I Corinthians
Chapter 6
Vs. 1 If any of you if you have a problem with another Christian brother why do you go to a civil lawyer or before the civil judges? You should take the problem to the brethren in the church first.
2. Don’t you know that some day the Christian saints will judge the world?
If the world will someday be judged by Christian saints, then the Christian saints can judge small problems.
3. Some day we will judge angels. So surely Christians can judge things in this life.
4. If you have legal problems with a Christian brother why do you go outside the church to those who have no respect for believers in Christ?
5. This is to your shame. Is there not someone among the Christian brothers who has wisdom enough to judge between your and your Christian brother?
6. In your group, Christian brothers bring lawsuits against another Christian brother before a civil judge. What do you think the believers think when they see this?
7. This is a fault among you. You make a lawsuit against another Christian brother. Why don’t you just let the thing go? Just take the loss.
8. No, instead you yourself do wrong and are not honest with your Christian brother.
9. Don’t you know that those who are unrighteous (those who do sin) will not inherit (receive) the kingdom of God?
Do not be fooled.
Those who do sexual sin (fornicators, adultery), (These words mean having sex with anyone other than a man and wife married to each other)
worship of idols,
those who are effeminate (like a girl or woman) (this means men, boys, acting, dressing, trying to be like females)
Those who abuse themselves with other mankind ( mankind abuse themselves with other mankind ) The Bible considers men having sex with other men, or women having sex with other women as abuse. Such action and behavior is abusing themselves.)
Abuse means to hurt.
10. Those who steal,
Those who covet what others have (not just “I wish I had that.” Something deeper.
Wanting it stronger, maybe even doing something to get it.
Not those who are drunk. Bible says “drunkards” meaning often drunk.
Those who are “revilers, ” To speak to someone using mean words abusive words,
Words to hurt, insult, tear-down, swear words, dirty-vulgar words.
Those who extort (try to get more than what is honest and fair)
All who do these things will not inherit (receive) the kingdom of God ( They will not be allowed to stay in Heaven.)
11.Some of you have done these things but now you are washed your sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus because He died for you.
You are made pure and clean. You are justified (just as though you had never sinned).
All of this by the Spirit of God.
12. Paul is speaking about himself as a Christian. He says All things are lawful for me to do, but not all things would be wise for me to do.
All things are lawful for me to do, but I will not allow anything to have power over me (addiction).
(Paul is not talking about doing things that are sin. God in the Bible tells us what is sin.
We are not to do those things. Other things—-we may do, but we need to be careful.
Not all things are good for us. And some things we feel we are free to do as Christians, but it may not be wise for us to do because others may be watching and think they too can do them, but they are weak Christians and it would be hurtful for them.
13 . Meat (food) for the belly. The belly for food. But someday when we get to heaven, we will not be thinking about either one— food or the belly.
(Paul may be warning some of them about over-eating. Maybe they are always thinking about having dinners and feasts so they can eat a lot of good food. Then they eat too much.)
The body is not for sexual acts that God says are sinful. Our body is for the Lord.
And the Lord for the body.
14. God raised up his Son, Jesus from the dead. He will also raise up us who are believers from the dead someday by His power.
15. Don’t you know that your whole body belongs to the Lord? Every part of your body belongs to the Lord. So should I take part of my body and use it like a harlot or prostitute? No! Not at all.
16. Don’t you know that if you join your body to a harlot, prostitute you become “one flesh” with her? For God has said The two shall become one flesh:.
Genesis 2:24
17. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit with the Lord.
18. Stay away from fornication–sexual sin. No other sin affects the body like that sin.
Other sins are outside the body. But sexual sin is against your own body.
19. Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Which is in you. Which you have of God. You are not your own you belong to God.
20. You have been bought with a price. (A high and costly price—Jesus’ death on the cross. Think what he suffered to pay your death punishment for you.)
So make sure the things you do with your body give glory to God. Give glory to God in you spirit which also belongs to God.