1 Corinthians 6
-Paul goes on to address some more key issues he takes fault
with in the Corinthian church that have become known to him in this chapter. He
begins with the faulty logic and lack of wisdom some are demonstrating in not
taking care of their legal matters within the body of Christ with biblical
wisdom. Paul’s point in his rhetorical questioning is to make them think about
how ridiculous it is for brothers and sisters in Christ to take their problems
before the unrighteous to decide on these legal matters. He is obliviously
referring to civic magistrates who don’t know the LORD and would probably have
a tendency to be unjust anyway. It is a shame, Paul says, that this puffed up
church has no one wise enough to settle these trivial disputes among one
another (1 Corinthians 6:5). Paul concludes that it would actually be better to
be defrauded and suffer wrong at the hands of Christian brothers than to ruin
their testimony by taking their complaints against one another before ungodly
authorities. It is already a defeat for them when they take this course of
action (1 Corinthians 6:7-9). *Application* Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I
have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that
you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35)." This is the basis for how we should live in
the church. Matthew 18:15-20 gives us further instruction on how to handle
offenses within the body of Christ, which are inevitable to arise because of
our capacity and propensity to sin against one another. The worst testimony we
can have to a lost and dying world is to drag our complaints and problems
before them. As Paul said, we as saints will judge the angels and the world (1
Corinthians 6:2-3). Why can’t we then solve our internal dilemmas unto the
glory of God?
-Paul now reiterates to
them who they are in Christ and heirs to the Kingdom of God in comparison with
those who are outside His grace and majesty. He lists characteristics that
these believers had been washed clean from when they came to Christ in
sanctification and justification in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by
the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). *Application* Do not be deceived. The
unrighteous will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God by their sexual immorality,
idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, thievery, greed, drunkenness, reviling, and
swindling ways. The only way we can get to Heaven is by accepting the washing
that Christ Jesus can give as we place our trust in His perfection and
sanctifying work to save us. This is the faith that purifies us and keeps us
unto the day of redemption without spot or blemish (Ephesians 5:27).
-Paul now talks about the
body and how it is the Temple of God, and how it is to be yoked with the Lord
rather than anything pertaining to sexual immorality. The principle he begins with
is that while all things may be lawful (in context here he is speaking of
dietary laws), not all things are profitable and we are not to be dominated by anything
(1 Corinthians 6:12). We are members of Christ and should treat our bodies with
the utmost devotion to purity as a part of His body (1 Corinthians 6:15, 17, 19-20).
Because of this we should never take part in joining ourselves to prostitutes (unlawful
sexual activity biblically speaking, 1 Corinthians 6:15-16, 18). This is a sin against
our own body and desecrates the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This was a culturally
acceptable thing to do in Corinth, but absolutely detestable in the eyes of God
and the apostles. *Application* We have been bought with a steep price in Christ’s
death; therefore our command is to glorify God in our own bodies (1 Corinthians
6:20). Sexual immorality plagues our society just as much as it ever did in the
Corinthians culture of Paul’s time. Ask the Holy Spirit to dominate your mind and
thinking in this area and leave no room for impure thoughts or actions. God holds
high the sanctity of marriage in His Word and a sin against the Temple of the Holy
Spirit is a very serious matter.
Verse to Memorize- 1
Corinthians 6:20
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