1Corinthians 6-7
Sunday Evening Bible Study
January 23, 2000
1Corinthians 6
:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Another problem in the Corinthian church was that some people in the church were taking others in the church to court and suing them.
: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?
We will be involved in God’s process of judging the world.
(Rev 20:4 KJV) And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
If God is going to give us this job later, shouldn’t we be able to handle disputes between each other?
I think this is an ideal. Practically speaking, this is a very difficult thing to pull off in our world today. People go to different churches. People have a hard time submitting to another person’s authority.
I’ve had several situations where people have pointed to these verses, but I have to tell you that I haven’t seen it work out very well.
Chuck Smith: "And it is not a prohibition, nor is it to my knowledge or understanding a prohibition of going to court with a brother if the brother is not willing to settle it within the church. You see, if he's unwilling to submit to the arbitration within the church, then you may have to take other recourse, but Paul said that's a shame."
Keep in mind, I think the things Paul is addressing here is when it’s an issue of a problem between two believers.
When you are dealing with those outside the church, there is some precedence to taking advantage of your legal rights to protect yourself.
When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, he sat in jail for two years in Caesarea waiting for a decent trial. When the governor changed, he was facing the threat of being sent back to a hostile court in Jerusalem, and instead he choose to use his legal right as a Roman citizen and he appealed to Rome.
:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Should I get mad at my "guardian angel" for that accident? No.
:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
(1 Cor 6:4 NLT) If you have legal disputes about such matters, why do you go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?
: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?
(1 Cor 6:7 NLT) To have such lawsuits at all is a real defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?
Paul is saying that it would be better if we just let the other person take advantage of us.
Jesus said,
(Mat 5:39-40 KJV) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. {40} And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
This isn’t easy in our modern lawsuit crazy world we live in.
Illustration
The Lawsuit
A big city lawyer was called in on a case between a farmer and a large railroad company. The farmer noticed that his prize cow was missing from the field through which the railroad passed. He filed suit against the railroad company for the value of the cow. The case was to be tried before the justice of the peace in the back room of the general store. The attorney immediately cornered the farmer and tried to get him to settle out of court. The lawyer did his best selling job, and the farmer finally agreed to take half of what he was claiming to settle the case. After the farmer signed the release and took the check, the young lawyer couldn’t help but gloat a little over his success. He said to the farmer, "You know, I hate to tell you this but I put one over on you in there. I couldn’t have won the case. The engineer was asleep and the fireman was in the caboose when the train went through your farm that morning. I didn’t have one witness to put on the stand." The old farmer replied, "Well, I’ll tell you, young feller, I was a little worried about winning that case myself when that cow came home this morning!"
: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.
People who live in these kinds of lifestyles will not go to heaven.
fornicators – sex outside of marriage
adulterers – specifically sinning against your marriage
effeminate – malakos – soft, soft to the touch; effeminate; of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man; of a male prostitute
abusers of themselves with mankind – arsenokoites – one who lies with a male as with a female, sodomite, homosexual
thieves – kleptes – an embezzler, pilferer
covetous – pleonektes – one eager to have more, esp. what belongs to others; greedy of gain, covetous
drunkards – methusos – drunken, intoxicated
revilers – loidoros – a railer, reviler
extortioner – harpax – rapacious, ravenous; a extortioner, a robber; from – harpazo – to seize, carry off by force
If a person is claiming to be a Christian, yet is living in one of these kinds of lifestyles, continually and unrepentant, I think they need to think twice whether or not they have really come to know Jesus.
(Gal 5:19-21 KJV) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, {20} Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, {21} Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Those who continue to live in a lifestyle characterized by the deeds of the flesh ought to think twice about claiming to be a Christian.
: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.
Some people will read lists like those in verses 9-10 and think that because they’ve committed one of those sins, that they are disqualified for heaven. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
When we turn from our sins and confess them to Jesus, He forgives us.
(1 John 1:9 KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Corinthian church had people in their church who used to be like this, but they were cleaned up by Jesus.
: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.
expedient – sumphero – to bear or bring together; to help, be profitable, be expedient
Jesus died to pay the requirement of the Law. In that sense we can say that we are free from the Law because our entrance into heaven no longer depends upon us fulfilling the Law. Jesus fulfilled it for us.
