Bible study - 1 Corinthians
Section 5: 1 Corinthians 6:1-20
Section 5: 1 Corinthians 6:1-20
Background
This section carries on from chapter 5 where Paul deals with a specific case of immorality. In verses 1-11 he deals with the specific subject of lawsuits then returns in verse 12 to the underlying theme of keeping yourself pure.
The Greeks were a litigious people and the law courts were one of their chief entertainments. Athenian law had a complicated legal system whereby a dispute would initially be settled by arbitrators, one appointed by each party and a third independent arbitrator agreed by both parties. If that failed there was a court known as The Forty presided over by public arbitrators and following that a jury court with 201 citizens as jurors for cases involving less than £50 and 401 for cases above that amount. In Greek culture every man was involved in the legal process and spent much time involved in legal cases and some Greeks had brought their litigious practices into the Corinthian church. Jewish culture did not involve public law courts. Jewish law forbade a Jew to go to law in a non-Jewish court and disputes would be settled before the elders of the village or synagogue.
One fundamental principle in this chapter is that the church is not meant to be influenced by the culture outside and we need to consider that today, whether there are things we accept from our culture that are contrary to the word of God. Do we have standards that make us distinct?
Chapter 6, verses 1-8 - the question of lawsuits
Paul is concerned that everyday practical issues are being taken into public law courts to be judged by unrighteous people who have none of God's wisdom. In order to make his point he says that the saints will judge the world - so surely they can judge such minor issues.
Question 1. What does Paul mean when he says 'the saints will judge the world?'
Paul says the saints 'will' judge the world - in one sense this will happen in the future but in another sense, because we are one with Christ and have the Holy Spirit, we can see things clearly now. There is a right and a wrong kind of judgement - see notes on chapter 5, verse 3. By becoming Christians we have already passed judgement by choosing to follow God and leave the kingdom of darkness behind. We should be seeing things more clearly because we are in Christ. Paul is encouraging the Corinthian church to look beyond the present situation and see who they are in Christ, he is encouraging them to be better than the way they are currently behaving. The feel of what Paul is saying here is of the big view of being in Christ and that he is giving the Corinthian church, and us, tremendous value. In verse 4 Paul stresses that the wisdom of the weakest member of the church will be better than that of a non-Christian judge who does not posses any Holy Spirit wisdom.
The principle running through this passage is to recognise who we are in Christ and apply it practically to life and not let a diminished view of ourselves hinder us. The church is to develop and live out the attitudes of heaven now, we will experience the full extent of life in the Spirit in the future but we are living in it now as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Question 2. Why does Paul say that they have already been 'completely defeated' because they are taking each other to court? (6:12)
They are already defeated because they have sunk to the same level as the world around them so it doesn't actually matter who wins the case. An important lesson here is not to have our agenda set by others - there are times when it is right to speak out and times when it is right to remain silent, as in the example Jesus set (1 Peter 2:23). When we are truly walking with Christ we have the ability to set our own agenda, led by the Holy Spirit.
This section carries on from chapter 5 where Paul deals with a specific case of immorality. In verses 1-11 he deals with the specific subject of lawsuits then returns in verse 12 to the underlying theme of keeping yourself pure.
The Greeks were a litigious people and the law courts were one of their chief entertainments. Athenian law had a complicated legal system whereby a dispute would initially be settled by arbitrators, one appointed by each party and a third independent arbitrator agreed by both parties. If that failed there was a court known as The Forty presided over by public arbitrators and following that a jury court with 201 citizens as jurors for cases involving less than £50 and 401 for cases above that amount. In Greek culture every man was involved in the legal process and spent much time involved in legal cases and some Greeks had brought their litigious practices into the Corinthian church. Jewish culture did not involve public law courts. Jewish law forbade a Jew to go to law in a non-Jewish court and disputes would be settled before the elders of the village or synagogue.
One fundamental principle in this chapter is that the church is not meant to be influenced by the culture outside and we need to consider that today, whether there are things we accept from our culture that are contrary to the word of God. Do we have standards that make us distinct?
Chapter 6, verses 1-8 - the question of lawsuits
Paul is concerned that everyday practical issues are being taken into public law courts to be judged by unrighteous people who have none of God's wisdom. In order to make his point he says that the saints will judge the world - so surely they can judge such minor issues.
