Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 1 Co 6. 1-2 and following. Indeed, another disorder existed in Corinth. Brothers had gone so far as to bring their differences before the courts of this world. Sad testimony really! The apostle takes up both the one who has not endured injustice and the one who has committed it. Then he considers the main vices common among the Pagans and solemnly declares that it is not possible to be saved while continuing to live in iniquity. That’s what you were, some of you,” he concludes. But also, this is what God has done: you have been washed, sanctified, justified. Is it to defile you again?
Sin aside, nothing is forbidden to me… but everything can enslave me if I am not careful (1 Co 6:12). “Evil is not in things, but in the love for things that is in the heart.” That is why verses 13 to 20 are about purity. May they be especially engraved in the heart of the young Christian man, more exposed to carnal temptations. His own body no longer belongs to him. God redeemed him in order to make him for Christ a member of His body and for the Holy Spirit a temple that must be holy as is His Divine Host.
So here the apostle addresses another evil, usual among the Corinthians and which is encountered too often today: One brother was wronging another, and to settle their dispute, they went to a human tribunal. The apostle takes them as seriously as possible. He told them things they knew but had forgotten, not those they still didn’t know; but they possessed enough truths to be able to direct themselves, in a way that honors the Lord Jesus, into the world. “Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world?” How would you be judged by the latter whom you will judge yourself? And if he is judged by you with such great judgment, are you unworthy of judging the affairs of this life? This is not the revenge exercised by the Lord, when he will come out of heaven with his armies, but a court, a judicial judgment. For the Lord, as shown to us in many passages, will come to sit on the throne of His glory to judge the nations, and we will be associated with Him in this judgment.
And moreover, “don’t you know that we will judge the angels?” We often hear this word applied to angels “who have not kept their origin”, and who are reserved in eternal chains, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day”; or to Satan and his angels who will be cast into the eternal fire prepared for them (Mat 25:41). But this is the fact that the judicial and governmental throne is entrusted to the saints, and that this throne is above the angels. If there is any act of government towards the angels, God will employ us in it. For they are sent as servants on behalf of those who will inherit salvation. It is not a question of giving them a position of supremacy, but, on the contrary, they are subject to the supremacy of those whom the Lord has associated with his government.
Those who are little esteemed are those who do not have in the assembly the special place occupied, for example, by “James, and Cephas, and John, who were considered to be columns” (Gal 2:9). These unre esteemed Christians, not having a special gift, were nevertheless wise men, for the apostle said: “So there is no wise man among you, not even one, who is able to decide between his brethren?” Such men had to have a lot of caution, honesty, common sense, but they were not prominent men. Notice how much this reached the consciousness of the Corinthians. Their great claim was wisdom according to man; they could not exalt enough those whom they felt they had in this respect, a position superior to others, and when the most ordinary difficulties of life arrived, there was not even one of all their sages to judge between two brothers who were quarreling! If we understood that these functions are not incumbent on the esteemed brothers for their gifts, and that it is not up to them to settle these disputes.
Here the apostle exhorts both parties. He said to the one who was wronged, “Why don’t you let yourself be wrong instead?” To the one who is wrong: “You do injustices and you do wrong, and that to your brothers!” Both are judged, one because he did not bear the injustice, the other because he did it; however, about the latter, he adds, “Don’t you know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God?”
Such words are enough to frighten us, and that is right. Not to inherit the kingdom of God is to be excluded from its presence; it is not entering heaven, it is being left on earth for judgment. We must not forget, and here we have an example of this, that the word of God never diminishes Christian responsibility. But there is a resource, grace, and we all know that, without which we could not survive. Unmanaged Christians use these words to prove to themselves that once saved they can be lost again. This is in no way what the Word tells us; but when it places us in the presence of our responsibility, we learn that if our actions leave us with no hope of escaping judgment, we have in God’s heart the resources of grace.
For the Lord has never done something that has not been advantageous to others. “Meats for the stomach, and the stomach for meats; but God will destroy this one and those.” I will have in the sky, neither meats, nor organ that digests them. There are things in this world that I have full freedom to use, but that do not last. From this, the apostle shows that there are other things that last: “Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” And the hard body, the conscience of all the pagan nations told them nothing about fornication, but, during their conversion, an immense change had taken place: their bodies had been redeemed, as well as their souls and spirits. So he said to them, “Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ?” (1 Co 4:15). What an honor given to the body of the Christian! He is now part of Christ. For in the beginning of Christianity, false teachers taught Christians not to spare the body and not to give it a certain honor (Col 2:23), while the Lord gives it, on the contrary, great value, since He will resurrect it incorruptible.
