March 8, 2015
Morning Service

I Cor. 6

 

            The different situations in the church at Corinth we see still happening in the church today.  Division in the church, preacher religion, teaching a different gospel, fornication, and other worldly sins.  You have heard the expression “the world is slipping into the church.”  It only means that the church is getting more like the world, and falling away from being more like Christ.   We are called to be a separate, and peculiar people.  Christian ways are not the ways of the world.  Paul said in one place, “we are in the world, but we are not of the world.”    

            This morning we address the problem of civil actions, taking a believer to court before unbelievers, and the sin of the previous chapter, fornication.   Chapter six of I Cor.

 

1Co 6:1-20  Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 

·         If we have reason for dispute, Paul is saying, settle it in the church. 

·         This might have been a prevailing evil in the church of Corinth, and demanded correction. The word “dare” here implies that it was inconsistent with religion, and improper. “can you do it; is it proper or right; or do you presume so far to violate all the principles of Christianity as to do it.”

·         Having a matter - A subject of litigation; or a suit. There may be differences between people in regard to property and right, in which there shall be no blame on either side. They may both be desirous of having it settled in a peaceful manner. It is not a difference between people that is in itself wrong, but it is the spirit with which the difference is adhered to, and the unwillingness to have justice done that is so often wrong.

·         Against another - Another member of the congregation. A Christian brother. The apostle here directs his reproof against the “plaintiff,” as having the choice of the tribunal before which he would bring the cause.

·         Before the unjust - The pagan tribunals; for the word “unjust” here evidently stands opposed to the saints. The apostle does not mean that they were always unjust in their decisions, or that equity could in no case be hoped from them, but that they were classed in that division of the world which was different from the saints, and is synonymous with unbelievers as opposed to believers.

·         And not before the saints - Before Christians. Can you not settle your differences among yourselves as Christians, by leaving the cause to your brethren, as arbitrators, instead of going before pagan magistrates? The Jews would not allow any of their causes to be brought before the Gentile courts. Their rule was this, “He that tries a cause before the judges of the Gentiles, and before their tribunals, is an ungodly man,”  They even looked upon such an action as bad as profaning the name of God.

Jesus said this concerning attitude, and going to law:

·         Mat 5:22-25  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  (23)  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  (24)  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.  (25)  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

·         Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

­­This explanation is why the Apostle felt the way he did concerning this situation.  But let’s go on with what he says:

(2)  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  (3)  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 

·         Jesus told His immediate twelve this: Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

·         The reference to judging angels is in speculation, but none the less accurate because the Apostle says it here.  I could find no reference other than this for this statement.

(4)  If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 

·         To me, this is a degrading statement.  Who wants to say, or admit that they are the least esteemed in the church?  “Here, let me judge, I’m a nobody!”  Kinda harsh, but Paul gives an answer to his statement.

(5)  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?  (6)  But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 

·         Let’s look at our situation today.  First of all we are taught to be under the laws of the land.  We have a litigation process.

·         Paul teaches us this in the Roman letter chapter 13.

·         When we stop, and think about our system of justice today, we realize that it is basically designed from the Bible teachings.  The men, and women that sit as judges, are mostly Christians, from one fellowship or another.

·         However, I believe here in I Cor. Paul is referring to judgment in the particular fellowship.  Such as, this fellowship in Corinth.  No matter what fellowship, we should have the same rule of judgment, the Bible, and if a decision cannot be reached in the church, we should not feel guilty if we have to settle it in a court of law.  These are the laws that we are taught to be under.

(7)  Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 

·         Here he basically says what the Lord said, about accepting the wrong.  Yes, this is the perfect way, however, we are not perfect in fleshly matters, and sometimes our flesh prevails.  When we take a brother to law, it only shows us we still have work to do on our character.

However, we find as we conclude this chapter that Paul is referring to the judgment of this person that has committed fornication in the church.  He is telling the church that the least esteemed in the church should be the ones to bring a decision on this action. 

We can see the problem!!  I would consider myself the least esteemed in the church, and I don’t like to judge anyone, knowing I have enough faults of my own.  So let someone else judge, not me.

 

We jump ahead of ourselves, but this the Apostle’s thought concerning committing fornication: 

1Co 6:18-20  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  (19)  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

·         As we can see, the encouragement is to flee from this sin, as of any other, doing our best to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

Almighty God, help us to see the importance of a good witness to the world, and give us the grace to be what You would want us to be.  Amen.