The Dark Shadow on the Church: The Case of Internal Litigation
1 Corinthians 6:1-11
Truth Taught- We must realize who we are in Christ and live accordingly.
We saw last time at the end of Chapter 5 that the Church is in fact, to judge those on the inside. Paul told us that God would judge those outside the Church.
1 Corinthians 5:12–13 (ESV)
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Their first judgement was to clean out the old leaven, remove the incestuous man, purge the evil person from among you.
Now, today we’ll see another type of judgement that must take place inside the Christian community. This judgement is to take place when there arises some legal matter within the Church. Again, the dynamic is that our responsibility of judgement takes place within the Church not on those outside.
The point the Apostle makes is that if the Church is not to judge those outside then it should not go outside for internal affairs.
Here’s the context…There was a man in the Church of Corinth who had defrauded another man within the Church. The man defrauded takes the case to the civil magistrates at the judgement seat of the city. This is a defeat for the Church and shows how secular the Church was.
What should have happened here and how does this show the condition of this early Church?
Then we will see the eternal warning.
1 Corinthians 6:1–11 (ESV)
6 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. 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.
1. The Dark Shadow on the Church: Brother Takes Brother to Court (6:1-6)
6 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
The specific issue here in the Corinthian Church is that a brother has defrauded a brother within the Church and the plaintiff (the one who suffered the loss) is taking matters outside the Church to the Roman authorities for proper justice. It seems the Church was more corrupt than the outside governing authorities.
Brother taking Brother to court.
God views the Church as a community of saints that are well on their way to their eschatological kingdom. Part of the Church’s task in the New Heavens and New Earth is to be involved in judgment of the world of sinners.
Do you see Paul’s literal horror here? If we are to be those who judge the world at the last day then why would brother ever take brother to court outside the Church seeking fair judgement?
He gives this very worldly Church in Corinth two…do you not know…
A. Do you not know you will judge the world?
2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
Paul’s attitude is, this makes no sense. One day you will be passing eternal judgement on the lost world. And you cannot even make a good judgement on some trivial case within the Church? Are you so corrupt and godless that you have to go outside the Church for justice?
do you not know that the saints will judge the world?
Here is the Church of Corinth that was so eager to judge Paul’s Apostolic credentials and calling. They were so proud and arrogant in their human wisdom using that to make judgements and yet they do not seemingly have an ounce of spiritual wisdom and discernment.
Here we see the lost world and those within the Church contrasted. There are the unrighteous (those outside the Church) and then there are the saints (those on the inside). The saints are taking their cases outside the Church to the unrighteous who will not inherit the Kingdom of God rather than allowing the Church, the saints, those who will one day judge those they are taking their cases to.
What has Paul so up in arms about this matter is that the Corinthian Church has zero comprehension of who they really are in Christ and who they will one day be.
He is highlighting this as he uses unrighteous and saints. This is Paul’s point…God will use the saints to pass judgement upon the very people that the Church is taking their lawsuits to in order to pass judgement.
There are many problems in this particular issue. First, a brother has cheated another brother out of money. That should never happen in the Church to begin with. Then the second problem is that the brother who was swindled does not take his case to the leaders of the Church to seek a judgement but instead goes to the ungodly for a ruling. Third, all this is done without any realization of the future reality whereby the Church will be those who judge the world of the ungodly.
This Church had no perception of the future state of believers. They cared much more for the present world than the world to come.
They were all about judging by using human Sophia but had no ability to judge using God’s Sophia.
Here’s one place where the OT tells us about the coming judgment…
Daniel 7:21–22 (ESV)
21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
For Paul, the future judgement by the saints upon the ungodly is so sure that he used that fact to shame them for what they are doing.
So, if the saints of God (those born again through the blood of Christ) will help in the eternal judgement of the lost world cannot the saints in this world judge trivial matters? Is there not one Christian in the Corinthian Church with enough God-given discernment to say…Person A cheated Person B out of 1000 dollars so Person A must repay plus 10% or be removed from the Church?
And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
B. Do you not know you will judge angels?
3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!
Here the Apostle refers to the future day when the saints of God will take part in judging the fallen angels. The angels will be judged by God’s Church one day.
The Apostle makes the same point. If you are going to be judging angels one day should you not be able to handle trivial matters today?
The other issue here, not only does this situation show the state of this Church, but it shows it to the world. The lost world has seen just how like them this Church of Corinth was. The Church is showing the unrighteous just how much like them they are.
There are two great concerns here for Paul…The Church’s lack of understanding that they are not only God’s people now but they are God’s eschatological people for the future. Second, their witness to the outside world has been greatly hindered as the world sees how much like them the Church is.
