CONCERNING BELIEVERS AND LEGAL MATTERS

1 DARE any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

ABUSE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Dare any of you, hauing a matter against another, goe to law before the vniust, and not before the Saints?

2Do ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world? And if the world shalbe iudged by you, are ye vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters?

3Know ye not that we shall iudge Angels? How much more things that perteine to this life?

4If then yee haue iudgements of things perteining to this life, set them to iudge who are least esteemed in the Church.

5I speake to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man amongst you? no not one that shall bee able to iudge betweene his brethren?

6But brother goeth to law with brother, & that before the vnbeleeuers?

7Now therefore, there is vtterly a fault among you, because yee goe to law one with another: Why doe ye not rather take wrong? Why doe yee not rather suffer your selues to be defrauded?

8Nay, you do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren.

9Know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God? Be not deceiued: neither fornicatours, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselues with mankinde,

10Nor theeues, nor couetous, nor drunkards, nor reuilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

12All things are lawfull vnto mee, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawfull for mee, but I will not bee brought vnder the power of any.

13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meates: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord: and the Lord for the body.

14And God hath both raised vp the Lord, and will also raise vp vs by his owne power.

15Know yee not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

16What, know ye not that he which is ioyned to an harlot, is one body? for two (saith he) shalbe one flesh.

17But hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord, is one spirit.

18Flee fornication: Euery sinne that a man doeth, is without the body: but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his owne body.

19What, know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which yee haue of God, and ye are not your owne?

20For yee are bought with a price: therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods.

I == MT 18:17

II == Dan 7:22 ; Matt 19:28 ; Rev 2:26 ; 3:21 ; 20:4

III == 2nd Peter 2:4 ; Jude 1:6

IV == 1st Cor 5:12

V == Prov 20:22 ; Matt 5:39-40

VIII == 1st Thess 4:6

IX 1st Cor 15:50 ; Gal 5:21 ; Rev 22:15

XI == 1st Cor 1:30 ; 12:2 ; Col 3:7 ; Heb 10:22 ; Acts 22:16 ; Rom 8:30

XII == 1st Cor 10:23

XIII == Matt 15:17 ; Eph 5:23 ; Col 2:22-23

XIV == Rom 6:5 , 8 ; 8:11 2nd Cor 4:14 ; Eph 1:19-20

XV == 1st Cor 12:27 : Eph 4:12 , 15-16 ; Rom 12:5

XVI == Gen 2:24 ; Matt 19:5 ; Mk 10:8 ; Eph 5:31

XVII == John 17:21-23 ; Rom 8:9 ; Gal 2:20 ; Eph 4:4 ; 5:30

XVIII == Rom 1:24 ; 6:12-13 ; 1st Thess 4:4

XIX == 1st Cor 3:16 ; 2nd Cor 6:16 ; John 2:21

XX == Acts 20:28 ; 1st Cor 7:23 ; Rom 12:1

1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to be judged before the unjust: and not before the saints? 2 Know you not that the saints shall judge this world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know you not that we shall judge angels? How much more things of this world? 4 If therefore you have judgments of things pertaining to this world, set them to judge who are the most despise in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not among you any one wise man that is able to judge between his brethren ? 6 But brother goes to law with brother: and that before unbelievers. 7 Already indeed there is plainly a fault among you, that you have law suits one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 But you do wrong and defraud: and that to your brethren. 9 Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers: 10 Nor the effeminate nor liers with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drundards nor railers nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God. 11 And such some of you were. But you are washed: but you are sanctifie: but you are justified: : in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God. 12 All things are lawful to me: but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful to me: but I will not be brought under the power of any 13 Meat for the belly and the belly for the meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord : and the Lord for the body. 14 Now God has raise up the Lord and will raise us up also by his power. 15 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christs? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid! 16 Or know you not that he who is joined to a harlot is made one body? For they shall be, says he, two in one flesh. 17 But he who is joined to the Lordis one spirit. 18 Fly fornication. Every sin that a man is without the body: but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. 19 Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God: and you are not your own? 20 For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body.

