1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Applebury's Comments

Going to Court Before Pagan Judges (1-11)

Text

1 Corinthians 6:1-11. Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is 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 to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren, 6 but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded? 8 Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 Or 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 men, 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 were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

Commentary

Dare any of you.Paul had expressed surprise that church people neglect their duty remove the immoral person from their midst (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). But when it came to the matter of brethren actually taking their differences before pagan judges to the disgrace of the whole church, he suggested that such a thing was all but unbelievable. Had they so forgotten the divine nature and purpose of the church? He had clearly pointed this out in the opening statements of this epistle. They were the church of God, but one would never know by what they were now doing.

having a matter against his neighbor.Literally, against another; but the context shows that it is another in the family of God, for brother was going to court against brother. Our translation supplies the word neighbor to bring out this idea. Difference could be expected to arise even between brethren. Many differences that do arise, however, could be avoided by the simple practice of the principles of Christianity. Selfishness and a desire to get what does not belong to one are often at the root of such differences. The principle of forgiveness and recognition of the rights of others will often settle such differences. Jesus taught the disciples to pray, forgive our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Perhaps greed and covetousness had led them to forget such practice.

go to law before the unrighteous.The pagan judge was looked upon, and rightly so, as being unrighteous. It was probably difficult, though not impossible, to obtain justice in such courts. Jesus tells of one such judge who feared not God, nor regarded man (Luke 18:4). Pilate was another such judge. He had examined the charges against Jesus and found Him innocent, but for fear of what the Jews might do, he consented to the crucifixion of our Lord. Before the multitudes, he took water and washed his hands saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. Then he scourged Jesus and delivered Him to be crucified (Matthew 27:24). Paul found the same situation when he was brought before Gallio in Corinth (Acts 18:15) and later before Festus (Acts 25:9-11). Certainly, the Corinthian brethren were aware of this, but they disgraced themselves and the whole church by taking their differences before these unjust judges.

not before the saints.Jesus had given the rule to follow in cases of difference between brethren (Matthew 18:15-35). The first thing was to go to the brother alone with a view to gaining the brother. If this failed he was to take one or two others with him in an effort to bring about a reconciliation. If this also failed, he was to tell it to the church. There was no suggestion here that would permit brethren to go to court before pagans. The saints should be able to settle their problems between themselves if they had proper regard for each other and for the sacredness and divine purpose of the church.

the saints shall judge the world.Paul had just asked the question, What have I to do with judging them that are without? It was not his business to regulate the conduct of those who were outside the church; God was judging them. How then shall the saints judge the world? Through the preaching of the gospel the saints do share in Christ's rule in this age. And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers (Revelation 2:26-27). He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne (Revelation 3:21). Jesus indicated that the apostles would sit on twelve thrones in the time when men were being made new creaturesthe regenerationjudging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). While this has to do with the work of the apostles in which the saints also share through their part in preaching the gospel, it is possible that it may suggest that this rule may extend to all the world since the gospel is to be preached in all the world. This, it must be admitted, is only a possible fulfillment of Paul's statement about the saints ruling the world.

The conduct of saints is regularly expected to judge (by comparison) the conduct of the world. If some men can do what Christ requires, others can also. No man, then, can say that he is doing the sinful thing because he can-'t help it. Peter makes it clear that the good behavior of the saints, which the Gentiles behold, will answer the charges against them in the day of judgment (1 Peter 2:11-12). This can probably apply to situations of this life as well.

The point that Paul is making is this: Since your daily conduct will judge that of the world, why attempt to reverse the process by going to the unbelievers to decide your cases?

are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?Two different courts are under consideration. In one, the saints are acting as judges in the highest courts as they judge the world and angels through the preaching of the gospel. In the other, brethren are to handle cases pertaining to this life such as differences among themselves. If the saints are to sit in the higher courts, are they unworthy to sit in the courts that handle things of this life? Must those who are destined to act as judges in courts pertaining to angels seek a settlement of differences between brethren in the courts that are presided over by the unjust pagans who are not even counted among the believers.

we shall judge angels.Not only will saints judge the world, but they will also judge angels. Paul indicates that this will be true but does not state when or how it is to be done. This suggests that we should exercise caution in attempting to answer the problem.

All men will come before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Will this be true also of angels? What of angels that sinned who are committed to pits of darkness until the judgment (2 Peter 2:4)? An interesting suggestion that may have some bearing on the issue is found in Paul's statement that the manifold wisdom of God will be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places through the church (Ephesians 3:10). The passage is difficult to understand. Who are the principalities and powers? They may be the heavenly hosts that surround the throne of God (Ephesians 1:20-21), or they may beand this is probably correctthe forces of wickedness that oppose Christ (Ephesians 6:12). If the latter is true, then the church is God's means of demonstrating to the angels that rebelled against His authority that some men will serve Him out of their love for Him. The church is made up of those who deliberately choose to do God's will and refuse to do the bidding of Satan. If men can do this, angels certainly could have done so. The character and conduct of the saints then become a means of judging angels that sinned.

