Distinct

INTRO: If you are a follower of Jesus, you are different. You are not the same as you were. In fact, we see this explained several times in the NT- You have been born again, you are a new creation, you have put to death the old sinful life, you have been crucified with Christ, etc.

But let me ask: How many of you believe that? How many of you believe that your life as a Christian is radically distinct from your life before you responded to the Gospel?

Not because you follow the rules better, but because of the reality of the Gospel.

ILL: I remember reading a story of a man who grew up very poor. He had very few possessions; his clothes were ratty and he didn’t get a meal every day. It was a sad life, but, he didn’t know anything else. All his friends lived like he did. One day, a man in a nice suit came to him, handed him an envelope and told him that he hat inherited the estate of a very wealthy man- a nice home, cars, money, etc. The papers were all there, and the man even rejoiced in this truth for a time. But, he never took possession of the estate. He never went to the house, nor did his life change. Instead, he lived just the same- dirty, hungry, and sad.

Sadly, many Christians live this way. They have accepted Christ as Savior, but they have misunderstood what the Gospel means for them. Their lives do not really look all that different than they did before. Sure, they might have a moral code to look to, and they might attend a gathered church every so often, but the full reality of the Gospel has not been realized.

We find a similar situation in Corinth.

Now, if you remember, Paul has been addressing some issues in this church that were reported to him. We’ve seen him address pride, disunity, idolatry, and sexual immorality. Over and over again, Paul has been reminding the Corinthians that they are the Bride of Christ- saints by calling. And week by week, we have been building upon his teaching.

This week, Paul addresses another area of life- interpersonal relationships. We are going to take a look at his teaching and try to learn how the church is distinct from the world and why that is such a big deal. So, if you picked up a bulletin, I want to encourage you to use the enclosed sermon guide as we relate ourselves to the text this morning. The sermon is titled “Distinct” - We will be walking through Paul’s diagnosis of the Corinthians’ problematic mindset and how he addresses it.

What we see right off the bat in Ch. 6 is

The Presenting Problem (1)

I don’t know how many of you have been to a counselor, but most counselors will tell you that when a client comes to them, their problem is often hidden under any number of symptoms or presenting problems. In other words, their true issue is not evident, but there are some problems that are evident that stem from the real issue.

This is true here in Corinth. Paul received a report that the Corinthians were turning to secular counsel to deal with conflicts and challenges between members of the church.

Let’s read v. 1 again. (READ)

This issue here is actually a bit of carry-over from chapter 5. If you remember, the church ignored the flagrant sins of an unrepentant man in their congregation. Paul told them that the church had a responsibility to confront these issues in the church, but he clarified that this did not extend to those who were not believers. In other words, until a person is saved, they will not respond appropriately to God’s authority, so we cannot expect that they will be receptive to our correction.

The church and the world operate on totally different standards.

So, just as the world would not expect to come to the church to settle conflict between sinners who do deny God’s authority, Paul asks the Corinthians why they would bring the secular world to make a judgment or give counsel to the church. Again, there are completely different standards.

ILL: You really have to consider the way this played out. These secular courts used the worldly wisdom of their day to give counsel… worldly wisdom that is useless to God. If there was a dispute over an unpaid debt, the worldly counsel would likely have led to a form of physical abuse on top of excess interest on money owed.

We actually could look to our own society and see some of the issues that would have been problematic for the church.

If you were having a dispute with your spouse, the world would simply say divorce and move on.

If you had a conflict with a neighbor who is loud, the world would say to retaliate and start some sort of feud.

If we seek worldly wisdom when faced with sexual temptation, they will encourage you to give into your lust

If you seek worldly wisdom when faced with grief, they would tell you have a drink or take some medication.

We could go on, but you get the idea.

Discuss: What areas have you sought worldly counsel instead of turning to Godly counsel?

The Corinthian Church was turning to worldly counsel for conflict resolution and who knows what else. But Paul doesn’t simply say, “I want to discourage lawsuits among believers” - This is certainly an immediate application of his correction, but he takes this presenting problem here and uses it to expose a deeper issue. There is something fundamentally wrong that has led to this symptomatic display.

This leads us to

The Root Problem (2-8)

(READ)

Paul spends a few verses explaining that it is the church that will actually judge the world-

Matthew 19:28 NASB95

And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Here, he begins to show them that they in fact had misunderstood how the Gospel applied to them. Let me explain:

Those who are in Christ will inherit His kingdom and will reign with Christ. As such, we are visible representations of Christ’s power and authority. On the day of judgment, we will sit as a court for those who have rejected God’s provision.

