Christians In Court
CHRISTIANS IN COURT
1 CORINTHIANS 6:1-11
Paul’s now considers another misdemeanor at Corinth.
Paul’s discussion about judgment and its exercise within the Christian fellowship leads him to consider another misdemeanor at Corinth. When there is a dispute between fellow-believers—and Paul accepts that the Christian society will contain members who get at loggerheads with one another—the issue should be settled in a way far from what was being adopted at Corinth. There the Christians had the audacity (6:1: the verb “dare” is a strong word) to have the case taken to litigation and tried by non-Christian magistrates.
The apostle had some plain words to speak about this procedure:
The final assize (6:2-3) leads Paul to consider those who exclude themselves from God’s realm (6:9-10)—a throwback to 5:11, and a solemn reminder that whatever the Corinthians’ character may have been in immoral society, now by rebirth and baptism and the sanctifying agency of the Spirit (6:11) they are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:17-24), with old habits passed away.
Notes 6:1: Romans 13:1-8 certifies that the Roman law system was good—for its prescribed purpose. The trouble came when believers called in the authorities to settle internal frictions. 6:4: the tone may be ironical, and the verse refer to inferior people in the church. 6:5 probably supports this idea. 6:7: Matthew 5:39ff., see also 1 Peter 2:23. 6:9: sexual perversity is a sign of fallen nature in every age. 6:11: Acts 22:16 shows that baptism into Christ marked a clean break and a new start.