THE SECOND DISORDER IN THE CHURCH IS LAWSUITS, V1-11. THIRD - FORNICATION, V12-20

v1.  Another big problem was Christians going to law against one another instead of settling it before saints. They should be settled following the procedure of Matt. 18:15-17. Go to him alone, take one or two more, then tell it to the church. Litigation in Corinth, Paul is distressed by the reports of it. Paul rebukds the Corenthians for hauling each other into the Roman Courts instead of solving economic and property disputes like brothers. A problem that may have characterized the situation in Corinth (11:17-22) That most of the law suits in the Roman Courts involved cases of rich and powerful sueing the poor and helpless. THE UNRIGHTEOUS: Pagen Judges Paul believes that unbelieving Judges were unfit to judge God's people. He wanted the church to do like the church and regulate its internal disputes by appointing Judges from the Twelve tribel. (Deut 1:9-17 16:18-20)

v2-4. If some day we shall judge angels, even the least skilled in the church should be able to judge simple things of this life.

V 3 TO JUDGE ANGELS: In the bible only here that we learn that Christians will condemn both unbievers (6:2) and fallen Spirits at the final judgment 2 Peter 2:4 Jude 6. Believers has the notion that they will share in the heavenly reign of Christ ( 2nd Tim 2:12)

v5-8.  IT IS A SHAME AND FAULT TO BE GOING TO LAW AGAINST ANOTHER CHRISTIAN, ESPECIALY SINCE IT EXPOSES THE CHURCH TO THE SCORNFUL OF UNBELIEVERS. They delight to hear the sordid details of the people in church who are “No better than we are.” It is harmful to the church for this to happen, and believers all lose. So it would be much better to suffer loss than to do this wrong.

V 5 NO MAN AMONG YOU WISE: A sarcastic rebukes, about boasting about having great wisdom the corinthians proved themselves in competent of resloving every day personal difference by them selves.

V 7 WHY NOT RATHER BE DEFRAUDED? Paul believes you should suffer wrong doing from some one that to do cause scandal for unbelieving by taking each other to court in front of the unbelivevers (1st PETER 3:17)

v9-11.  Fornication is all kinds of sexual promiscuity. These terrible things are listed right in with coveting. None of these will get to Heaven unless they are saved; washed in the blood of Christ, sanctified (set apart) and justified by the Holy Spirit. If they are committed after salvation, we leave it to the Lord to determine if they were really saved. If saved they get to heaven  “by the skin of their teeth”, Job 19:20. v12.  The Corinthians took a liberal stand on Christian liberty. Many things are all right in themselves, but the desire to indulge in pleasure apart from God is involved. Sex is ordained by God, but not outside of marriage. Eating is necessary, but not to gluttony etc. Likewise excess of coffee, pop, etc. We must ask if it controls us or builds us up spiritually. True, they don’t condemn us to hell, but that does not make them right or even acceptable. Three basic limitations on Christian liberty. 1, expediency, that is, is it profitable - does it build us up? 2, self control, or not be brought under it’s power.

v13-16. Gluttony and impurity are both sins against God, but impurity comes in a class all it’s own. The resurrection places a new value on our bodies as belonging to the Lord, not to lust. We are joined to Christ as members of His body, so it is unthinkable to be joined to a harlot physically, because it injures us spiritually and robs the Lord of what is His.

v17.  The physical union of marriage is strong, but to be joined to the Lord is a higher unity of one spirit.

v18.  Many otherwise Godly people have failed to realize the best protection against immorality is to flee, 2 tim. 2:22.  Don’t just resist, get clear away from it. Compared to other sins, even suicide, which basically have outward results and physical consequences, it affects our very union with Christ.

v19,20. A strong reason for purity is not to defile the temple of the Holy Spirit. (Consider the holiness of the temple)Same with lesser things drugs etc. that defile our bodies. If slaves of Paul’s day could save up enough money to pay for their freedom, they went to the heathen temple and gave his money to the god. Papers were drawn up that he was free from his former owner and could go about freely because he was owned by the god and his allegiance was to it. This pictured to those people that we are no longer slaves to Satan and sin, but Christ has bought us with His blood, given us our freedom from sin, but we belong to Him and must seek to please (glorify) Him.