The Deeper Issue

Reading:  1 Corinthians 6:5-8
    
    Paul is disappointed that the Corinthians are taking each other to court over personal issues rather than talking to their brethren.  “Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?”(1 Cor 6:5-6).  The issue here is not about airing dirty laundry before the world, but seeking out the judgment of “those who have no standing in the church”(1 Cor 6:4).  

    But there is a deeper issue.  “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.  Why not rather suffer wrong?  Why not rather be defrauded?  But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!”(1 Cor 6:7-8).  Paul probes not only the practice of bypassing brethren to be judged by Gentiles, but also the motive behind it.  “Why not rather suffer wrong?” suggests that there is something wrong within us when we cannot let a hurt go without getting some kind of justice from people.  “Why not rather be defrauded?” means that we may really have been victimized, but cannot simply accept it.    These questions are challenging because they take the spotlight off others (and what they have done to us) and shine it on our own hearts.  “But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!”  At some point we begin doing the same thing done to us—and feel justified all the while.

    I do not believe Paul is arguing that there is no place for criminal (or even civil) proceedings regarding Christians.  Some crimes need to be dealt with by the proper authorities.  But there is a deeper issue that also needs attention:  what are such “grievances” doing to my heart?  Must I demand an apology for every cross word and disappointing interaction?  Must everyone “pay” for the slights they commit against me?  If I follow a Savior who has suffered so much wrong unjustly, why can I not suffer wrong?

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One Thing to Think About:   Why do we struggle so much to let things go?

One Thing to Pray For:   A heart to steadfastly endure evil—like Jesus did
 

Settle Your Own Disputes

Reading:  1 Corinthians 6:1-4
    
    Having challenged the Corinthians about their need to judge a brother living in sin (5:12), Paul moves on to another issue related to judging.  “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?”(1 Cor 6:1).  He is not criticizing legal action—as if the court system is beneath Christians—but the willingness to receive the judgment of “unrighteous” people rather than our own brothers.  Other Christians can and should help us settle our differences.  

     This is particularly true because God has a high view of our judgment:  “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?  And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?  Do you not know that we are to judge angels?  How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!”(1 Cor 6:2-3).  Paul looks forward to the return of Jesus, when Christians will “judge the world” and “judge angels” in ways that he does not specify.  His point is that if Christians have such awesome responsibilities to judge, ordinary disputes should be no problem.   “So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?”(1 Cor 6:4).  Can it be that God thinks more of Christian judgment than Christians do?

     Grievances and frustrations will happen between Christians and God wants us to settle our own disputes.  “Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers…?”(1 Cor 6:5).  Perhaps I will need to talk privately with my brother about a matter (Matt 18:15-17).  Perhaps I need wise counsel from other believers.  Perhaps I ask others within the group to mediate a conflict.  Whatever the case, we should prioritize the wisdom and judgment of fellow Christians (rather than going “before the unrighteous”).  Settle your own disputes!

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One Thing to Think About:   How do I typically handle conflict with my brothers?  

One Thing to Pray For:   Trust in the judgment of other disciples
 

Associations

Reading:  1 Corinthians 5:9-13
    
    As Paul encourages the Corinthians to remove from themselves a brother persisting in a sinful relationship, he clarifies the intent of an earlier letter he wrote them.  “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world”(1 Cor 5:9-10).  We do not have this letter, but it seems to have been a general admonition about associations.  Yet Paul’s intent was not for Christians to distance themselves from worldly people.  If we keep from worldly people because they are worldly, we would have to somehow “go out of the world.”  We should not be surprised when worldly people think, talk, and act in worldly ways.

    His point was—in the first letter and now in this one—that he wants them “not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother” (1 Cor 5:11) and yet lives this immoral lifestyle.  Limiting this association extends even to the point of not eating with him (v. 11).  Meals in Paul’s time often expressed agreement and acceptance.  Paul wants the Corinthians to deliberately not agree and accept this man.  The burden of judging this man’s actions rests on the Corinthians specifically because he is a brother:  “Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?”(1 Cor 5:12).  We judge one another and limit our association with brothers who persist in sin.  Our relationships must be affected by their sin.