Since this is true of the church, Paul argues that the church ought to be able to handle the petty cases that come up amongst them.

But here is where we see the root of the problem exposed: The lawsuits in the secular court revealed that the Corinthians perhaps:

Lacked the heart of reconciliation.

Unforgiveness, Petty, Greedy, etc.

Regarded secular/ worldly wisdom as higher that godly wisdom

They had no plan or system in place to deal with these issues (Even true of church discipline)

They lacked the conviction that the church should be involved in these interpersonal issues

They did not consider their lives as a testimony to the watching world

They prioritized personal gain over godliness

All of this to say that the Corinthian church had not applied the gospel very much beyond salvation. They had not factored in the role of the church in building up one another. They were meeting to say they met or to feel good about themselves. Meanwhile, they were floundering to live out their faith.

The church was intended to be a hub for discipleship- this includes demonstrating that God’s wisdom is sufficient in all areas of our life.

ILL: I want you to think about the responsibilities that the church has relegated to other institutions- mainly the secular government:

Widow/ Orphan Care

Help for the poor

Education (Think of the major universities that were once Christian…)

Counseling

Healthcare (How many major hospitals in US were Christian? - Many carry a Christian name, but have long left the Christian values)

Now, we just pay taxes, not considering how the Gospel could change the lives of these people if we were involved.

The root problem in Corinth was that they misunderstood the implications of the Gospel. They didn’t realize who they were in Christ, and therefore did not live out this identity in relation to one another.

Paul says this was a defeat (7) because the church had lost its distinction from the world around them. They were just another club- full of selfish, petty people who claimed one thing, but lived another.

The presenting problem was an extension of this root problem. And, like any good counselor, Paul does not simply tell them what to do, but rather he leads them to discover their distinction as believers. Thus, our final point is:

Discuss: What is the Gospel? What does it mean specifically for you?

The Gospel Solution (9-11)

As Paul rounds out this counseling session, he again points to the distinction between believers and unbelievers. (READ 9-10)

The unrighteous world will not inherit God’s Kingdom. His rhetorical question in v. 9 shows us that the Corinthians had forgotten that there must be a difference between the church and the world! Don’t you know that there will be eternal separation between the saved and unsaved? If that distinction is true in eternity, then it should be true in the present. The church should embrace its identity and calling.

Why would the church want to look like the world? If the church looks like the world, then the world has no need for the church.

So, Paul is very clear here. But far from simply condemning the Corinthians or giving them a 12-step program to follow, he shows them what is already true for those who are in Christ. I like to call this the 3 Big Buts of Gospel Transformation.

Yes, you can borrow that, but I need you to hear this- let’s read v.11 together again.

Such were some of you- Stop right there. Folks, we too were once in this category.

BUT you were washed. All the sins and stains that made me repulsive to God have been taken away. The old is gone! I am no longer who I once was! I am no longer dead in my trespasses! I am no longer a slave to my sin and shame! I have been washed clean!

BUT you were sanctified- We have been set apart for God’s purposes; for His glory! We have been given an identity as Kingdom citizens. You once lived simply to fulfill your personal lusts, BUT NOW, you have a purpose and a calling!

BUT you were justified- You have been reconciled with God. You stand not as an enemy, but as a son or daughter. You have been wrapped in the righteousness of Christ, sealed with His Holy Spirit, empowered by the authority of God to steward His creation.

Because this is true, then we must live our lives from this point. You are not who you were, so why live by the world’s standards? Why look to the world for approval or permission? We are distinctly God’s and our lives - the life and ministry of this body ought to be radically distinct from the world.

And it is from this framework, we look to our commitment. In just a moment we will take the Lord’s Supper. This ordinance is given regularly as a testimony that we are indeed the Bride of Christ, distinct in identity and thus distinct in action.

I want to invite you into a moment of prayer and reflection as we ready ourselves for this. Scripture warns that we mustn’t take of this Lord’s Supper lightly. So, take this time to examine yourself. If you are not a Christian who has been baptized or you have unrepented sin in your life, unforgiveness in your heart, or malice in your mind, please refrain from partaking.

[PRAY]

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NASB95

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Discuss: How does your Gospel identity affect your involvement in the ministry of the church?