But that doesn’t mean that all things are good for me. Some things just aren’t worth it.
I may be free to eat Krispy Kreme donuts every day for the rest of my life, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to be free from the fat added to my belly, or the cholesterol added to my blood.
Lesson
Watch your priorities.
It’s very easy to get sidetracked by lots of different kinds of things. Even good things. It has been said, "The good things are the enemy of the best things". We get to doing so many "good" things, that we don’t have time to be doing the "best" things.
Take time every once in a while to sit back and see how you are spending your time.
Are there things that are taking up too much time?
:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats:
Amen!
:13 Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
God gave you a sexual drive, but His design was for sex to be used in a specific context. God’s desire is for sex to be between people who have a commitment to each other, a commitment that won’t be broken. He doesn’t want you sharing yourself with someone else who will steal it.
One analogy is that your body is worth a million bucks. When you share yourself intimately with another person, it’s like you’ve given them half of you. If you’re married to the other person, it’s no big deal because they’re always there for you. But if you’re not married, and they walk out of your life, and you share yourself with another person, you’ve only got $500,000 left to share, and that now leaves you with $250,000. When that person leaves you, and you share yourself with another person, you’re only left with $125,000. After awhile you get the idea, you’ve become pretty cheap.
Physical intimacy ought be worth a million bucks. Save it for the right person, your spouse.
:15 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.
A person who commits fornication is taking a part of Jesus with him. You can’t separate things so nicely to think that you can sin by yourself.
:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
Run from sin. Run from temptation. Don’t stay and savor it.
When Joseph was cornered by Potiphar’s wife, she grabbed him and begged him to sleep with her. He left his coat in her hand and ran. We would be wise to do the same.
:19 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?
You individually, your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost. He lives inside of you.
temple – naos – used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice (or sanctuary) itself, consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies (in classical Greek it is used of the sanctuary or cell of the temple, where the image of gold was placed which is distinguished from the whole enclosure)
:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Jesus paid a very great price for you.
Have you ever had to borrow another person’s car for a day? You usually want to be extra careful about how you drive. The car doesn’t belong to you. You are especially careful if the car is a costly one. Your body doesn’t belong to you anymore.
The equipment no longer belongs to you. Don’t trash the equipment.
1Corinthians 7
:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:
Paul’s dealing with issues that the Corinthians were concerned with.
:1 It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
touch – haptomai – to fasten one's self to, adhere to, cling to. I’ve heard this word defined as "touching so as to arouse passion".
I don’t think it’s wrong for men in the church to shake hands with the women in the church, or even to have a cautious hug.
But we need to be very cautious about how much "touching" we do.
:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
One of God’s protections against immorality is marriage.
This is aimed at those who are already married.
Lesson
Cultivate passion with your spouse.
When you allow the fires of passion to die down between the two of you, you begin to open up the doors to temptation.
This isn’t the ONLY thing that guards us from immorality, but I believe it’s an important part of the puzzle.
:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
Doesn’t sound like much fun in the King James, does it?
due – opheilo –; to owe; to owe money, be in debt for
benevolence – eunoia – good will, kindness; from eunoeo – to wish (one) well; to be well disposed, of a peaceable spirit
(1 Cor 7:3 NLT) The husband should not deprive his wife of sexual intimacy, which is her right as a married woman, nor should the wife deprive her husband.
For husbands and wives, your physical intimacy is something that you "owe" each other. You are "indebted" to each other. It’s best that you don’t remind your partner this, but it’s a healthy thing to be realizing it yourself.
:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
power – exousiazo – to have power or authority, use power; to be master of any one, exercise authority over one
When you are married, it really isn’t your choice over your body as to when you are physically intimate. To say, "I really don’t feel like it tonight, I have a headache" is kind of not the right attitude.
:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;
defraud – apostereo – to defraud, rob, despoil
When you say "no" to your spouse, you are robbing them.
Lesson
Don’t use intimacy as a weapon.
It should not be your way of "getting back" at the other person. You are in the wrong for doing so.
