1cor6

The boldness of Paul as a servant of God is shown in chapter six as he begins in verses one and two to address the people concerning matters of a legal nature against one another. You could say that Paul is giving instructions on church discipline and on individual discipline for the believer. Paul says that we often bring our differences before believers for judging and also many times we bring them before unbelievers who know not the workings of God. Even though the secular world has set up courts of law to handle problems believers should take their problems to each other within the church and bring them before God. The Holy Spirit is the greatest power of discernment we could ever find so why bring our problems with one another to a source without the Holy Spirit!

"That we shall judge angels," as verse three says is a very strong statement which I believe refers to in the future not now and probably referring to the judgment spoken of in John 5:22; 2 Peter 2:4; and Jude 1:6. These are the angels, which set aside their first love--God and left their own habitation--heaven! These are the angels that await judgment in darkness bound by God. And if you judge as verse four states do you let those of less esteem in the church do the judging. Are those of less esteem not similar in nature as the heathen of the world? Material property and things of the world do not hold any comparison in value to the things of God and these things of God should be our most concern. We should not fill our concerns with trivial matters of worldly possessions and troubles.

Paul now goes on in verses five and six to ask if there are not any among them that have the wisdom to arbitrate the differences in a Godly manner. Why go to a court of heathens to settle a difference between believers. Let the matter be settled by brethren through the wisdom and love of God. For believers to take their differences to unbelievers is wrong because the unbelievers will not be sensitive to Christian values and thus God will be removed from the judging. How can a non-believer arbitrate fairly for a believer against another believer? It cannot happen!

In verse seven Paul gets very personal now and says there is definitely a fault amongst them--for as believers they should be as one! Why is there any disagreement or fighting going on between you at all? You are all brethren joined together by a common bond of love for Christ and because of this union there should be no differences one with the other. Paul asks why they do not just turn the other cheek so to speak and calmly and quickly settle the differences in a godly manner! Instead, Paul says in verse eight, you defraud or do wrong unto your brethren with full knowledge of the wrong!

To inherit the kingdom of God is a reward to the believer seeking after righteousness. But those that are unrighteous, idolaters, fornicators, adulterers, effeminate, or sodomites (homosexual or having to do with that which is unnatural) will not share the reward of God's kingdom! Verses nine and 10 really get personal with the Corinthian's. Paul pulls no punches when he addresses the body of believers pertaining to their actions. And his use of effeminate and homosexual proves that God does not condone even the appearance of this sin! It doesn't of course mean that we hate the person--but we do hate the sin and love the person. The Corinthian's were active in perverse activities and especially in the area of sexual sins. Paul wanted to make sure that there was no confusion whatsoever as to the nature of these acts as being sins! Paul is determined to let them know that Christianity does not permit such actions. This type of action goes against God's law! And Paul does not stop with the sexual sins but goes on to say that God does not allow other forms of wickedness either such as: drinking, wild actions, stealing, etc. Anyone doing any of these things will not share in the kingdom of God! And in verse 11 Paul says, You were washed by the blood of Jesus, sanctified and justified free from sin, yet, many of you still fell from grace and many of you still fall from grace, but there is still hope because of Jesus you still have an avenue of return and forgiveness for your sin.

Here in verse 12 Paul explains that all things are lawful to him but does not justify the doing of some things just because they are legal to do! Is it good and worthwhile to do certain things just because they are profitable to do or bring pleasure? Paul says he will not be brought under the authority of anything that is not of God! In other words when we do certain things even if they are legal to do it is not right if they are wrong in the eyes of God! Father, wash me with the blood of Jesus, keep me from being the thorn of difference or dispute, and keep me pure and holy before You for I want to never do anything that will bring disgrace or dishonor to Your name!

Paul begins verse 13 with a sharp and in your face statement saying that just because food is for the belly and the belly for food that does not make sex for the body and the body for sex! The body is the temple of Christ and should be kept clean and righteous before man and God! That which you do with the body should glorify God! All things we do should glorify God! Paul now continues in verses 14 and 15 to say that God not only raised up Jesus through His power but He will raise us up through that same power and we must remember always that our bodies are one with Christ. If we join our bodies to fornication, reviling, drunkenness, then we join also the body of Christ to the same! And by no means should this happen!

If we join ourselves to sin, as Paul talks about in the next two verses, in other words if we partake in sin, take up with the prostitute or with the drunkards we join ourselves to them. We become one with them. If we are seen with them we are thought to be one with them. Joining ourselves to the sin makes us one with the sin! But if we join ourselves to God we become one with Him and our soul is regenerated by His power! Paul then goes on in verse 18 to say that we need to make it a habit to dedicate ourselves to removing sin from our life and steering clear from the sins of the world. We need to run from sin! All things that are immoral should be cleared from our life. Our bodies are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Since our bodies are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit we need to make our bodies presentable to the Holy Spirit--free from immorality--free from iniquity! The blood of Christ, Paul says in verse 20, has bought us--it is the price paid for our salvation. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our body is so that we can glorify God in all things. The Holy Spirit dwells in us to give us the power to live our life the way God desires!

Father, thank You for opening Your Word to me and showing me how I need to be to allow the Spirit to dwell in me in fullness and power! Father, so often it is so easy to accept little things from the world as being okay--but You say in Your Word that we are to stay away from all appearance of evil or wrong doing! Father, I desire to remain always in the palm of Your hand, keep me therefore always aware of any appearance of evil or wrong doing that I might stumble into which in turn would take me from Your grace and even cause perhaps another to stumble. Father, I love You and adore You, magnify and glorify You in all that I do, and humbly bow down before You, giving You all praise and honor, in Jesus name, Amen!

Where Jesus is Lord!
Living Vine Ministries
Pastor Thomas Miles

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