Question 1. What does Paul mean when he says 'the saints will judge the world?'
Paul says the saints 'will' judge the world - in one sense this will happen in the future but in another sense, because we are one with Christ and have the Holy Spirit, we can see things clearly now. There is a right and a wrong kind of judgement - see notes on chapter 5, verse 3. By becoming Christians we have already passed judgement by choosing to follow God and leave the kingdom of darkness behind. We should be seeing things more clearly because we are in Christ. Paul is encouraging the Corinthian church to look beyond the present situation and see who they are in Christ, he is encouraging them to be better than the way they are currently behaving. The feel of what Paul is saying here is of the big view of being in Christ and that he is giving the Corinthian church, and us, tremendous value. In verse 4 Paul stresses that the wisdom of the weakest member of the church will be better than that of a non-Christian judge who does not posses any Holy Spirit wisdom.
The principle running through this passage is to recognise who we are in Christ and apply it practically to life and not let a diminished view of ourselves hinder us. The church is to develop and live out the attitudes of heaven now, we will experience the full extent of life in the Spirit in the future but we are living in it now as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Question 2. Why does Paul say that they have already been 'completely defeated' because they are taking each other to court? (6:12)
They are already defeated because they have sunk to the same level as the world around them so it doesn't actually matter who wins the case. An important lesson here is not to have our agenda set by others - there are times when it is right to speak out and times when it is right to remain silent, as in the example Jesus set (1 Peter 2:23). When we are truly walking with Christ we have the ability to set our own agenda, led by the Holy Spirit.
Sunday talk 26/04/2015 - What is wisdom?
The Corinthian church was not acting wisely in their disputes so Paul reminds them of who they are in Christ and the source of their wisdom. John shares helpful insights into how to be wise in our individual and church lives - click here to listen to the talk.
The Corinthian church was not acting wisely in their disputes so Paul reminds them of who they are in Christ and the source of their wisdom. John shares helpful insights into how to be wise in our individual and church lives - click here to listen to the talk.
Chapter 6, verses 9-20 - remaining pure
Paul reminds the Corinthians that is would be better to be wronged or cheated that to do wrong to your brother and then goes straight into the long list of sins in verse 9 which were very relevant to the situation in Corinth. In verse 11 he reminds them that they were part of that culture but they had been washed and sanctified. He sums up the heart of the gospel in that phrase. To Paul it is a natural follow on from verse 8 to verse 9 with attitude being the underlying link - the attitude that enables the Corinthians to devalue others is as serious as the sins he goes on to list and will equally destroy the church. Our attitude to other people is fundamental - it should be how can I serve that person and show the attitude of Christ towards them rather than destructively stealing and cheating.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that is would be better to be wronged or cheated that to do wrong to your brother and then goes straight into the long list of sins in verse 9 which were very relevant to the situation in Corinth. In verse 11 he reminds them that they were part of that culture but they had been washed and sanctified. He sums up the heart of the gospel in that phrase. To Paul it is a natural follow on from verse 8 to verse 9 with attitude being the underlying link - the attitude that enables the Corinthians to devalue others is as serious as the sins he goes on to list and will equally destroy the church. Our attitude to other people is fundamental - it should be how can I serve that person and show the attitude of Christ towards them rather than destructively stealing and cheating.
Bible insight - 1/05/2015 - 1 Corinthians 6:11 - 'And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, your were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.'
The two verses before this one make particularly unpleasant reading. They contain a list of nasty vices that characterised society in Corinth. Then Paul gets personal: 'And that is what some of you were.' What a painful jolt. 'You were up to your eyes in the filth and degradation that was part and parcel of that pagan city' and just as those memories were about to discomfort these Corinthian Christians Paul rushes in with a big 'but'. You were like that but something dramatic has happened to you. You have been washed. All the muck and mess of that way of life has been washed away - not just an outer cleansing but a deep inner purification of the soul.
Whatever we have done, however far we have wandered, however much we are still living with some of the consequences of choices and actions in our earlier lives - we have been washed clean.
More than that - whatever effects nature, nurture and our choices have had in our lives in shaping who we are today, as far as God is concerned, we stand clean and free.
Our perspectives will change, our view of God, of others and of ourselves will change dramatically if we allow these powerful truths to work their way through into our lives. And how does this happen? God allows us to face situations that expose those areas in our hearts that aren't living in the good of what Jesus has done for us. The process can hurt, it can threaten to overwhelm, even defeat us but if we hold on to the truth that we do know then God's Spirit can help us apply those truths to those areas that have yet to catch up.
