1 Corinthians 6:1-6 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 6:1-6, which read,
v.1 - Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?
Paul has addressed the sin of pride in the church that has led to divisions and disunity in the church. Next, Paul has addressed the sin of sexual immorality in the church that has led to the compromising of God's word. Now Paul is going to address another sin that has crept into the church.
Paul is talking here about one believer bringing a lawsuit upon another believer. The process that they are following is going to the world's court system instead of going to the church for some type of resolution.
v.2 - Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?
The Christians will eventually judge or rule the world with Christ in the end. If the Christians hold that position then shouldn't we be able as a church to handle these little conflicts without going straight to the world's court system?
v.3 - Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?
The Christians will eventually judge or rule the world with Christ in the end but also the Christians will judge or rule over angels. Angels are ministering spirits to serve the saints so God has provided them to assist the church. If we have the angels also at our disposal then shouldn't we have the resources to handle this conflict without going straight to the world's court system? I am sounding like a broken record here.
v.4 - So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?
Paul is saying that you are going to the courts with judges who have no association with the church for a resolution when the church should be handling these issues because it has more resources from God to do this. They are going to something lesser when they have something greater in their midst.
v.5, 6 - I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
Paul is asking, "Isn't there one wise man or woman in the church who you could go before to settle this issue who would draw upon God and the word of God?" Paul is indicating that there should be. He is also indicating that they are going to lesser counsel when they go to the world court system instead of going to the church and God's judicial system based on Him and Him alone.
We could keep going on here but lets stop and just let that point sink in. The wisdom of God is greater than the wisdom of the world. Do we settle for the wisdom of the world? Do we not avail ourselves to God's system and God's church to resolve an issue rather than running to the courts? If we are both brothers, believers, can we sit at the table of God's word and say we will follow His word and what it says to resolve the matter in front of us? Will we submit to church leadership to serve as a better judge than the judges of the world?
The church at Corinth has believers who are going to court, suing, bringing lawsuits against other believers in the church and bypassing the supreme counsel of God given through His word and administrated by His church. This is the problem that Paul will continue to address.
"Lord, You are the Expert. Your words and wisdom are higher than any other. Why do we look to others when You have the words of life? Why do seek out worldly counsel and bypass godly counsel that would base there counsel off of Your word? Could it be that we would be convicted to change and we don't want to do that, we just want to have it our way? Lord, help me to seek Your answer to the conflict and not the answer that I want which is probably to my benefit and not Yours. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1 - Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?
Paul has addressed the sin of pride in the church that has led to divisions and disunity in the church. Next, Paul has addressed the sin of sexual immorality in the church that has led to the compromising of God's word. Now Paul is going to address another sin that has crept into the church.
Paul is talking here about one believer bringing a lawsuit upon another believer. The process that they are following is going to the world's court system instead of going to the church for some type of resolution.
v.2 - Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?
The Christians will eventually judge or rule the world with Christ in the end. If the Christians hold that position then shouldn't we be able as a church to handle these little conflicts without going straight to the world's court system?
v.3 - Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?
The Christians will eventually judge or rule the world with Christ in the end but also the Christians will judge or rule over angels. Angels are ministering spirits to serve the saints so God has provided them to assist the church. If we have the angels also at our disposal then shouldn't we have the resources to handle this conflict without going straight to the world's court system? I am sounding like a broken record here.
v.4 - So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?
Paul is saying that you are going to the courts with judges who have no association with the church for a resolution when the church should be handling these issues because it has more resources from God to do this. They are going to something lesser when they have something greater in their midst.
v.5, 6 - I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
Paul is asking, "Isn't there one wise man or woman in the church who you could go before to settle this issue who would draw upon God and the word of God?" Paul is indicating that there should be. He is also indicating that they are going to lesser counsel when they go to the world court system instead of going to the church and God's judicial system based on Him and Him alone.
We could keep going on here but lets stop and just let that point sink in. The wisdom of God is greater than the wisdom of the world. Do we settle for the wisdom of the world? Do we not avail ourselves to God's system and God's church to resolve an issue rather than running to the courts? If we are both brothers, believers, can we sit at the table of God's word and say we will follow His word and what it says to resolve the matter in front of us? Will we submit to church leadership to serve as a better judge than the judges of the world?
The church at Corinth has believers who are going to court, suing, bringing lawsuits against other believers in the church and bypassing the supreme counsel of God given through His word and administrated by His church. This is the problem that Paul will continue to address.
"Lord, You are the Expert. Your words and wisdom are higher than any other. Why do we look to others when You have the words of life? Why do seek out worldly counsel and bypass godly counsel that would base there counsel off of Your word? Could it be that we would be convicted to change and we don't want to do that, we just want to have it our way? Lord, help me to seek Your answer to the conflict and not the answer that I want which is probably to my benefit and not Yours. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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