For the past few sermons, I’ve been reading from 1st corinthians. There has been a lot of material that provides interesting context for the letter. The church has been suffering with factions and groups of people saying they follow one leader over another. The church has demonstrated immaturity in their handling of issues that have cropped up, and Paul had written that he taught them simple doctrine because they weren’t ready for deeper or more advanced theology. In Chapter 2 Paul said he resolved to know nothing except for Christ and Him Crucified when he was with them, but they wanted something more smooth and polished and eloquent. Obviously not everyone in the church was immature, but there were some bad apples, and he finished chapter 5 saying that the church had the authority and in this particular case, the responsibility to expel someone from the church who was clearly not living as a born again believer in Christ. Making sure we are all in one mind and one spirit is very important, because we are one body, we are one building with Christ as the foundation. If we tolerate sin, if we make peace with sinful behaviors, we end up building something incompatible with our foundation. Paul is very methodical, and continues by describing another example of their immaturity. This next chapter discusses a church culture that is incompatible with being one in Christ Jesus.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

There was a litigious culture in the Corinthian church. People were taking each other to court. Which showed a few different things, one is that there were people in the church who were breaking their contracts or promises. Paul warned about swindlers or people who defraud each other as their regular course of business. And while this was happening in the church, the aggrieved and the offending parties either or both could not or chose not to resolve the issue within the church or using an arbiter or mediator. So neither side trusted in the wisdom of those people who were in the church. Scripture teaches that As believers, We have been given the Holy Spirit of God. Even in this same letter a few chapters back Paul said we have The mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit who searches motives and gives discernment yet that divine wisdom apparently was not enough for these people. They wanted to go before an ungodly judge with ungodly lawyers. Then Paul drops a very profound piece of information.

Do you not know, or aren’t you aware that The Lord’s people will judge the world. Don’t you know that We will judge angels! Now this text has been interpreted a few different ways. First, sometimes the Krinete Greek word can also mean to have authority or command over someone else, so some read this to mean that at some point the Lord’s people may have certain authority over Angelic beings. But in the context, Paul’s talking about disputes and judging right and wrong, so I think the “Judge” form of verb Krinete makes more sense than the command or have dominion over verb. What else do we know about Angels? Well some of them are God’s messengers, some are described as an army or host, they don’t sin. But there are other angels who sinned and were cast down for final judgment. And Paul says we will judge the world. Based on all the context and other parts of Scripture, it certainly seems like God’s people will have a role in final Judgment. Which to me seems like we will have to be very hypocritical, since we deserve judgment and wrath. But as objects of Gods mercy, there will come a time when we will be glorified and perfected . Not on this earth. But in the days to come. And in those days, our sinful nature will be destroyed. We won’t have to be torn or pulled in different directions any longer. Our whole Earthly lives we are pulled by the flesh and the spirit. Our spirit is willing our flesh is weak. Our loyalty is divided.. you read about this in Romans 7, when Paul laments that he does the things he doesn’t want, and the things he wants to do, he can’t do. But, in the end, our allegiance to God and his Holiness will be 100%. We will no longer feel a pull towards our fellow sinful human beings; we will no longer relate to them more closely than we relate to God. When the time comes to judge, we will be able to say yes and AMEN, God is good, He is Holy, His Laws are right, and His judgments are right. Even if that means we take part in a massive jury that unanimously sides with God, and participates in condemning a sinner who doesn’t repent or an Angel who fell from God’s glory and became corrupted. We will have some sort of role to play, and it is interesting to think about.

4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

Why would Christians need to ask an ungodly person or consult someone whose way of life mocks God and his truth and his perfect Law? Right and Wrong come from God, so it is senseless to go outside the church for a resolution of a dispute. And it demonstrates to the world that Christianity is powerless to discern right from wrong, powerless to change our behavior, and prevent ourselves from taking advantage or swindling each other. Paul scolds them for taking each other to court and reminds them that they are doing this in front of unbelievers! We are supposed to be a light to the world, or a salt to the world. A city on a hill. but in front of the unbelievers, we are acting like everyone else? I would imagine if I were to judge one of their disputes, most likely there is a clear wrong side acting in a way that goes against Jesus teaching. And investigating that person’s life, the offending person may not be a Christian, but is masquerading as one. But the person who is wronged needs to also be discipled by Jesus teaching.

7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.