    Associations matter because they communicate our approval.   Paul is particularly concerned about our associations with Christians who persist in sin.  By continuing to treat them as if all is well, we signal that sin is no big deal to us.  There is much to say about the specific actions required here—and many difficult decisions to make about how we might apply them individually—but our relationships must be affected by others’ lifestyles of sin.

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One Thing to Think About:   How do I signal approval—or disapproval—of the people in my life?

One Thing to Pray For:   Wisdom to know how to manage my associations properly
 

A Little Leaven

Reading:  1 Corinthians 5:6-8
    
    Paul is not just concerned about the Christian in Corinth with the incestuous relationship.  He also warns about the impact this situation can have on the others in the group.  “Your boasting is not good.  Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”(1 Cor 5:6).  If we turn a blind eye to one person’s continual sin, that attitude of permissiveness catches on.  How likely are we to call out future sins?  How likely are we to take our own sin seriously?  Paul likens this style of thinking to leaven, which has a pervasive, unseen impact on the whole lump of dough.  Leaven makes the bread into something entirely different.  This is why “your boasting is not good”; before long, the entire group stands for nothing. 

    Leaven was also a key part of the Jewish Passover feast, in which unleavened bread was eaten as a sign of the haste with which the people left Egypt after God’s deliverance (Ex 13:6-7, Deut 16:3).  “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened.  For Christ, our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”(1 Cor 5:7-8).  Since Jesus has died as “our Passover lamb,” we too have been saved and made holy.  So we need to “cleanse out the old leaven”(removing sin from the group) and honor God with “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”  God’s people do not harbor sin, nor do we comfort unrepentant sinners.  Instead, we are characterized by sincerity and truth—brutal honesty about our own sin and diligent zeal about living righteously.

    Leaven is a metaphor for influence.  Paul does not seem concerned that the entire group will begin incestuous relationships.  His focus is on their “boasting”(v. 6) about tolerating open rebellion against God.  Christians are not harsh and uncaring toward sinners; we know that we struggle too.  But we are united by a determination not to sin.  Any sense that continual sin is acceptable is dangerous because we influence one another to accept what God does not.  A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

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One Thing to Think About:   Why is it so hard to maintain the proper attitude toward sin?

One Thing to Pray For:   Sincerity and truth in my life—and in my local church
 

Deliver This Man to Satan

Reading:  1 Corinthians 5:3-5
    
    Paul is frustrated that the Corinthians have allowed a man in their midst with a sinful incestuous relationship.  What does he want them to do?  “Let him who has done this be removed from among you”(1 Cor 5:2).  Paul describes his own judgment:  “For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing”(1 Cor 5:3).  Unlike other cases, Paul does not advocate gentle restoration (Gal 6:1) or repeated admonitions (Titus 3:9-11).  This man appears to be involved in continual, eyes-wide-open sin.  Something must be done.

    Paul wants the group to act.  “When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his sprit may be saved in the day of the Lord”(1 Cor 5:4-5).  Note the repeated references to Jesus here.  Despite modern misunderstandings, Jesus advocates strong action when his followers persist in sin.  Paul is also with them (“my spirit is present”).  Together, they “deliver this man to Satan.”  This is similar to when Paul speaks of two men whom he “handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme”(1 Tim 1:20).  The Corinthians are declaring that the man is now serving Satan rather than Jesus and has no part among the people of Jesus.  This action is “for the destruction of the flesh,” an odd phrase that may mean that he can experience again the sting of sinful living.  But Paul stresses the ultimate goal of expelling the man is “that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.”  We take such actions to save our erring brothers.

    Paul’s words stress that there are times when a group of believers must act to remove unrepentant sinners from among them.  In some cases, patient, gentle approaches are out of place.  Jesus wants his people to be united in their love for their brothers and their hatred of sin.  We care too much to act as if sin is no big deal.

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One Thing to Think About:   Why does this seem harsh to many modern readers?

One Thing to Pray For:   Courage and love to act appropriately about others’ sin