The point to remember, of course, is that saints will be exalted to this highest responsibility and should therefore be able to take care of such little things as the differences that may arise among them.

no account in the church.Since they are to take care of matters that pertain to their own members, who is to act in the capacity of judge? Is it to be some unjust pagan? The very thought should have shamed the brethren who were doing this thing. Men who were not even members of the church were being asked to decide the problems of brethren.

It does not seem that this could be a reference to the least esteemed member of the church as if they were excusing themselves for going to the pagan judges by saying that they had no confidence in their own members.

one wise man.Surely there was one wise man among them who could decide these matters. Ordinarily, it would be the task of an elder or the minister. The point is, he is to be a wise man, one who is well trained in the Word and experienced in such life situations.

This does not prohibit the Christian from defending himself against attacks of those who are not brethren. At Philippi, Paul was unjustly treated, but he demanded that he be given his rights as a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). When he failed to get justice before Festus, he exercised his right as a Roman and appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:10).

a defect in you.More accurately, defeat. Actually the church had already been defeated when it turned from brethren to pagans to settle its differences. They were defeated in their responsibility to judge the world and angels, for how could they act as judges in the higher courts if they couldn-'t settle matters of this life. They were defeated in their reputation in the community, for quarreling brethren would have no standing even among pagans, They were defeated in their mission, for they were to win men to Christ, but how could they do so when they practiced things that caused the outsiders to look down on them? They were defeated in their stand against Satan when they permitted such things to arise, for strife and division are not of Christ.

Why not rather take wrong?Rather than cause the church to be disgraced before the pagan community, a better way would be to take wrong or be defrauded. No personal injury or material loss could possibly justify an injury to the church which is a temple of God. Do the brethren count themselves and their possessions of more value than Christ and His church? Rather than let the church be defeated in its mission to bring men to Christ, why not suffer a personal injury or loss? Viewed from the standpoint of their inheritance in the kingdom of God, the things men quarrel over are trivial indeed. One stands to loose his inheritance by such quarrels.

Be not deceived.They were being led astray by the supposed importance of the things of this life. Paul calls them back to reality and truth by reminding them that no unrighteous person, inside or outside of the church, is to inherit the kingdom of God. He presents a long list of sinners to prove his point. It includes sins that were commonly associated with idolatrous worship. Adulterers, sensual persons, and homosexuals were guilty of sinning against the body. Drunkenness and abusive language often accompanied such sins. Thieves, covetous persons, and robbers had no lot in God's kingdom. Were covetousness and a desire to get what did not belong to them motivating brethren to go to pagan courts?

such were some of you.The apostle does not say that all of them had been guilty of these sins before becoming Christians. Some of them had been. What they were now doing meant that they were going back to the state from which they had been rescued by the gospel of Christ. Peter has a word to say about such a thing: It were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them. It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire (2 Peter 2:21-22).

ye were washed, ye were sanctified, ye were justified.All three take place in the one act of baptism. Baptism is a washing, not just in water, but in the blood of Christ. Ananias told Saul to get himself baptized and wash away his sins because he had called on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Water, of course, has power to cleanse the filth of the flesh (1 Peter 3:21), but God also assigns it a place in His plan to purify the soul by the blood of the Lamb (Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:22). The blood of Christ blots out sin (Romans 3:25), and cleanses the conscience (Hebrews 9:13-14). The sinner reaches the blood of Christ when he is baptized into his death (Romans 6:3-5; Revelation 7:14).

Sanctification is separation from sin and consecration to the service of the Lord. It is accomplished by obedience to the command of Christ that brings the sinner to His blood which separates him from his sin. Peter says that you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22). But you were redeemed from the vain manner of your life with precious blood, as of a lamb, even the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). John says, the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Justification means acquittal or pardon. It is the pardon granted by the merciful heavenly Father to the sinner who has committed himself to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith that is expressed in obedience to His Word. Much more then, being justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him (Romans 5:9). In baptism, the blood of Christ washes away the sin and separates the sinner from his past life. Because of this, God pardons the sinner and removes his guilt. Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). God says, I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12). Pardon, of course, does not remove the fact that the believer has sinned. John says, If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:10).

After listing various classes of sinners, Paul says, That's what some of you used to be. Now that they have been washed, sanctified, and justified, they are to act accordingly. They should not permit covetousness nor any other sin to cause them to bring the church into disgrace by going to law before pagan judges.

in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.The washing, sanctifying, and pardoning were done in the name of Christ, that is, by His authority. These things were also done within the limits set by the Spirit of our Godthe Holy Spirit. The apostles spoke under the direction of the Holy Spirit when they stated the terms of pardon (John 20:21-23); Acts 2:4; Acts 2:37-39). There is no acquittal from sins outside the limits prescribed by the Spirit of God as revealed in the Word.