Just in case there is any doubt about how total that change is, Paul tells these Christians that they are no longer living at the same address. They used to live in Corinth, now they live in God's kingdom. They are in a completely new environment. Once they were mired in sin but now they stand completely justified - 'just as if I'd' never sinned.
The two verses before this one make particularly unpleasant reading. They contain a list of nasty vices that characterised society in Corinth. Then Paul gets personal: 'And that is what some of you were.' What a painful jolt. 'You were up to your eyes in the filth and degradation that was part and parcel of that pagan city' and just as those memories were about to discomfort these Corinthian Christians Paul rushes in with a big 'but'. You were like that but something dramatic has happened to you. You have been washed. All the muck and mess of that way of life has been washed away - not just an outer cleansing but a deep inner purification of the soul.
Whatever we have done, however far we have wandered, however much we are still living with some of the consequences of choices and actions in our earlier lives - we have been washed clean.
More than that - whatever effects nature, nurture and our choices have had in our lives in shaping who we are today, as far as God is concerned, we stand clean and free.
Our perspectives will change, our view of God, of others and of ourselves will change dramatically if we allow these powerful truths to work their way through into our lives. And how does this happen? God allows us to face situations that expose those areas in our hearts that aren't living in the good of what Jesus has done for us. The process can hurt, it can threaten to overwhelm, even defeat us but if we hold on to the truth that we do know then God's Spirit can help us apply those truths to those areas that have yet to catch up.
Just in case there is any doubt about how total that change is, Paul tells these Christians that they are no longer living at the same address. They used to live in Corinth, now they live in God's kingdom. They are in a completely new environment. Once they were mired in sin but now they stand completely justified - 'just as if I'd' never sinned.
Question 3. What do you understand by the statement 'Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything.'?
Paul writes this to address the different factions within the church. The Greeks separated the spiritual and the physical, which could lead to a belief that physical things were evil and of no account so they neglected to look after their bodies or they became aesthetic and punished themselves physically. Paul brings the gospel of grace into this environment. It is possible that he had written along similar lines in a previous letter and refers to the phrases he used then. He stresses that we have the freedom in Christ to do anything but, because we are slaves of Christ, we are not free to be selfish or to cause another brother to stumble and we are not to be mastered by things that we want.
Referring to verse 13 - will our resurrection bodies need to eat? This verse implies not. The wedding feat in heaven is symbolic rather than being a physical feast. Food is something that brings pleasure on earth; there will be pleasure in heaven but it may not be through food. However Paul is using this example to make a point about the relationship between our bodies and the Lord. In verse 13 he states that the body is for the Lord and the Lord is for the body. This was written in the context of the sexual culture within Corinth and Paul reminds them that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and should be used to honour the Lord.
Paul writes this to address the different factions within the church. The Greeks separated the spiritual and the physical, which could lead to a belief that physical things were evil and of no account so they neglected to look after their bodies or they became aesthetic and punished themselves physically. Paul brings the gospel of grace into this environment. It is possible that he had written along similar lines in a previous letter and refers to the phrases he used then. He stresses that we have the freedom in Christ to do anything but, because we are slaves of Christ, we are not free to be selfish or to cause another brother to stumble and we are not to be mastered by things that we want.
Referring to verse 13 - will our resurrection bodies need to eat? This verse implies not. The wedding feat in heaven is symbolic rather than being a physical feast. Food is something that brings pleasure on earth; there will be pleasure in heaven but it may not be through food. However Paul is using this example to make a point about the relationship between our bodies and the Lord. In verse 13 he states that the body is for the Lord and the Lord is for the body. This was written in the context of the sexual culture within Corinth and Paul reminds them that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and should be used to honour the Lord.
Sunday talk 3/05/2015 - Real change
So many of us know the truth - the wonderful truth about who Jesus is and what he has done for us. But do we live in it? How do we get that truth to really make a difference and to become so all-consuming that we live naturally in the good of it? Click here to listen to the talk.
So many of us know the truth - the wonderful truth about who Jesus is and what he has done for us. But do we live in it? How do we get that truth to really make a difference and to become so all-consuming that we live naturally in the good of it? Click here to listen to the talk.
