Of
Lawsuits And Judgments
[1st
Corinthians 6, verses 1 through11]
In
today's chronological study of the writings of the apostle Paul, we
will examine the first half of First Corinthians chapter six. We'll
tackle the second half next week because there is so much in this
chapter that to breeze through it in one lesson really can't do
justice to this passage of Scripture. Paul had just finished telling
the Corinthian congregation to expel a certain member who was
apparently openly sexually immoral in a particularly revolting way.
Paul then continues this train of thought, but he is now changing his
focus from internal to external, apparently regarding certain
lawsuits from within the congregation that were being litigated
outside the church in the court system of its day. Although the
original reason for these lawsuits have long since been lost to
history, what matters here is what Paul has to say about it,
beginning at verse one.
“If
any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the
ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know
that saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world,
are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we
will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore,
if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men
of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it
possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a
dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law
against another – and this in front of unbelievers!” (I
Corinthians 6: verses 1-6 NIV)
Paul wants to know in verse one why the church is
having an internal matter brought before the legal system right in
front of ungodly pagans. Is it not wiser to settle a dispute within
the church between the parties involved, out of sight of
nonbelievers? And is it not wiser, Paul is asking, to have Christian
believers considering such matters rather than godless, corrupt and
unprincipled people, many of whom have no conception of true
spirituality? In the next sentence, when Paul asks the Corinthian
church if they know that saints will judge the world, he is referring
to the second coming of Christ at the end of the book of Revelation.
All God's children who had been taken away in the Rapture of His
church seven years prior to Christ's triumphant return (as it is
correctly predicted in the book of Revelation) will come back with
Him at His second coming to rule over the earth and over all those
who survive the 7 years of tribulation described in Revelation.
Paul then continues by asking why there is no one
competent or discerning enough to judge such matters from within the
Corinthian church. In modern English, Paul is asking the Corinthian
congregation, “Aren't you people smart enough to judge internal
disputes? I thought you were. Are you now telling me that I was wrong
and that I overestimated you?” In the next sentence Paul asks if
they know that the saints – who are all God's children through the
blood sacrifice of Christ Jesus – will judge angels. What is he
talking about here? Paul was referring again to the second coming of
Christ that he had just mentioned. At the second coming, which will
be the end of the age we are currently living in and the beginning of
a new age of peace, after the Saints have begun the 1,000-year reign
of Jesus Christ, the angels of heaven will be judged. The reason for
this is that long ago before the creation of mankind, there was war
in heaven (see Revelation chapter 12, verses 7,8, and 9) in the form
of a revolt led by Lucifer – who is now called Satan, and he is
chief of the demonic realm – which resulted in one-third of the
angels of heaven who followed Lucifer and revolted against God being
thrown out of heaven and they became banished from heaven forever.
Eternal punishment awaits them all, along with all those who refuse
to believe in Jesus. To finish this thought, not only will God's
children judge and rule over all the survivors of the tribulation –
including World War Three which will precede it – but we saints and
believers will judge the angels as well. God will bring Lucifer and
all those demons who followed him in revolt against God before God's
judgment throne, and they will be convicted and condemned to hell
forever by a jury of all the saints.
So Paul is saying that if we are wise enough to judge
angels and tribulation survivors in the sight of God, since He
implanted us all with sufficient spiritual wisdom to accomplish this,
then there should be no problem with settling disputes between church
members that are of little importance. In closing this passage of
Scripture, Paul does not try to hide his exasperation with this
church for what they are doing, telling them that they are setting a
bad example for new believers and pagans alike. When Paul writes,
“But instead, one brother goes to law against another – and this
in front of unbelievers!”, he is jumping into their business for
making a spectacle of themselves in front of unbelievers who might
otherwise be won over to Christ. Telling people that any church is
worshiping Jesus Christ in Spirit and in truth while at the same time
being unable to get along with each other – not to mention suing
each other – is a glaring contradiction if ever there was one. Paul
concludes this train of thought starting at verse seven.
“The
very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been
completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not
rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and
you do this to your brothers. Do you not know that the wicked will
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the
sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes
nor homosexual offenders nor thieves not the greedy nor drunkards nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of
you were. 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.” (I Corinthians 6: verses 7-11 NIV)
Paul is clearly telling the Corinthians they are
already defeated and their faith is meaningless so long as they
continue litigating against each other over trivial matters. He is
reminding them that the foremost commands of Christ Himself were to
love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our
neighbors as ourselves. Paul is warning them to return to the basis
for their faith practiced in love, which is no less than the
salvation of Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected and ascended into
heaven only to return in our present time for His church. He is
reminding them of Jesus' teaching at the Sermon on the Mount in the
gospel of Matthew chapters 5 through 7. Jesus said we are to bless
those who curse us, to love our enemies, and that when one is struck
on one side of their face they are to turn the other side towards
their assailant also rather than fight back. I can tell you from
personal experience that this last commandment is not an easy one to
follow, particularly for someone like myself who formerly had issues
with anger and with my temper before getting saved and acquiring the
peace of Christ, a peace which surpasses all human understanding and
comprehension. Anyone reading this who has similar issues should take
heart, because Jesus is real and He wants to heal you. Let Jesus take
that anger away, especially if it's hard to let go of it.
Paul's diatribe against immoral people – and there's
lots of them today just like back then – still rings true today for
the most part. I'm not sure why Paul singled out male prostitutes
instead of either gender, it's hard to tell in this particular
passage. Given the tough economic times in which we are living, I can
see why a few people might be attracted to this lifestyle. I don't
condone it, but I can see why people would resort to such desperate
measures as that. But the other things he mentioned, such as idolatry
– which can take on many different forms such as a spouse or
significant other, cars, houses, watching too much TV or constantly
playing video games while the rest of people's lives go straight down
the toilet – exist today in even greater proliferation than it did
back in Paul's time. Homosexuality is also mentioned, but since I
have already posted at length about gay people and why straight
people have no business condemning them, I will save that discussion
for later.
Paul's
main point remains as a command to live at peace with each other. If
we fail to do so, our Christian faith can easily deteriorate to the
realm of sniping, gossiping and backbiting. We all have the built-in
ability to acquire this peace of Christ if we ask Him with a glad and
thankful heart, claiming by faith the peace of Jesus Christ. Simply
pray to Jesus to send you His peace today. Let's pray together,”
Dear Lord Jesus, I want to learn how to live in peace with everyone,
starting with myself. Teach me your inner peace so I can be a more
effective Christian that will lead to my becoming a better person. In
Jesus' mighty name, amen.”
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