1Cor 6:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | . Quarreling happens to the best of us. But this expression cannot be applied to the family of God. In God’s family quarrels should not happen. And yet that happens. Why? Someone might have cheated you once. I will give you an example. Suppose you have a car and lend this car to a brother. You get your property back clean and undamaged. But yet, in course of time you receive in your letterbox a fine for driving too fast. Fortunately, you could recall that on the day the fine is dated, you lent the car to this brother. Then, with this fine you go to him. To your astonishment, he doesn’t know what you’re talking about; at least, that is how he responds. But you know for sure that he borrowed your car on the day in question. This matter becomes so intense that you sue him. Of course you don’t give up, do you? And of course you want to get to the bottom of the situation, don’t you? This turns into a situation of two brothers standing before the court to enforce their right. What a bad thing for the testimony of God on earth. Something like this was reported to Paul by the believers at Corinth. He found it very sad. How dared they? And they actually battled their conflicts out before the unrighteous! It doesn’t say what case it really was about. Therefore you may apply my example to many other cases, whatever believers can quarrel about. As it is said, it is not supposed to happen among children of God. But in case it does, how do you respond? That is the issue here. Paul rebukes them because they went to the worldly-wise judge with their conflicts, instead of consulting the saints, the brothers and sisters. . Do you know why he says this? It’s because the saints, the believers, will judge the world. What is he saying? Shall we judge the world? Yes, that’s what he is saying. Judgment here must be understood in the sense of governing, not of condemning. And if the saints shall judge the world, wouldn’t they then be competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Just make yourself fully aware of this. You will be competent to – soon, when the Lord will rule the world – reign together with Him. Then you will be competent to know exactly how to deal with all kinds of situations properly. Will you be different then from what you are now? No, you will be the same. There will only be one change and that is the fact, that you don’t have the flesh, your old nature, anymore. And that is just exactly the thing that is still keeping you from responding properly when someone else cheats you. . There is no better advice than what Paul is giving here: Be aware of your future! In future you will even judge angels. Once again, the meaning of this judging is: reigning over angels, thus, telling them what to do. That is quite something, isn’t it? Angels are mighty creatures. Once, one angel killed 185,000 people in one night ( ). Angels are beings used by God now to help and protect believers ( ). Soon you will tell angels where they should go and what they should do. What should these mighty creatures think then if you cannot control yourself in the matters of this life, which will be meaningless in future? For that is the issue here: the everyday matters. It is about matters that have no significance at all in themselves, in the future. The question is: how important are they for you? Do you want to, at all costs, claim the part you’re entitled to and what you haven’t received? The angels are watching how you respond to these matters. The best way to determine the value of “matters of this life” is to consider them in the light of the future. That is what Paul is doing here. If you do so, you will get rid of the pain of loss and you will have joy in what you will receive in future, instead. . This section is very practical. It deals with the common things of life. When problems arise between believers about every day things, other believers ought to be able to give solutions. You don’t need to have a special gift or an extraordinary spiritual insight for that. The simplest believer is capable, with the wisdom of God, to deal with such situations. . Paul says that they should be ashamed of themselves. Weren’t they glorying in their many gifts? But in spite of those many gifts, brothers have law courts with each other. In that way they aired out the dirty laundry of the church and it became known to the world. What an embarrassing spectacle. Are the people of the world made jealous to become Christians too by hearing these things? They only speak contemptuously and with gloating about those arguing Christians. The fact that there are many different churches and denominations is still something that should embarrass us. But it hurts me more when I sometimes read about matters from which it becomes apparent that Christians are also quarreling within their own church or denomination. And in this case, it makes no difference to me in which church or denomination Christians are quarreling. Where was the brother, who would be capable of judging between his brethren? It must have been a great church at Corinth, for God says to Paul about it: “I have many people in this city” ( ). But a large number of believers in a local church is not a guarantee for a healthy spiritual life in that church. If you think you are a simple brother or sister, then you might have the tendency to follow the crowd easily. But on the other hand, if you have received a certain gift, you might be easily tempted to raise yourself above the crowd, or you might be raised by fellow believers. Neither of them is right. In the church everybody should know his place and task. Paul returns to this at length in 1 Corinthians 12 ( ). But the lesson here is that we should not ignore the responsibility to keep a watchful eye for matters that could bring the church into disrepute. . Conflicts between believers are not to be resolved by a worldly judge, but ought to be resolved in the church. So, how simple you might consider yourself – after all, you cannot consider yourself too simple –, you have received the command to help to seek for solutions when there are conflicts in the church about miscellaneous ordinary matters. To be able to do that, the important thing is not the need of having common sense or to have much sensitivity in the first place, but the daily fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Then you will receive the wisdom you need for any case you have to deal with. Suggestion: This wisdom will, when you’re still young, lead you to consult older and wiser brothers first for a certain matter. Now read 1 Corinthians 6:1-6 again. Reflection: Have you ever had a conflict with a brother or sister? How was that resolved? Or do you have a conflict with someone at this moment? How do you think you will resolve that? Or do you know of other believers who are in conflict with each other? What could your task possibly be?

