I Corinthians 6 · The Lantern

Lawsuits among Believers

Does any of you, having a matter against the other, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

One passage, accordingly, I shall in the briefest terms advert to, so as not to leave the topic unexplained. For in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the divine apostle says: "Dare any of you, having a matter against the other, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?" and so on.

The Corinthians were wrong in two ways. First, they were unfaithful, and second, they were expounding God's laws with a show of respect but in reality attributing their authority to idols.

After rebuking the Corinthians for failing to judge, the Apostle now rebukes them for other failings in matters of judgment. First, in regard to the judges before whom they present their grievances; secondly, in regard to the grievances themselves (v. 7).

Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unworthy of the smallest cases?

I am greatly grieved for Valens, who was once a presbyter among you, because he so little understands the place that was given him [in the Church]. I exhort you, therefore, that ye abstain from covetousness, and that ye be chaste and truthful. "Abstain from every form of evil." For if a man cannot govern himself in such matters, how shall he enjoin them on others?

For with these same discoursing he saith, "And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" For as the Christian ought to be far removed from arrogance, so also from flattery and a mean spirit.

Then when he says, Do you not know, he gives a reason against this policy, inasmuch as it detracts from the full power of the saints. First, in regard to the power they have over worldly affairs; secondly, in regard to the power they have over other-worldly things, i.e., over angels (v. 3).

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more then the things of this life?

If then you have judgments as to the things of this life, do you set up as judges those despised in the church?

I say this to your shame. Is it so that there is no one wise among you, no one who will be able to decide between his brothers?

He brings a charge against the Church of the Corinthians, that although they were seated in the midst of Greece they had no true wise men, and this though he had said before that many among them profess wisdom — on whose account also he said, "He who catches the wise in their craftiness". But some are wise men of this age, and others are wise according to God.

"But this I say to move you to shame." These are the words of one exposing their objection as being an idle pretext: and therefore he adds, "Is it so that there is not a wise man among you, no not even one?" Is the scarcity, says he, so great? so great the want of sensible persons among you? And what he subjoins strikes even still harder.

Then when he says, I say this, he explains in what sense he meant the foregoing. For someone who could believe that literally the least esteemed were to be chosen judges. But he excludes this, saying: I say this to your shame.

Instead, brother goes to law against brother — and this before unbelievers!

Already, then, it is altogether a defeat for you that you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

And how shall one "judge" the apostate "angels," who has become himself an apostate from that forgetfulness of injuries, which is according to the Gospel? "Why do ye not rather suffer wrong?" he says; "why are ye not rather defrauded?

A Christian ought not to engage in litigation at all, but if the matter is too serious to be disregarded he should bring the case to the church, so as not to incur an immediate penalty and personal downfall.

After rebuking the Corinthians for bringing their lawsuits before unbelieving judges, the Apostle now rebukes them for the judgments themselves. In regard to this he does three things: first, he states how they sinned in regard to judgments; secondly, he clarifies what he had said (v. 9).

But you yourselves do wrong and defraud — and this to brothers!

Now everyone who does these things sins; but by so much as the person wronged is more honorable, by so much the graver is the sin. For indeed, if someone wrongs the blessed one, in effect he wrongs Christ and defrauds Christ.

"Nay, ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren." Again, it is a twofold crime, perhaps even threefold or fourfold. One, not to know how to bear being wronged. Another, actually to do wrong. A third, to commit the settlement of these matters even unto the unjust. And yet a fourth, that it should be so done to a brother.

Then when he says, But you yourselves, he rebukes them for something altogether illicit. First, he accuses them of obvious injustice, when he says: But you yourselves wrong, namely, by speaking openly against the justice of others either in court or outside: "Do not delight in what pleases the unjust" (Sir 9:12).

Members of Christ

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the soft, nor men who lie with men,

Do not err, my brethren. Those that corrupt families shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If, then, those who do this as respects the flesh have suffered death, how much more shall this be the case with any one who corrupts by wicked doctrine the faith of God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified!

He who commits fornication corrupts the "temple of God"; but he who commits adultery, besides this, also offends against the husband. So neither adulterers; but neither the effeminate. We exhort you also, O children, to keep your own prime of life pure and not to be "defiled" with such womanish defilement.

Then when he says, Do you not know, he clarifies what he had said: first, as to what is altogether unlawful; secondly as to what is unlawful but not expedient (v. 12). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he presents a question; secondly, he answers it (v. 9b).

nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Then he descends also to the sins that seem to be lesser, saying Nor thieves; and this sin of theft nearly all who serve as soldiers commit, not "being content with their wages", as the Gospel taught, but "extorting by intimidation and bringing false accusation".

Paul did not say this because the Corinthians did not know it already. He was rather reawakening their reverence for the divine commandment and bringing them closer to readiness for the kingdom of heaven.

