1 Corinthians
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1 Corinthians 6
1 Corinthians 6
1Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
1Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Commentary · verse 1
2Or 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?
3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?
4If then ye have to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church?
2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
Commentary · verses 2-4
Doctrine: Believers will judge angels. Angels have not been judged yet. Also, believers should be settling disputes within their community. Other believers should be able to resolve a dispute you are having. The church should not have to go to the world to settle internal disputes. The point here was that if believers would judge the world and judge angels, shouldn't believers be wise enough to judge matters between themselves? Believers ought to be examples of judging matters well.
Doctrines on this passage
5I 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,
5I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
Commentary · verse 5
Here was an example of Paul speaking something in order to shame the reader. Paul asked if the Corinthians had even one wise man among them. Remember, Paul was writing to the church of Corinth. It seemed that they had no leaders. A believer who can judge between other believers is considered wise.
6but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7Nay, 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?
6But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Commentary · verses 6-7
Paul did not say going to law against a brother was wrong. Paul was disappointed (and saw it as a defect) that they could not settle the disputes themselves. Paul said it was better to be wronged or defrauded than to have a lawsuit with another believer. Notice, Paul was referencing Reward through Justice. Paul stated it would be better to allow a brother to take advantage of you and get Reward at Final Judgment. However, a first step in doing this is to first understand if you have been defrauded. We ought to confront the brother who sins against us (Luke 17:3 and Matthew 18:15-18). If they do not hear us, we ought to continue the process for their benefit and take it to the church. If they do not hear the church, they fall under the process from the previous chapter. If they hear and do not repent, then we ought to act as mercy towards them and receive whatever Reward we are due on Judgment Day.
8Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9Or 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, 10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11And 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.
8Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9Know 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 mankind,
10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Commentary · verses 8-11
Paul warned the believers that handling this issue incorrectly could put them in danger of not inheriting the Kingdom of God, of no longer having Salvation and returning to the condition they were in before becoming believers. Paul transitioned from his original topic to the concept of fornication. Paul did this to set up the next chapter. Pay close attention to Paul's thought process because it was critical to understanding the rest of this letter to the church in Corinth.
Doctrines on this passage
12All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.
12All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Commentary · verse 12
Paul wanted the reader to know that to a believer, all things were lawful but not all things were profitable (good/create). This verse continued the transition to show how forming covenants with those outside the church could lead to becoming an unbeliever. Paul first stated in verse 12 that none of the laws outside the church had any power over him so he should not form a covenant with the world through its laws.
13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body: 14and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up us through his power.
13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
Commentary · verses 13-14
Paul then explained that allowing laws (or any other influence) outside the church to have power over us was fornication. Definitions:
- "Fornication" was "to commit idolatry."
- Idolatry was "giving one's self to an image."
There were two ways to do this:
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worship another god, or
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covenantal sexual intercourse with an unbeliever.
Both of these result in forming covenants without God's involvement. Remember this definition as you read the rest of this chapter.
15Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid.
16Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.
17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
Commentary · verses 15-17
Paul stated that having covenantal sexual intercourse with someone caused you to join to their spirit.
18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
Commentary · verse 18
Fornication is a sin against one's own body because it is the forming of a covenant to another god.
19Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;
19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Commentary · verse 19
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit because He lives in us. Fornication is an attempt to worship another god within the temple of the Holy Spirit.
20for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.
20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Commentary · verse 20
Theme of Chapter 6: The second doctrinal issue that Paul addressed concerned settling disputes between believers. Paul stated we ought to settle disputes within the church. We should not go outside the church, to the world, to settle our disputes. Paul warned that not being able to settle these disputes could lead to becoming an unbeliever. Paul even continued in this vein by showing that forming covenants with unbelievers was fornication and was a sin against our own body which ought to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Doctrines on this passage
The first doctrinal issue dealt with the division within the church because of a fornicator posing as a believer. The second doctrinal issue dealt with division within the church because of a dispute between two believers.