Does anyone of you
having a matter against another
dare to be judged
before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Do you not know that
the saints will judge the world?
And if the world is
judged by you, are you unworthy
of small judgments?
Or do you not know that we shall
judge angels, not to
speak of this life?
If, then, you truly
have judgments of this life,
those being least
esteemed in the church, you set, (Greek: Καθίζετε.
And means to settle
or appoint, especially pertaining to things of this life),
you sit these
1Corinthians 6:1–4
Paul began
this letter to the Corinthian Church and spoke that they were allowing the
wisdom of this world to invade their thinking and to guide the Church. This
done in contradiction to the will of God for His people, for His people are to
guide by His wisdom. To use God’s wisdom in all matters is important on every
front and especially so when there are disputes among Christians. We are not to
run off to secular court and bare before the world our problems that need
settled by elders in the Church. Yet what do we see in the church today? Men
and women take each other to court and often over very little matters. The
wisdom of God is provided for us as was pointed out in the last blog quoting
Jesus in Matthew 10. I have watched several court shows and there are at times
people who claim to be Christian and yet before all the viewers bare their
complaints towards each other and so often those complaints are very minor. If
there are issues such as stealing from a business, murder, and other serious
matters, then the secular court and may need be applied and used. They are
God’s appointed and ordained ruler and are to rule by His justice, and we have
the God given right to use them in some serious matters. But, this is not what
is happening so often in the Church; there are many disputes that Paul is
referring to, those matters that are complaints against another Christian that
the Church’s elders are provided for judging this matter, and this is after the
matter has followed the rubric provided by Jesus Christ. Worse than this is the
fact that many of those who have need of being judged, or their disputes
settled by the Church and have run off to the secular courts are appointed as
leaders and even at time judges. Paul goes on and adds: “For I speak shame
to you. So, is there not a wise one among you, not even one who will be able to
give judgment on his brother in your midst? But brother is judged with brother,
and this before unbelievers! Indeed, then, there is already a failure with you
all, that you have lawsuits with yourselves. Why not instead be wronged? Why
not instead be defrauded? But you do wrong, and defraud, and these things to brothers”
(1Corinthians 6:5–8)! To not follow Scripture is wrong! To fight for your
rights even before the unjust world brings defamation upon Jesus Christ and all
Christians. No wonder there are many who shy away from the truth of the gospel:
even Christians don’t follow God’s word, even in such matters as this! We who
are God’s children will judge even angels, so why are we so ready to avoid to
judge our brothers and sisters who are undergoing trials whether they caused
them or caused by others. When we go before the unjust this must be kept in
mind: we are going before: “Or do you not know that unjust ones will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray, neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, or
covetous ones, nor drunkards, or revilers, nor plunderers shall inherit the
kingdom of God” (1Corinthians 6:9–10). This is the type of person that may
be ruling as judge and you want to go before a person who will judge by the
wisdom of this world? Cannot you handle this problem or dispute as God as
instructed. Did I say that to be a Christian it takes courage, and a holding
fast to your convictions that have grown in faith and sanctification? Are you
committed to Jesus Christ or yourself and your pride? Praise God, for we were
like those Paul pointed out who will not inherit the kingdom of God: “And
some were these things, but you were washed; but you were sanctified; but you
were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God” (1Corinthians
6:11). The Greek word: άπελούσασθε refers to an entire washing – the
complete removal of sin and its debt. Note: notice that the washing,
sanctification, and justification by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Only God
can do this work, and not other person, whether it be an angel, as says the
Jehovah Witnesses, and others, it requires one to have the right and power to
do such a thing. This is especially important when the Holy Spirit is included
in the language speaking that He also was involved. This involvement is not by
some separate being, no, it is because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
are all of the same substance, there are the makeup of the Godhead. Therefore,
this being true, then we ought to follow this settling of disputes among
brothers and sisters. Is you Church handling thing this way, or is your church
to busy speaking to you philosophically, and psychologically? Are so committed
to Jesus Christ, and not your Church even though that is important, that you
follow Jesus and not man and man’s wisdom?
Only you
can answer these questions. I hope and pray that you are not just living in
this world, rather that you are living in this world as an ambassador and as a
citizen of heaven.
And Eli said to Samuel, Go,
Lie down;
and it shall be.
If One calls you, even you shall say,
Speak, O
Jehovah, for
Your servant hears you. And Samuel
Lay down in
his place.
1Samuel 3:9
Jehovah God will guide you in all matters
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