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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