‏ 1 Corinthians 6:2-3

Judgments and Settling Matters

1Cor 6:1. Quarreling happens to the best of us. But this expression cannot be applied to the family of God. In God’s family quarrels should not happen. And yet that happens. Why? Someone might have cheated you once. I will give you an example. Suppose you have a car and lend this car to a brother. You get your property back clean and undamaged. But yet, in course of time you receive in your letterbox a fine for driving too fast. Fortunately, you could recall that on the day the fine is dated, you lent the car to this brother. Then, with this fine you go to him.

To your astonishment, he doesn’t know what you’re talking about; at least, that is how he responds. But you know for sure that he borrowed your car on the day in question. This matter becomes so intense that you sue him. Of course you don’t give up, do you? And of course you want to get to the bottom of the situation, don’t you? This turns into a situation of two brothers standing before the court to enforce their right. What a bad thing for the testimony of God on earth.

Something like this was reported to Paul by the believers at Corinth. He found it very sad. How dared they? And they actually battled their conflicts out before the unrighteous! It doesn’t say what case it really was about. Therefore you may apply my example to many other cases, whatever believers can quarrel about. As it is said, it is not supposed to happen among children of God. But in case it does, how do you respond? That is the issue here. Paul rebukes them because they went to the worldly-wise judge with their conflicts, instead of consulting the saints, the brothers and sisters.

1Cor 6:2. Do you know why he says this? It’s because the saints, the believers, will judge the world. What is he saying? Shall we judge the world? Yes, that’s what he is saying. Judgment here must be understood in the sense of governing, not of condemning. And if the saints shall judge the world, wouldn’t they then be competent to constitute the smallest law courts?

Just make yourself fully aware of this. You will be competent to – soon, when the Lord will rule the world – reign together with Him. Then you will be competent to know exactly how to deal with all kinds of situations properly. Will you be different then from what you are now? No, you will be the same. There will only be one change and that is the fact, that you don’t have the flesh, your old nature, anymore. And that is just exactly the thing that is still keeping you from responding properly when someone else cheats you.

1Cor 6:3. There is no better advice than what Paul is giving here: Be aware of your future! In future you will even judge angels. Once again, the meaning of this judging is: reigning over angels, thus, telling them what to do. That is quite something, isn’t it? Angels are mighty creatures. Once, one angel killed 185,000 people in one night (Isa 37:36). Angels are beings used by God now to help and protect believers (Heb 1:14). Soon you will tell angels where they should go and what they should do.

What should these mighty creatures think then if you cannot control yourself in the matters of this life, which will be meaningless in future? For that is the issue here: the everyday matters. It is about matters that have no significance at all in themselves, in the future. The question is: how important are they for you? Do you want to, at all costs, claim the part you’re entitled to and what you haven’t received? The angels are watching how you respond to these matters. The best way to determine the value of “matters of this life” is to consider them in the light of the future. That is what Paul is doing here. If you do so, you will get rid of the pain of loss and you will have joy in what you will receive in future, instead.

1Cor 6:4. This section is very practical. It deals with the common things of life. When problems arise between believers about every day things, other believers ought to be able to give solutions. You don’t need to have a special gift or an extraordinary spiritual insight for that. The simplest believer is capable, with the wisdom of God, to deal with such situations.

1Cor 6:5. Paul says that they should be ashamed of themselves. Weren’t they glorying in their many gifts? But in spite of those many gifts, brothers have law courts with each other. In that way they aired out the dirty laundry of the church and it became known to the world. What an embarrassing spectacle. Are the people of the world made jealous to become Christians too by hearing these things? They only speak contemptuously and with gloating about those arguing Christians.

The fact that there are many different churches and denominations is still something that should embarrass us. But it hurts me more when I sometimes read about matters from which it becomes apparent that Christians are also quarreling within their own church or denomination. And in this case, it makes no difference to me in which church or denomination Christians are quarreling.

Where was the brother, who would be capable of judging between his brethren? It must have been a great church at Corinth, for God says to Paul about it: “I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10). But a large number of believers in a local church is not a guarantee for a healthy spiritual life in that church.

If you think you are a simple brother or sister, then you might have the tendency to follow the crowd easily. But on the other hand, if you have received a certain gift, you might be easily tempted to raise yourself above the crowd, or you might be raised by fellow believers. Neither of them is right. In the church everybody should know his place and task. Paul returns to this at length in 1 Corinthians 12 (1Cor 12:4-30). But the lesson here is that we should not ignore the responsibility to keep a watchful eye for matters that could bring the church into disrepute.

1Cor 6:6. Conflicts between believers are not to be resolved by a worldly judge, but ought to be resolved in the church. So, how simple you might consider yourself – after all, you cannot consider yourself too simple –, you have received the command to help to seek for solutions when there are conflicts in the church about miscellaneous ordinary matters. To be able to do that, the important thing is not the need of having common sense or to have much sensitivity in the first place, but the daily fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Then you will receive the wisdom you need for any case you have to deal with.

Suggestion: This wisdom will, when you’re still young, lead you to consult older and wiser brothers first for a certain matter.

Now read 1 Corinthians 6:1-6 again.

Reflection: Have you ever had a conflict with a brother or sister? How was that resolved? Or do you have a conflict with someone at this moment? How do you think you will resolve that? Or do you know of other believers who are in conflict with each other? What could your task possibly be?