AM July 24th 1 Cor 6

July 24^th            1 Corinthians 6              Brothers going to court

1: Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 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? 4: If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 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. 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? 8: Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 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.

Next Paul deals with another scandal. It’s the taking of each other to civil courts to settle disputes. Paul says quite simply how dare you!  If believers have a matter against each other why would they go to an unsaved magistrate to settle the issue? Why would they not settle it in front of Christians who are capable of judging difficult issues. Paul says don’t you realise that one day Christians will judge the world and if the world is to be judged by us why would we go to the world to judge us? Are christians incapable of judging issues between themselves? One day we christians will judge angels. So if we are going to judge angels can’t we judge things concerning this life? Let those who judge be the Christians who are humble and ordinary Christians. I am saying this so that you will be ashamed of yourselves. Isn’t there anyone that is wise in your church? Not even one who will be able to judge between his brothers. You take your brothers to the courts of unbelievers don’t you realise that you are all family, you are all brothers? This is a terrible thing and a huge mistake. Why do you not rather take a fault being committed against you? Why don’t you allow someone to defraud you? Do not deceive yourselves, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, extortioners, will not inherit the Kingdom of God. And you were like that once, but you have been washed and made holy, you have been declared righteous in the name of Jesus Christ and by the operation of the Holy Spirit of God.