July
24th 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.
- What is the next major issue that Paul raises?
- What does Paul recommend as a better way to deal with injustice in the church?
- List and describe the people that Paul says will not inherit the kingdom of God?
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