1 Corinthians 6 (2)

Pray Psalm 52.1-4.
Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness.
Selah
You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

Sing Psalm 52.1-4.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Why do the mighty boast in sin? God’s love endures, it knows no end!
They with their tongues vain boasts repeat, and like a razor, work deceit.

Men more than good in evil delight, and lies prefer to what is right.
They utter words both harsh and strong with their devouring, deceitful tongue.

Read 1 Corinthians 6.1-6; meditate on verses 4-6.

Preparation
1. To whom should we not look for just judgments?

2. Where did Paul want the Corinthians to turn?

Meditation
You cannot play tennis on a pickle ball court. Ice hockey does not work on a basketball court. A squash court is for squash, not shuffleboard. If you want to get the most out of your sport, make sure you’re playing on the right court.

That’s Paul’s counsel to the Corinthians in a nutshell. The right court for Christians in which to resolve their differences in the grace and truth of the Lord, so that justice and neighbor-love prevail, is the court of the church. Secular civil courts work, to the extent they do, only because they borrow on concepts of law and justice which derive from the Law of God. But courts are drifting away from such a fixed reference to make decisions according to uncertain winds of doctrine and the temper of the times. Such opinions should be “least esteemed” by believers who are concerned for righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If we have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, we must turn to our church and her leaders to help us. If we need skill in thinking about how to discern God’s will, apply His Word to our work, grow in our ability to make wise and loving choices, and further the rule of King Jesus into every area of our lives, we must look to the church and its leaders and members. It would be shameful to expect secular courts of any stature or design to help us figure out how to fulfill our calling to the Kingdom and glory of God.

And if we believe that our churches are not up to this challenge, then our duty is to do everything in our power to make that not the case. Be grounded in the Word of God. Encourage your fellow church members to do the same. Choose leaders who love the Lord and His Word. And trust God to bring His blessings to and through you as you learn to judge with righteous judgment about every aspect of life.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Since the beginning of this letter to the church in Corinth, Paul has been speaking against divisiveness within the Body of Christ. It is not to happen for any reason. “Is Christ divided?”, he asked (1 Cor. 1.13). The answer obviously is “No”.

Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matt. 12.25).

“I say this to your shame”, Paul said. “Brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!” Divided amongst themselves for all to see, and nobody to be properly helped. Only judged by “those least esteemed”, non-believers in the world (1 Cor. 6.4-6).

When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to bring concord to the mayhem, he said, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach” (Neh. 2.17).

The same can be said for the church today. You see the distress, the church lies waste, our integrity burned.
But come, let us build the church, we can be revived, so that we are no longer divided and a reproach—in the world’s eyes and in our own.

We must not be found guilty of the same sin that has plagued God’s people in perpetuity:
“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17.6).

We serve King Jesus. We live within His Kingdom and Law. We do what He has called us to do. We are not divided. We take our stand on the right plane. We take our claims to the “Right Court”.

For “Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere…” (Ps. 84.10 NIV).

For reflection
1. Why was Paul so adamant about not going to court before unbelievers?

2. The lesson for us is clear: Esteem the Word of God first and always, and the views of mere men least of all. How does this lesson apply to your daily life?

3. Can the Church fulfill its calling apart from the Law of God? Explain.

This in no way contradicts Romans [13], where Paul tells people to respect the magistrates. He is not telling us to resist secular authorities, but rather we should not appeal to them. Theodoret of Cyr (393-466), Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 195

Pray Psalm 52.5-9.
Pray for the lost people in your Personal Mission Field. Ask God to soften their hearts and to give you an opportunity to share Jesus with them. Pray that you will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sing Psalm 52.5-9.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
God will forever break them down, uproot, and cast them to the ground!
He from their safety tears them away, no more to know the light of day.

The righteous see and laugh and fear, and say, “Behold, what have we here?
Such are all who at God conspire, and wealth and evil ways desire.”

But as for me may I be seen in God an olive ever green!
Ever in God, most kind and just, shall I with joy and gladness trust!

Thanks evermore to our Savior be raised! His faithfulness be ever praised!
Here with Your people, loving God, I wait upon Your Name, so good!

T. M. and Susie Moore

The Church in Corinth needed revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today needs revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.