Paul exhorted the Corinth brethren not to sue one another. Should anyone among them have a matter against another, why should they go to the law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Did they not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world were to be judged by the saints, were they unworthy to judge the smallest thing? Did they not know they were to judge angels?
How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then they had judgment concerning things pertaining to this life, why appoint those who were least esteemed by the church to judge? Paul said those things to their shame. Was it so, that there was not a wise man among them, not even one, who was able to judge between the brethren? But brother went to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! (v.1-6).
Paul said it was already an utter failure for them that they went to law against one another. Why did they not rather let themselves be cheated? They themselves did wrong and cheated, and did those things to their brothers. Did they not know that the unrighteous would not inherit the kingdom of God?
They should not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, would inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of them. But they were washed, but were sanctified, but were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of their God (v.7-11).
All things were lawful, but all things were not helpful. All things were lawful but Paul would not be brought under the power of any (v.12).
Foods for the stomach, and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God raised up the Lord and will raise us up by His power (v.13-14).
Paul reminded the Corinth brethren that their bodies were members of Christ. Should he then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Did they not know that he who is joined to a harlot was one body with her? For the Lord says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (v.15-17).
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Did they not know that their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwelt in them whom they had from God, and they were not their own? For they were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in their body and in their spirit which are God’s (v.18-20).
COMMENTARY
Paul told the Corinth brethren that for them to go to the law and bring a matter against another before the unrighteous was a shame. Going to the law in Corinth with any matter was going to the pagan courts and approaching the officials who are unrighteous in the sight of the Lord to judge the matter.
Being believers of Lord Jesus Christ, they are to judge the world and shall judge the angels. How much more the matters of this life? If then they had judgments concerning matters pertaining to this life, why did they appoint those who were least esteemed by the church to judge the matters against another? Was it that there was not one wise man among them who was able to judge between the brethren? But brother went to the law against brother, and that before unbelievers (ref: Rev.19:19-20;20:10).
It was utter failure for them to go to the law against one another. Why did they not rather accept wrong? Why did they not rather let themselves be cheated? In all the bickering, they made frivolous and dishonest charges against one another. It was better to be cheated by a dishonest brother than to dishonour one’s Christian integrity before pagans.
They themselves did wrong and cheated, and did those things to their brethren. Did they not know the unrighteous would not inherit the kingdom of God? Paul told them not to be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of them.
But they were washed, but they were sanctified, but they were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. Before the Corinth brethren believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, they were unrighteous and committed the sins that were mentioned in verses 9 and 10. But then having believed the Lord Jesus Christ and were baptised, they were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. They were washed meant that they were washed of sins by the blood of Christ; sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus meant that they were no longer sinners nor unrighteous but were holy and righteous saints.
Having the grace of being washed of sins, being sanctified and justified, the Corinth brethren were no longer unrighteous, for if they were unrighteous, they would not inherit the kingdom of God (v.9-11).
“All things are lawful for me” (v.12) was a slogan the Corinthians coined to justify their immoral behaviour. Paul reminded them that freedom from the statutes and ordinances of Moses did not give them licence to sin or indulge themselves in sins from which they had been set free by the Lord Jesus Christ.
That would only enslave them in sin. Hence Paul wrote, “but I will not be brought under the power of any” meaning that he did not yield himself to any power to indulge himself or commit sexual immorality (v.12).
“Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods” ( v.13) was another phrase the Corinthians used to justify their sinful lifestyle. Food was gratifying and essential for life. When they were hungry, they ate. Following the same logic, whenever they craved for sex, they indulged themselves. They reckoned any physical activity should not affect one’s spiritual life, just as consuming physical food did not affect one’s spirituality.
Such line of thought is erroneous. For the stomach and the digestive process are no more than earthly and without function in eternity. But the body, through the power of the resurrection of Christ is eternal. It is sanctified by Him for His glory (v.20). While the stomach’s purpose is to digest food, it is not the purpose of the body for sexual immorality. God put restrictions on both eating of foods and sexual activity. Eating to the point of gluttony and having wanton sex outside of marriage violate God’s intent and are therefore sinful (v.13-14).
The life of a believer is greatly transformed when he is joined to Christ. His body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in him, whom he has from God, and he is not his own. He belongs to Him, for he is bought at a price with the blood of Jesus Christ (v.19-20). Should a believer commit sexual immorality, he makes illicit his relationship with Christ (Gen. 2:24 is quoted: ‘the two shall become one flesh’).
The seriousness of sexual sin was illustrated to the Corinth brethren (v.15-18). Paul wrote, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sin against his own body. Or, do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own.”(v.18-19)
TEACHINGS
Do not go the law and sue a brother in any matter before the courts of the world where the judges are pagans and unbelievers? Should there be grievance against any brethren, go to him and be reconciled. If he refuses, tell it to the church? If the wrongdoer adheres not to mediation of the church for his misdeeds, nor adhere to the disciplinary action meted according to the instructions of the Lord Jesus and established regulations, be prepared to give way as long as it depends on you.
It’s acceptable in the sight of God to suffer injustice for Christ’s sake. Leave all vengeance to the Lord who shall judge the world in righteousness when He returns on the last day. There shall be glory on that day for him who suffers injustice for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 18:15-15, Rom. 12:17-20; I Pet.3:17; 4:13-17).
Do not commit the sins of which we previously were guilty, when we were unbelievers, unrighteous and without God, as well as alienated from the covenants of promise. For the unrighteous sinners shall not inherit the kingdom of God but their lot shall be in the lake of fire which is the second death (I Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 2:1-3, 11-13; Rev. 21:8).
Being baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, we are washed and sanctified and justified. No longer walk in darkness as the unbelievers do but walk as children of light doing what is good, right and true (Eph. 5:5-8).
Do not find any excuse for indulges of the flesh nor yield to the power of the evil one who initiate slogans and phrases that the unbelievers and society reckon as sound but which state that indulges of the flesh to practise sexual immorality is alright, just as eating when one is hungry and drinking when one is thirsty. When one craves for sex, it is alright for him to indulge even to the extent of having illicit sexual activity outside of a marriage. We ought instead to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13).
Our bodies are purchased by Christ with His blood and a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. We are not our own, so glorify God in our bodies (I Cor. 6:9-10).