The only time you should say "no" is when you agree together about it, and you are spending the time fasting and in prayer.
From time to time people feel like they have to confide in their pastor about these kinds of things, and I have to tell you, I’ve yet to hear of a couple who are abstaining for the purpose of fasting and praying. It’s usually just because they’re mad at each other.
:5 and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
incontinency – akrasia – want of self-control, incontinence, intemperance
When you abstain from physical intimacy, you begin to open doors to temptations that should be locked shut.
:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
This is just wise advice, not something to get legalistic about.
:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
Paul was not married.
It requires a gift of God to stay unmarried.
(Mat 19:12 KJV) For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
Should I stay unmarried?
The real question is, do you want to be married? If you are just happy being single, then GREAT! Perhaps you’ve been gifted that way. Be careful that you don’t let people pressure you into thinking that you need to be married. If you’re fine being single, STAY SINGLE and ENJOY it!!!
If you want desperately to be married, then it sounds like God hasn’t gifted you that way.
:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
(1 Cor 7:9 NLT) But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It's better to marry than to burn with lust.
:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord
This now isn’t just Uncle Paul’s words of wisdom. This is not a commandment from the Lord.
:10 Let not the wife depart from her husband:
Don’t leave your man!
:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
There are only a few situations where I would counsel a separation.
If there is physical abuse happening and people are in physical danger, then you need to separate.
If there is infidelity by your spouse, God allows you to separate and divorce.
I know of no other reasons why you may take the initiative to leave the other person.
Stick it out. Hang in there. I know this isn’t a popular idea, but perhaps you are at least partly responsible for some of the problems. Have you made the changes you need to be making?
:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
If you are married to an unbeliever, that is no reason to leave them. If they want to stay married, then you need to stay married.
Being "unequally yoked" is a reason for NOT MARRYING an unbeliever. It is NOT a reason for leaving a marriage partner.
:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
This doesn’t mean that the unbelievers are saved, but that there is a cleansing effect on the lives of your family members when a believer is involved. It’s hard, but stay in there!
:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
Lesson
Reasons for divorce.
I know this is controversial, but this is where I stand. There are a few reasons that God allows for divorce.
1. Adultery.
When the other person has committed adultery, God allows you to divorce.
God doesn’t command you to divorce, but He allows it. I think that God’s desire is that the other person repent, you forgive, and then bring healing to the marriage. That is the way God deals with us. But sometimes a person is simply too hurt to be able to do this. God allows for divorce.
(Mat 19:8-9 KJV) He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. {9} And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
2. Abandonment.
That is the case here in Corinthians. If you want to get legalistic about it, it must be the unbeliever who leaves the marriage. But I’ve heard pastors (and one whom I admire very much) make a good case for when one believer leaves another believer and is hence acting like an unbeliever.
The abandoned person is not "under bondage". I believe this means that the bond of marriage has been broken.
Some argue that this still doesn’t mean that a person can remarry, but what’s the point of not being "under bondage" if you can’t remarry? Remarry if you like.
:16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
This may mean:
1. Don’t leave the unbeliever because you don’t know that God might not be working through you and get them saved.
2. Let the unbeliever leave because who says that God has to use you to get them saved.
They sound contradictory, but both are legitimate translations of the verse. Either could be correct.
:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
It’s okay to make changes in your life, but sometimes we overdo the change thing. Sometimes we need to just learn to be content in the place God has put us.
:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
Paul’s just giving us more of his sanctified, good common sense.
:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
It’s not a sin to marry. But marriage can be a barrel of troubles!
:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
There was a period of my life during my early college days when I had a taste of this. We had a group of guys who were tired of having our hearts ripped out by the girls and formed the BTTR Club (Bachelors Till The Rapture). There were four of us who decided that we were going to swear off girls and just serve the Lord. We did a lot of great exploits for the Lord. A lot! When you don’t have a girlfriend, you can stay out until all hours of the morning counseling with people, praying with people, serving the Lord.
:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
And this is the way it should be. This isn’t a sin to be pleasing your wife. You NEED to please your wife.
:36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
It’s not a sin to let your daughter get married.
:37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
If you can keep her from getting married, it’s okay too.