, I retract that statement.... You weren't leaving it out or ignoring it.
But that's about where the apology ends. I absolutely agree with you that all of what Paul said must be included. I detailed all of 1 Cor 6 (or at least most of it) in another thread. Many of the conclusions you came to were similar to mine. However, sticking to that same thing, don't forget verse 11 which says they [we] are washed, sanctified, justified IN THE NAME OF JESUS (not ourselves, or our works of good or evil).
I must also say that yes, Paul did literally mean "all things are lawful unto me." He also said that not all things are expedient, edify and that he would not be brought under their power. IF we break that statement down, it's more than just people have the power or ability (if that's what you are implying) to do them. He literally means its not held against us (why? Because we have been sanctified and justified by Jesus' death... No other reason!) Furthermore, he says "unto me". This implies it isn't lawful for others. Because not all things were lawful to the Jews. Why? They were still under the law. One day I will do a count of how many times Paul said things like, "we are not under the law", "we are covered by grace, not the law" and statements like that. I imagine it would be well above 20.
But yes, Paul was saying that all things were lawful. That means "all things". Since he was talking about certain things in the previous verses... He especially means them. Don't forget, he wasn't scolding them for those things at the time, but for taking brothers before unbelievers, as you yourself have acknowledged.
In the book of 1 Timothy 1 he wasn't rebuking anybody, much less a "them". It was a letter to one individual, and in that chapter there was no rebuke to him or any "them".
I have two more points to cover. First, Galatians 5. There are more verses in this book that state we are free from the law and under grace than any other book with the possible exception of Romans. THIS book is a rebuke, unlike Timothy. It was a rebuke for going back to the Law. If you talk about verses 19-21, fine. But then you are ignoring the rest of the book. Furthermore, the opening line of these verses is: now the works of the flesh are.... Veteran. We are all in the flesh and we all do these things whether it be physically, in thought, or subconsciencely or (that which is truly damning) spiritually. The fact that he says these are the sins of the flesh (and also the fact which many people deny: we all to them to some point) is rebutted in that we are to focus more on the spiritual growth, as he goes on to say. So I don't reconcile anything. The Bible does.
Let me turn that around on you. How do you reconcile Galatians 5 with Paul saying, "The good that I would do, I do not; but the evil that I would not, that I do. Yet it is not I, but sin that dwelleth in me" [somewhat of a paraphrash]. Paul himself was saying he was guilty of the very things you say we can't do!
You also said this:
"Paul was not preaching that all things are literally lawful to us, but that Christ's body has been given power to be ascendent over the law by not doing things which bring the power of the law back over us."
Simply not true. Grace through faith means ALL our sins are covered. Christ can help us quit some sins, but we are still guilty of sin. For every sin you claim Christ help you stop doing (and I believe he can and did) there are many more sins which he didn't help you quit. This theory is outright dangerous in that it leads people to believe that unless they live a sterile life, they aren't saved. They will spend more time trying to "live holy" than they will learning of him.
So grace gives us the power to stop doing things which bring the power of the law back to us? It didn't work for Paul, because he said he still did evil even when he didn't want to. It didn't work for Peter because Paul still had to confront him for not believing grace, and he argued with God concerning the eating of meats. It didn't work for John either because he still couldn't seem to get along with Paul (his brother in Christ, and I'm not laying the blame on John alone). How's it going to work for us if it didn't for the three most prominant Apostles?
I want to say one more thing. I am not defending sin but am defending Grace. Even though I claim what the Bible says in that Paul said all things are lawful, Paul was STILL saying NOT to do them! It was still a rebuke and I fully acknowledge that Paul was against it. I don't think that anybody should sin and I think that everyone should fight it with all their abilities. I am not telling anyone they should sin. I'm not even telling them they can sin without punishment. I agree with John... Flee from it! I wish just one person would recognize that I am NOT encouraging sin in any way, shape or form.