Do we understand our place as God’s people in the future and for eternity? Are we concerned with how the lost world views us?
2. Paul’s Judgement (6:7-8)
7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
We must see something here. The fact that the one brother took the other to court outside to the unrighteous is itself a defeat. In other words, before any verdict is given, both parties have suffered a defeat.
7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.
His determination is that it would have been better for the person who was cheated to just suffer the loss than for him to take it to a pagan court. At least then he would have won in the sense of being more like Jesus who also suffered unjustly.
In God’s logic, going to court outside to the unrighteous is a sin as well as cheating someone out of money. The plaintiff should have suffered the loss rather than also sinning.
Romans 12:17 (ESV)
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 (ESV)
15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
Paul as God’s spokesman passes his judgement…both loose.
Let’s look to Paul’s warning…
3. Paul’s Warning (6:9-11)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. 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.
Here is the Apostles third or do you not know from this short section.
We must see what God is telling us here…
The very people the Corinthians were going to for justice were the same people God will judge and find guilty and condemn to eternal torment. They will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The reason is they are among the unrighteous not the saints. They are outside of Christ and outside of the Church.
Paul begins to address the entire Church with a very serious warning. He begins by speaking about again the unrighteous which to be consistent in our interpretation are all who are outside of Christ. He referring to those whom the brothers were taking their lawsuit to but not just them, there seems to be some within the Church who may also qualify. So this warning stands as a timeless admonition that all people everywhere must look to closely. The reason is, these are the people who will not inherit God’s Kingdom.
I must say, as I said last week, these are people who practice these sins. Not people who are repenting of these sins. These are people to whom their sin has captured their identity. If you remember we spoke about the thief. The person who was known by his sin. Not someone who stole something once but someone who steals all the time. He is someone practicing their sin regularly.
Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
There is a deception that the Corinthian Church must guard against. It is the same deception we too must make sure we have not succumbed to. That you can practice such sins and still think you’re alright with God. When one is born again that person will not practice their old lifestyle. That’s what these sins are. They are lifestyle sins.
The first two on the list refer to the two issues Paul has addressed. Sexual immorality (the incestuous man) and idolators (the two brothers going to court). Then he looks at two more sexual sins. Those who are adulterers, those who cheat on the spouse and those who practice homosexuality. Make no mistake, those practicing these sins will not inherit the Kingdom of God because to practice these sins shows that the Holy Spirit has not taken up residence within them.
Do not be deceived Church. No matter what anyone tells you, God says, people who practice these sins will not inherit the Kingdom. They are not His people, are not going to heaven, are not part of the Church.
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
This warning is not just for those outside the Church. It stands as a warning for everyone inside the Church as well. If these things are persistent with you then be warned… the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
God wants to make sure we understand that even though the warning is meant for everyone, only those in Christ have put those wicked sins behind them. By grace we are no longer persistent in these sins. Because of all Jesus has done for us and by His lovingly taking us from death to life, we have left these things behind.
11 And such were some of you. 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 tells us as with the Corinthian Church, such were some of you. Do you see the glorious grace flooding from that statement. Such were some of you. As a believer when we sometimes feel overwhelmed with life, remind yourself, such were some of you. Literally, he writes, but that is what some of you were!!
God does not leave those within the Church with the warning but leaves us with a reminder of our present condition…we were this but now we are not this. We were those who were outside and lost with the wicked and ungodly…listen Church you are not that any longer. That’s our condition in Christ.
What is the basis of these words of glorious grace? God has acted on our behalf!!
Three verbs that God alone is responsible for. In each case they were passive, meaning the recipients are acted upon not their own action.
You were washed– Here the verb is never used for water baptism. Rather Paul is referring to act of salvation that God alone effects. Here, he has regeneration in mind. Church, we have been washed from the filth of those former sins and made new creations in Christ.
you were sanctified- Set apart by God for holy and righteous living. Church, you have been and are being sanctified. Your past does not determine who you are now. You are set apart and called holy by God.
you were justified- Church, you are justified before God now and forevermore. He has declared you righteous in Jesus Christ. God has made a legal declaration as the Judge of all the cosmos…you who are in Christ are righteous and your past sins will never be held against you because God’s judgement fell squarely on Jesus.
God has acted to bring these things to pass.
We must never lose sight of who we are. We are the Church, an eschatological people destined for glory because of Jesus our Lord.
Paul’s conclusion then and ours as well…go and live like who you are. Beloved you are eternal people whom God has set His love upon we must not live like those who are unrighteous.
Resources Used
1 Corinthians by Gordon Fee
Benediction
Leave a Reply