Qualified by God's Spirit to Judge
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 (NASB)
1 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 4 So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, 6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
SUMMARY
Paul speaks of disputes, and says that suing another believer in a secular court of law is disobedience. How could they dare go before the secular courts and not before the saints? He says that believers are to settle issues between themselves, within the church. He says that we are qualified with the truth, the Spirit, and resources in Him, because we will be assisting Christ in judging the world. Paul outlines the lifestyle we ought to live in order to inherit the kingdom of God by highlighting who will not inherit it – the idolaters, adulterers, thieves, covetous – as we also were before we were washed, sanctified, and justified by the Spirit of God.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
Oddly (or perhaps not), this passage made me pause and think of the importance of forgiveness. I feel that maybe I’ve become so calloused that I feel every action must have some kind of equal reaction – why is it wrong to go to court if someone has wronged me? I feel that it is not. Perhaps this is why my heart twisted a little when I read: “I say this to your shame... a brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?... Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?... On the contrary, you do this even to your brethren.” I felt that my perspective is from a place of selfishness and unwillingness to trust God and His power, wisdom, and sovereign purpose. Paul expands from this and speaks about inheriting the kingdom of God, and brought my focus back to what is most important. Is the temporary injustice most important? Or is it the kingdom of God?
But also I love verse 11, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” It reminded me of Romans 8:30: “and those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whose he justified he also glorified.”
All of us, as we were, were unrighteous and unable to inherit the kingdom of God. But before the world, we were chosen. He drew near to us in our unrighteousness and called us by name, drew us near, and by the blood of Christ we were made justified. We are freed of our chains and stand as those who share in the inheritance, as children of the Most High, as dearly beloved, as ones in whom he greatly delights.
This whole passage made me think so much, but mostly I think I am walking away with John 13:34 stuck in my heart: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
APPLICATION
I thought about the application for a long, long time. When I feel personally offended or slighted, I want to take a step back, remember the gospel, bless the one I do not love in that moment, and not brood in my offense.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for drawing near when we were unrighteous and washing us, sanctifying us, justifying us. Thank you for loving us when we were so far from you, and thank you that Your love is how we learn to love those around us. Lord, I want to live a life set apart, and I want to live a life that trusts in your sovereignty over all else. I want to trust that you are powerful and wise enough to make all the wrong things right. Lord, help me to remember your authority, and in the moments that I just want to hold on with all my might, help me to open my hands and surrender to you. Teach us to love one another, as you have loved us, and may the world see You in the way we love.
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