August 9 2020

Drift; A broken church

Courthouse

1 Corinthians 6:1–11 NASB95

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? 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? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 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? 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, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 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? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. 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, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 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.

Is it really about lawsuits?

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 6

Paul counsels the Corinthian church regarding lawsuits between its members. He urges them to resolve matters internally rather than appeal to authorities outside the church.

courts

case against

unrighteous

The setup for the discussion of why?

This isn’t you shouldn’t go to court. This is why you shouldn’t have need to take a brother to court

brother against brother

two changed people - not so changed

before unbelievers

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 6

These believers have presented fellow Christians to the authorities, hurting the social standing of the church in Corinth. Paul insists that they must handle such matters within the church community, not the public courts

claiming to be changed in front of the very people they are inviting to a changed life

Was this a cover up?

More of an expose - exposing the sin and unchanged behavior that brought it about - sin and the focus on self

Changed people

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 6

Paul writes about the transformation that should occur when someone chooses to follow Christ; people should not continue in their former sinful ways of life.

This is what should be - then and now

Community Witness

Are we concerned for the kingdom? Do we realize we are ambassadors or spokespeople for the kingdom?