If someone says that he does not want the kingdom of God, only eternal rest, he should not deceive himself. For there are only two places, and not a third. If a person does not deserve to reign with Christ, then he will most assuredly perish with the devil.

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

All things are lawful to me, but not all things profit. All things are lawful to me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

No doubt, if any one is unwilling to follow the Gospel itself, it is in his power [to reject it], but it is not expedient. For it is in man's power to disobey God, and to forfeit what is good; but [such conduct] brings no small amount of injury and mischief.

Now that we are no longer under the law, we have the freedom to make choices, but we need to realize that some choices are right and others wrong.

Then when he says, all things are lawful, he clarifies what he had said about forbidding lawsuits, and shows in what sense he rejects them, namely, he does not reject them as altogether unlawful, but as not expedient and as harmful. In regard to this he does two things: first, he states his proposition; secondly, he assigns a reason (v. 13).

Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods — but God will destroy both this and these. And the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

And God both raised up the Lord and will raise us up through His power.

In the same manner, therefore, as Christ did rise in the substance of flesh, and pointed out to His disciples the mark of the nails and the opening in His side (now these are the tokens of that flesh which rose from the dead), so "shall He also," it is said, "raise us up by His own power." And again to the Romans he says, "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the…

Having now sufficiently condemned the glutton, he uses also the hope of things to come to divert us from this wickedness: saying, "And God both raised up the Lord, and will raise up us also through His power." Do you perceive again his Apostolical wisdom? For he is always establishing the credibility of the Resurrection from Christ, and especially now.

Then when he says, and God raised the Lord, he indicates the end of the above-mentioned ordination. First, he indicates what God had done in regard to the Lord, saying: And God raised the Lord, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, from the dead, from whom Christ Himself petitions in Ps 41 (v.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

Those, therefore, who are consecrated to God must never live mortally. "Nor," as Paul says, "is it meet to make the members of Christ the members of an harlot; nor must the temple of God be made the temple of base affections." Remember the four and twenty thousand that were rejected for fornication.

You are all members of Christ because you have been united to him by being born again of the Spirit. You have the hope that you will rise again, just as he rose.

Then when he says, Do you not know, he presents a second reason, which is taken from the human body's affinity to Christ, namely: the fornicating man's members are the prostitute's members, but a man's members are Christ's members. Therefore, by fornicating, Christ's members become the prostitute's members, which is unbecoming.

Or do you not know that the one being joined to the prostitute is one body? For it says, “The two will become one flesh.”

But the one being joined to the Lord is one spirit.

The soul of Jesus clung to God from the beginning of the creation in a union inseparable and indissoluble, as the soul of the wisdom and word of God, and of the truth and the true light. Receiving him wholly and itself entering into his light and splendor, it was made one spirit with him in a preeminent degree. This is what the apostle promises to those who imitate Jesus.

See how by the very names of the harlot and of Christ he continues and intensifies the accusation. He says that "he who is joined to the Lord" becomes nothing other than "spirit," since he does nothing carnal — that is, he becomes spiritual. For union with the Lord grants him the sanctification of the Spirit.

Secondly he proves the minor saying: But he who is united to the Lord, namely, by faith and charity, is one spirit with him, namely, because he is united to Him in a spiritual, not a bodily, unity.

The Temple of the Holy Spirit

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man may do is outside the body, but the one sinning sexually sins against his own body.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

There is nothing which is hid from God, but our very secrets are near to Him. Let us therefore do all things as those who have Him dwelling in us, that we may be His temples, and He may be in us as our God, which indeed He is, and will manifest Himself before our faces. Wherefore we justly love Him.

Let them, therefore, with fasting and with prayer make their adjurations, and not with the elegant and well-arranged and fitly-ordered words of learning, but as men who have received the gift of healing from God, confidently, to the glory of God.

Then when he says, Do you not know, he presents the fourth reason, which is taken from the dignity of grace, which arises from two sources, namely, from the grace of the Holy Spirit and from the redemption of Christ's blood.

For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

And again, to the Philippians he says: "But our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who shall transfigure the body of our humiliation conformable to the body of His glory, even as He is able (ita ut possit) according to the working of His own power." What, then, is this "body of humiliation" which the Lord shall transfigure, [so…

Mark, accordingly, how he secures his ground. For having said, "Ye are not your own," he adds not, "But are under compulsion;" but, "Ye were bought with a price." Why sayest thou this? Surely on another ground, one might say perhaps, you should have persuaded men, pointing out that we have a Master.

Secondly, he mentions the dignity our bodies have from the redemption of Christ, saying: You are not your own but Jesus Christ's, as it says in Rom (14:8): "Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's"; "Those who live no longer live for themselves" (2 Cor 5:15).

I Corinthians6

Lawsuits among Believers

Members of Christ

The Temple of the Holy Spirit