1 Corinthians 6:1-11

¹ If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? ² Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ⁴ Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? ⁵ I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? ⁶ But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

Paul introduces another topic on lawsuits amongst the believers in Corinth. Though it seems as if his tone has changed since the beginning of this letter from approaching them as a loving father to now approaching this topic and the previous topic on sexual immorality with a rod of discipline.

His case is that believers who are having disputes with one another immediately go to court and seek the advice of those who are non-believers. This is a problem for him because he is expecting them to rely on God and also the Spirit of God who lives within those who believe and are equipped for providing godly advice according to his word. If they ask those outside of the church who are still living in sin it would be like the blind leading the blind. 

1 Corinthians 1:20 “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

In verse 2 Paul mentions that the believers will judge the world and the angels. This authority was also given to the twelve followers of Christ who sit on twelve thrones. They were given the authority to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. It is the judge’s duty to determine the outcome of cases and for the believers, they were given such a high authority from God to be judge’s and to oversee the outcome of the world at the end time. If they have been given such a position from God, then Paul is saying that they should also be competent enough to be able to judge the more trivial cases without having to go to non-believers who think with worldly wisdom and not Godly wisdom. Not only this, but in taking their fellow Christian to court they do this in front of unbelievers and therefore not showing them a good example of the love of God in their lives. The implication then, is two-fold. One, they should be able to practise their authority. Two, they should be able to be a good example for those outside of the church.

Revelation 20:4 “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

 ⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. ⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men ¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul warns them in these next verses that because there have been lawsuits amongst them, they have been defeated by this world. So instead of doing what is right they are now doing things that go against God’s will. Paul lists a number of things that will prevent a Christian from inheriting the kingdom of God. Although they call themselves Christians, if they continue in doing wrong then they cannot inherit the kingdom. Just as it was with the Israelites. They committed sin before God after being delivered from Egypt (the land of their enemies) and God wasn’t pleased so they ended up wandering the desert for 40 years. No one in that generation inherited the promised land. It is the same in this sense. That now they are saved in Christ, washed clean from sin, and sanctified by his grace , they should live holy lives and no longer continue in sin. But if they do all the things Paul has listed then they won’t inherit the kingdom.

Filed under: 1 Corinthians, Apostle Paul, Bible study, Christianity, church divisions, corinthians, God, Jesus, lawsuits, New Testament, Scripture, sexual immorality