Thursday, August 21, 2014

1 Corinthians 6:1-8

1 Corinthians 6:1-8
Do some of you all dare – while having a legal action against another – to be judged by the unrighteous and not by the holy ones?  Or have you all not known that the holy ones will judge the world?  And if the world is being judged in you all, are you all unworthy of legal action of trivial matters?  Have you all not known that we will judge the angels – and not in matters of human existence!  Therefore, if you all should have legal action in matters of human existence, why do you all set them among these ones who have no value in the church?  I say this to your shame.  So is there not anyone in you all who is wise who will have power to judge in the midst of his brothers?  But brother is being judged with brother – and this is by ones who are unbelieving?  This is already a complete failure for you all, that you all have legal matters with each other.  For what reason do you not rather choose to be done unrighteousness?  For what reason do you not rather choose to be defrauded?  But you all do unrighteousness and you all defraud – and you all do this to brothers!

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In Jewish culture, it was typically assumed forbidden to go to the civil court to decide matters among Jews.  A Jew would not go to a Greek or Roman court to decide a matter between two Jews.  The Jewish culture would decide it among themselves.  The principle at work here is that spiritual people should be able to decide both spiritual and non-spiritual matters.  We who are genuinely following God should not need the legalism of the world to make things right.  If we are who Christ says we are, we shouldn’t need the legalism of the world.  If we need to rely on the legalism of the world, it reveals both truth about our character and truth about our community.  It reveals truth about who we are versus who Christ says we are.

Have you ever seen two followers of Christ not be able to settle their differences within the church?  Why is that harmful to the church?  Why is that harmful to our proclamation to the world?

Second Thought:

In the middle of this passage Paul makes a really neat point upon which I do not want to dwell too deeply.  When we take legal matters up with one another, we prove that we do not believe in the spiritual wisdom that God has placed in our midst.  It’s plain and simple.  When we take matters up with one another and refuse to forgive, we demonstrate our own disbelief in Matthew 18:15-20.  We make bold claims about ourselves and our community when we chose worldly justice over forgiveness.

Do you really believe in the spiritual wisdom in your midst?  Do you always live accordingly?  Why is it difficult to believe in spiritual wisdom?

Third Thought:

The last two verses in this passage are powerful.  Paul wants to know something of the Corinthians.  If they are claiming to be so spiritual, why are they so afraid of taking the higher road and allowing themselves to be done unrighteousness?  If they are claiming to be so spiritual, why are they so afraid of taking the higher road and allowing themselves to be defrauded by deception?  What is more important: to fight tooth and claw or to allow false accusations to wash over you and trust that God will sort it out to your glory in the end?  Paul knows the truth.  To fight tooth and claw will only cause deep injury and allow the world to believe that we are no better than they are.  When people come against us and see through any means to injure and defraud, often the best approach is to let it happen, move on, and let God settle the issue in the end.  One of the fundamental true principles of following a crucified Savior is that His genuine disciple will choose to be wronged rather than to do wrong.  It is a part of Christ’s DNA.  It is what led Him to the cross.  It should be a part of our DNA as well.

Do you think this is easier said than done?  Why?  Why is it so difficult to allow ourselves to be wronged and defrauded?  Can you make an argument for this being the higher road?


Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

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