MARCH 8, 2020
CHRISTIANS AND LAWSUITS
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Apostle has sternly addressed the problem of pride in the church at Corinth, and the many branches which grew out of that root. (Contentions, divisions, magnifying of instructors above the Apostle, etc.) They were even puffed up with pride while a situation of gross sin was present among them.
2. Among the many other evils at Corinth calling for correction, a litigious spirit had arisen, fostered, no doubt, by the frictions of parties. Brother went to law with brother before the heathen tribunals, and the Christian name was thereby reproached.
3. This chapter consists of two distinct divisions. The first relates to lawsuits before heathen magistrates (Verses 1-11). The second relates to the abuse which some in the church had made of Christian liberty (Verses 12-20).
I. THE MATTER OF CHRISTIANS BRINGING THEIR DISPUTES BEFORE PAGAN JUDGES. (VERSES 1-11)
A. IT IS SCANDALOUS WHEN CHRISTIANS BRING THEIR DISPUTES BEFORE HEATHEN TRIBUNALS. (VERSE 1)
1. Paul found it appalling that a Christian would think it either necessary or acceptable to take another Christian to a court of law for the settling of a controversy. “Dare any of you…go to law before the unjust,” and not before the saints.”
a) “The unjust” is simply meant to distinguish them from God’s people. In this verse, unjust stands opposite of saints.
b) The complaint was not that they went to law before unjust judges, but that they appealed to secular courts for matters they should have handled within the Christian community.
2. Paul also found this sort of thing horrifying because of the nature of at least some of the matters, (lit. suits) they were litigating. This will appear a few verses later, when he reminds them of what some of them once were. (Verse 9)
B. THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY HAS WITHIN IT THOSE CAPABLE OF JUDGING DISPUTES AMONG ITS MEMBERS. (VERSES 2, 3)
1. Seeing that the saints shall one day judge the world, and even angels, it is inconceivable that they would not be capable of judging the smallest matter; the things of this life.
a) Some understand this in the same sense in which Christ that said the Ninevites and the queen of the south would rise up in judgment against the unbelieving Jews and condemn them.
b) Others think it refers to a time when God would give human government in to Christian hands in answer to Daniel’s prophecy. (Dan. 7:18, 27)
c) But, it is speaking of the Day of Judgment, when all the saints will sit as assessors with Christ, approving the sentences that He pronounces against the world. (Jude 14, 15; I Thess. 3:13)
2. That the saints shall judge angels puts this at the judgment of the last day. We are to understand this as the judgment of evil angels, fallen angels, which shall be brought before the Judge of the whole earth, and condemned and cast into the bottomless pit. Of this judgment the saints roll shall be as assessors, observing and approving of their sentence.
3. By comparison, disputes between brethren were indeed small matters.
C. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO GO TO HEATHEN JUDGES WITH SUCH MATTERS. (VERSE 4) This verse may be understood in either of two ways. Either way it stresses the senselessness of appealing to secular courts.
1. The text may be taken as spoken sarcastically. Why seek out a judge from among the unrighteous. Surely, it would not be for lack of someone capable of judging the case from within the church. The least among them would be able to hear the matter and make the right judgment.
2. The text may be an interrogative, in which case it would read something like this: “Do you set as judges those who are least esteemed in (i.e. by) the church?” Heathen judges would be the least esteemed by God’s people.
3. Either way, the point is made, but judging from the next verse, it seems that the latter understanding best suits the context. He does ask if there is not “a wise man” among them.
D. SUCH ACTIONS AS THEY WERE GUILTY OF WERE SHAMEFUL. (VERSES 5, 6)
1. To seek the wisdom of this world, rather than the wisdom of the godly, is shameful. “Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you…?” (Verse 5)
2. For a Christian to sue another Christian in a court of law is a shameful thing. There are here two grounds of complaint.
a) First, that they went to law instead of resorting to arbitration.b) Secondly, that they made unbelievers their judges. “Unbelievers” here is referring to the actively unbelieving, and therefore not to be trusted.
3. Airing controversies between Christians before the secular world is shameful.
4. For Christians to place a higher value on settlements (monetary or otherwise) than on the reputation of the church is shameful.
5. To do anything that could bring reproach upon Christ and Christianity is shameful. The ungodly like nothing more than to try and show that Christians are really no different than they are.
E. THE CHRISTIAN WAY IS TO RATHER SUFFER THE WRONG (IF NECESSARY) THAN TO BRING SHAME UPON THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. (VERSES 7, 8)
1. “Now therefore” (lit. “already indeed therefore”). That is, these lawsuits are already, in themselves an evil, irrespective of their being litigated in heathen courts. For, he says “there is utterly a FAULT among you.” That is, there is already a great loss, a diminution, a deterioration with respect to their profession, as the word means. The very fact that these things were happening was indication that something was desperately wrong with respect to their profession of Christianity.
2. This is further seen in the types of injuries that the Apostle was asking them to suffer for Christ’s sake. There were clearly cases of fraud, and other criminal behavior toward fellow church members.
3. Even these hurtful, damaging, and costly actions were to be borne with, for sake of the Christian faith. This is not, however, to say that they were acceptable. This becomes very clear from the following verses.
F. AMONG THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH THERE WERE APPARENTLY SOME WHO HELD TO THEIR OLD WORLDLY WAYS AND PAGAN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. (VRS. 9, 10)
1. This accounts for why there were the kinds of goings on that resulted in lawsuits in the church. There were some who were covetous, thieves, extortioners, etc. This is why Paul said, in essence, “Already there is indeed a loss.” If these things were not repented of, there would be the eternal loss of their souls, because “the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
2. Many of the sexual sins here named were part of their old pagan idolatrous religions. This is why it was stressed repeatedly that Gentile converts were not to continue in such immorality. (Acts 15:20, 29; and 21:25)
3. The tendency to look upon religion as an outward service divorced from morality has manifested itself in all ages of the world, and under all forms of religion. But, according to the Gospel all moral duties are religious services, and holiness is conformity of the souls to the image of God. Here again, the Apostle assures us that any religion that does not make us holy will not get us to heaven. (I Pet. 1:14-16; Heb. 12:14; Eph. 4:22-24)
G. ALTHOUGH SOME HAD BEEN GREAT SINNERS, ALL THAT WERE TRUE CONVERTS WERE NO LONGER WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE. (VERSE 11)
1. The Apostle avoids charging the gross immoralities here listed upon all of the Corinthians. (Vse. 11a)
2. Perhaps some had been none of these things, so far as the actual practices of them.
3. No doubt, many had been one or more of these things in the past.
4. Regardless, if they were true converts, they had been saved from their former uncleanness. Those who had been guilty of the vilest of these sins, if they were truly saved, no longer did them.
5. Paul gives the reason why they no longer did them. (Verse 11b)
a) “But, ye are WASHED…” (from the filth) (Tit. 3:5)
b) “But ye are SANCTIFIED…” (filled with new spiritual habits, set apart unto God)
c) “But ye are JUSTIFIED…” (covered with God’s righteousness) (Rom. 1:17)
6. They were washed, sanctified, and justified in the Name of Christ, Who had borne their sins, and by the Holy Spirit, effectually applied to them what Christ had done. (Verse 11c) NOTE: In our next lesson, we will deal with our second main division.
II. THE ABUSE WHICH SOME IN THE CHURCH HAD MADE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. (VERSES 12-20)
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