The way of Christ is to accept suffering, and being wronged. If someone sues to take your coat, give him your cloak or tunic as well. If someone slaps you. Turn the other cheek. If someone forces you to go a mile, go with them a second mile. We need to understand that Its ok to be wronged and to let it go. Not every infraction or trespass needs to be dealt with today by us. God will deal vengeance and wrath when he so chooses. He could also be merciful, and we should not be disappointed if the person who harms us is ultimately forgiven by God. That is a good outcome, where angels rejoice. If we are mad that the guy who wronged us repents, we start acting like the prodigal son’s brother, who was more wicked than even the wasteful prodigal. As a church we should be quick to try and protect each other from swindlers and evildoers. We should make sure those people aren’t using the name Christian without hearing that they are not living what they are professing. We should maintain order in our church, but we don’t need to punish or exact revenge or compensation every time we suffer.

9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Wrongdoers do not inherit the kingdom of God.. Paul warns about sexual immorality, including but not limited to homosexuality, adultery, theives, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, idolaters. Paul says in vs 11 thats what some of you were.. but if you think about and really look honestly, I think we can say that’s what All of us were.. maybe we were not all the above, but certainly guilty of enough of the above.. I was never tempted to homosexuality, but sexual immorality and temptation is all around. Even if I didnt physically commit adultery, Jesus explains that if we look at women a certain way, we commit the adultery in our minds and hearts. We were idolaters, greedy, covetous people. But we were washed. Continuing in those lifestyles is incompatible with someone who was washed , who was sanctified, and who was justified in the name of Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit. That’s what we were, but not who we are now. And certainly not who we are becoming.

12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[b] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c]

Paul is quoting some common Corinthian phrases or a motto that describes a worldview. Everything is permissible to me, or i have the right to do anything. Instead of trying to disprove or condemn the phrase or the mindset, he allows for the statement and phrase to be accepted. He doesn’t restrict the idea of liberty or license. Instead he puts the statement and the resulting consequences of living that way to scrutiny. He could list all of the old testament laws and restrictions on behavior; he was certainly an expert on the topic. He could go line by line, sin by sin, and explain where in the Old Covenant that God had said no, or thou shalt not. But the Corinthians don’t really care to have the meat. So he gives the milk and says, not everything is beneficial. Not everything gives a result or has an effect that glorifies God. In fact if you put a higher priority on living the way you want, instead of how God outlines how we should live, you may be mastered by a sin or by a behavior that you value higher than your relationship with God. Food for the stomach and the stomach for food. Sure enjoy your meals, but all those things are passing away. Don’t be mastered by your stomach, don’t become a glutton or alcoholic. And if you extend the concept that comes from the phrase of food for the stomach and the stomach for food to your other body parts, like the corinthian church was doing, you could become excessively hedonistic or nihilistic. Ears for music and music for ears. Ok, sure. But as you work your way down the body, you could get into big trouble when you get to your private body parts. Sexual urges can tend to master you. And we weren’t created for sexual immorality. God created us man and woman, and gave us marriage to honor him, but our bodies are for the lord. Our bodies are for worship. Keeping the marriage bed pure honors God. Fornication, adultery, sexual immorality does not.

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

What is the Biblical Christian view on sexual immorality? We should flee from it. We should turn away and run in the opposite direction. Because this type of sin harms our body. We are using our body which should be a temple for God’s Holy spirit, and uniting it with something unholy. If our bodies are members of Christ, we should use them to honor God. A lot of people love to quote this verse to talk about fitness or diet regimes. We should not treat our bodies with contempt or fill ourselves with bad foods or drinks. We should exercise, and treat our bodies like a gift..I agree. but making your body not just a temple, but a dwelling place for God’s Holy spirit.. its less about the physical shell we live in,, and more about the Holy Spirit that should dwell alongside with us. And if you think about it, like Paul says these bodies we live in are no longer ours. God created them, for a time we misused them, but God redeemed them, which means they are returned to the original owner or issuer. And God didn’t just take us back, he bought us back. He didn’t just pay a nominal or trifling cost to buy us back. We were bought with the most highest value thing that could be imagined. God created everything we see. We could be bought back with an entire city, nation, continent, planet. That would cost an omnipotent God nothing. He created the universe. But He bought us back with something not created. Something of far greater value than a planet or solar system. His only Begotten Son. Jesus was begotten not made. The only Son paid our ransom and His blood bought us for an incalculable price.

We are not our own. We never were, but we used to act like it. In this chapter Paul gave us a bunch of “don’t you know’s” and they are worth reminding ourselves of regularly. We will Judge the World, We will Judge Angels, Wrongdoers will not inherit the Kingdom of God, But we were washed we were sanctified , we were justified, Our bodies are members of Christ Himself, our Bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit of God, who we received from God.