The apostle adds: “Flee from fornication: whatever sin man commits, he is out of the body, but the fornicator sins against his own body.” Against his own body! Will I introduce defilement into the body of Christ, of which mine is a member? How it should strike our minds, our hearts, our consciences! Is it possible that, united so intimately with Christ, I can treat the filth lightly? This exhortation is of paramount importance for young people who begin on the path of faith, and are exposed more than others to the lusts of youth. Let them meditate on this chapter, in order to warn themselves of compromising the purity of the body of Christ, not to mention the way in which they expose themselves, through their conduct, to the judgment of God and to the discipline of the assembly.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
- Dispute to avoid
Pr 25:8 Do not hasten to enter into dispute, Lest in the end you know what to do, When your neighbor has outraged you. Mt 5:25:40 Agree promptly with your adversary, while you are on your way with him, lest he hand you over to the judge, the judge will hand you over to the officer of justice, and you will be put in prison. 40 If anyone wants to plead against you, and take your tunic, leave him your coat again. 1 Co 6:1 Does any of you, when he has a dispute with another, dare to plead before the unjust, and not before the Saints?
- Elevation of the saints promised
Ps 91:14 Since he loves me, I will deliver him; I will protect him, since he knows my name. Is 33:16 He shall dwell in high places; Fortified rocks will be his retreat; Bread will be given to him, Water will be assured to him. Is 58:14 Then thou shat put thy pleasure in the Lord, and I will make you ascend to the heights of the land, I will make you enjoy the inheritance of Jacob, your father; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Dn 12:3 Those who have been intelligent will shine like the splendor of heaven, and those who have taught righteousness to the multitude will shine like the stars, forever and in perpetuity. Ha 3:19 The Lord, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like those of deer, and he makes me walk on my high places. To the leader of the cantors. With stringed instruments. Mt 19:28 Jesus answered them: I tell you in truth, when the Son of man, at the renewal of all things, will be seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me, you will likewise be seated on twelve thrones, and you will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 1 Co 6:2 Don’t you know that the Saints will judge the world? And if it is by you that the world is judged, are you unworthy of making the slightest judgments? Rev 3:21 He who overcomes, I will have him sit with me on my throne, as I have conquered and sat with my Father on his throne. Rev 5:10 you have made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth. Rev 11:12 And they heard from heaven a voice saying to them, “Go up here! And they ascended to heaven in the cloud; and their enemies saw them.
- The duty to express the Reprobation Pr 24:25 But those who chastise him find themselves well, and happiness comes upon them as a blessing.
Lk 17:3 Beware of yourselves. If your brother has sinned, take him back; and, if he repents, forgive him. Eph 5:11 and do not take part in the fruitless works of darkness, but rather condemn them. 1 Tim 5:20 Those who sin, take them back before all, so that others too may be feared. 2 Tim 4:2 preach the word, insist on every occasion, favorable or not, resume, censor, exhort, with all gentleness and teaching. Tt 1:13 This testimony is true. Therefore, take them up severely, so that they may have a healthyfaith; 2:15 Say these things, exhort, and resume, with full authority. Let no one despise you.
- Teaching about Regeneration
-Birth of a new spirit Ez 36:26 I will give you a new heart, and I will put in you a new spirit; I will remove from your body the heart of stone, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
-Of divine origin Jn 1:13 not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
-Essential to the spiritual vision Jn 3:3 Jesus answered him: Truely, in truth, I tell you, if a man is not born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 2 Co 3:3 You are manifestly a letter of Christ, written, by our ministry, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on tables of flesh, on hearts.
-A new creature 2 Co 5:17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things have passed; behold, all things have become new.
-Necessary for salvation Tt 3:5 he saved us, not because of the works of justice that we would have done, but according to his mercy, by the baptism of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit; James 1:18 He begat us according to His will, by the word of truth, that we may somehow be the firstfruits of His creatures. 1 P 1:3 Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, regenerated us, for a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
-By the Word of God 1 P 1:23 since you have been regenerated, not by a corruptible seed, but by an incorruptible seed, by the living and permanent word of God. 1 Jn 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, recognize that whoever practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 John 3:9 Whoever is born of God does not practice sin, because the seed of God dwells in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 Jn 4:7 Beloved, love one another; for love is of God, and whoever loves is born of God and knows God.
Obtained by means of faith 1 Jn 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God, and whoever loves the one who begat him also loves the one who was born of him.
From all of the above, we note that ainsi, not only is our body a member of Christ, but it is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, a gift we have received directly from God, can by virtue of redemption dwell in this temple. The Lord Jesus Himself called His body a temple, and having been freed from sin by Him, we have the right to view our bodies in the same way That He considered His. Moreover: “You are not yours; because you were bought at a price”. I no longer belong to my my place I can no longer do my will in this world; the Lord bought me (and at what price!) so that I would belong to Him alone, and serve Him. And the apostle concludes: “Glorify God in your body.” Thus ends this very important theme, as well as all those subjects that contain such a quantity of practical exhortations for our daily life. For God wants us to walk in a true practical separation from evil, until the blessed moment when we will no longer have to watch over ourselves, or tighten our clothes around our kidneys, with the belt of holiness and justice, but when we can, as has been said, let it float freely in an environment of absolute purity, around the One who acquired us for Him, forever. Our prayers support you all in your walk of practical separation from evil.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may be shining in my life right now.
Thank you Lord Jesus for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby watering point to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow on “Christian marriage, various exhortations relating to marriage.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.