Verses 1-2 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
The Apostle Paul is clearly teaching that within the Church, disputes should be heard and dealt with within the Church and not in secular courts. Converted Christian believers have no business seeking judgement for perceived wrongs in secular courts where the judges and juries are made up of unsaved, unrighteous people who do not necessarily have the wisdom to decide matters for those following the LORD Jesus Christ. In a secular court, matters are decided based on man’s law and not God’s Law, based on the prejudices and preferences of the men and women passing judgement, and the decisions are usually unfair.
Application: Since saints are not those people canonized after death by the Catholic institution, but are living, born again followers of Jesus Christ who are one day going to judge the world with the LORD Jesus, then does it not make sense to judge disputes between fellow believers in the Church setting? Does it not make sense that people filled with the Spirit of God and knowledgeable of the Word of God will make righteous judgements between two parties under the leading and will of the Holy Ghost? Would not the world be a better place if members of the Church actually followed the New Testament instructions given by the apostles on how to govern the Church, themselves, and their families? After all, this promise was given to the 12 apostles. “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28
Verse 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
There are three types of angels. There are the angels that did not rebel against God and who continue to serve Him to this day. Then there are the fallen angels that chose to follow Satan and who were cast out of Heaven. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;” 2 Peter 2:4 These are the angels that the Church will judge. Finally, there are the fallen angels who just left Heaven on their own accord. “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Jude 6 These angels will be judged by the Church also. Why? Because they caused so much pain, suffering, and tribulation among the people of God.
Application: If God is going to have His people judge both the angels and the world, then they should be able to judge between brethren the simple disputes that arise in this life.
Verse 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
Application: Furthermore, the Apostle Paul instructs the Corinthian church to choose judges who are ordinary people and not people of title and position and financial superiority. Why? Because that is God’s way. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chose the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty:” 1 Corinthians 1:27 They are to use the people who nobody pays attention to and who are not popular. The Greek word translated as “least esteemed” is “exoutheneo” and it means to make of no account or to despise utterly.
Verses 5-6 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
The Apostle Paul is telling this church that they are shaming themselves if they cannot produce one wise believer that can judge matters between the brethren, and that it is to their shame that they take each other to secular courts and tell their disputes to unbelievers.
Verse 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Rather than go to secular courts it would be better if the injured party just accepted the wrong done against him, and tolerated being defrauded or suffering financial or material loss. Why? Two main reasons. First nothing belongs to people, but all things are gifts from God. Any loss is credited to God’s account because He is the true owner of everything that exists. So when someone defrauds a Christian believer, the loss really should not be a cause for concern because that which was lost never belonged to the believer in the first place, but was on loan from God. The second reason is that God will restore to the injured party that which is lost. When true Christian believers learn to turn everything over to the LORD for His supervision, He will always repay their faith.
Verses 8-10 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
So besides sexual sin or fornication, the Corinthian believers were also cheating and robbing each other. They were basically a mess which the Apostle Paul was trying to sort out and correct. So he lists for them all the basic sins that will keep people out of Heaven. Sexual sin is at the top of the list, then idol worship, sexually unfaithful spouses, gays and lesbians, those who engage in abusive behaviors which can include sodomy, thieves, the greedy, alcoholics, those who criticize in an insulting manner, and robbers who gain something through force or threats.
Verse 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The Apostle Paul knew the people he was addressing in this epistle and he knew their background and the sins they had come out of. But they needed to remember from whence they came and not return to their sins because they were now washed by the blood of Jesus, set apart for Him and made righteous through the name of Jesus Christ and by His Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Verse 12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Application: For the Christian believer nothing is unlawful or against God’s law, but not everything is good for the body or the soul. The true believer is not going to break the Ten Commandments or violate the statutes and ordinances that God gave to the Prophet Moses, but the things of life that are available and that Satan will bring to the believer as a stumbling block are not necessarily things the believer should get involved with even though lawful (according to the law of God, not the law of man-made governments and institutions). The Greek word translated as “expedient” is “sumphero” and it means profitable or to help. An example: this writer is not going to go to bars and drink alcohol. The alcohol is lawful and if taken in moderation and infrequently, it most likely will not cause physical harm. But in reality alcohol does nothing to benefit the body which is the temple of the Holy Ghost/Spirit and alcohol at a bar costs money, and all money belongs to God who gives it to this writer to use properly. So going to a bar and drinking alcohol is not expedient (helpful or profitable) for the body or temple, and is a poor use of the financial resources given by God who expects His people to be wise stewards. However, going to a bar in order to witness to the bikers drinking there has been an activity that this writer has engaged in, solely for the purpose of ministering the Gospel to the unsaved and only while in the company of other Christian believers. It is not unlawful to go to the bar, but the purpose for going should be glorifying to the LORD and not an excuse to fall into temptation. For the believer who is weak in both body and faith, witnessing to bikers at bars may result in the believer being “brought under the power” of that type of environment, leading to sin. So every Christian believer needs to be aware of their spiritual strengths and weaknesses and stay away from the things of this world which, although lawful, are not expedient.
Verses 13-14 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
The Greek word translated as “meats” is “broma” and it means food or that which is eaten. The Apostle Paul is saying that there is a relationship between food and the belly (stomach or gastrointestinal system). Food goes in the stomach where it belongs, but eventually both the food and the stomach will cease to exist when a person assumes room temperature. But in this physical life, there is a correct place and use of the stomach or GI tract to take in and digest food and keep the body alive by nourishing it. Misuse of either food or the belly will lead to disaster. The analogy is that spiritually, there is a relationship between the physical body and God. The entire physical body is for the LORD and the LORD through His Holy Ghost dwells inside each believer’s body. However, when the believer’s body assumes room temperature, the believer does not cease to exist, but his spirit goes with God’s Spirit to await the final resurrection of the dead at the end of time when each believer will be reunited with his/her body in a resurrected state. And the proof of this promise is in the bodily resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ. Because of this relationship between a believer’s body and the LORD, the believer’s body belongs to the LORD and therefore should not be used improperly for fornication or sexual sin.
Verses 15-17 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
The Apostle Paul continues the subject of avoiding fornication by pointing out to the Corinthians that when there is a physical union between a man and a woman they are viewed by God to be “one flesh” and no longer two individual people. From the biological aspect, when there is a union of a man and a woman there is an exchange of body fluids containing proteins, minerals, and so forth so that the couple are sharing with each other the very essence of who they are biologically and chemically. This makes them one body or one flesh. In a marriage situation, this is the will of God. But outside of a marriage situation, this is sin. So the Apostle Paul is asking the Corinthians should the Christian believer engage in fornication or sex out side of marriage knowing that the very Spirit of God is with them and that the body and soul for which the LORD Jesus Christ died and which is a part of His Kingdom is then permitted to join with a harlot and become defiled? Of course not. If every Christian believer truly realized and truly believed that God, very God, is with them when engaging in fornication, perhaps they would not fall into this sin. It is impossible to be one with God and then be one with a harlot.
Verse 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
Application: Sexual sin leads to sexually transmitted diseases which, during the days of the apostles, had no cure. Although there are treatments for some STD’s today, fornication destroys the physical body and negatively affects the emotional and psychological well being of those engaged in such behavior. Fornication is destructive to the body.
Verses 19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6)
The Apostle Paul sums up the topic by reminding the Corinthians that they are not their own property any more as they were purchased by the LORD Jesus Christ at a very high price, the payment being made through His suffering and shed blood at Calvary.