THE SAINTS WILL JUDGE THE WORLD
Key verse: 2a
NIV
Lawsuits Among Believers
6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?(A) 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?(B) And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you.(C) Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?(D) 6 But instead, one brother(E) takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!(F)
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?(G) 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.(H) 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?(I) Do not be deceived:(J) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers(K) nor men who have sex with men[a](L) 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers(M) will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were.(N) But you were washed,(O) you were sanctified,(P) you were justified(Q) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.
Cross references
- 1 Corinthians 6:1 : Mt 18:17
- 1 Corinthians 6:2 : Mt 19:28; Lk 22:30; 1Co 5:12
- 1 Corinthians 6:5 : S 1Co 4:14
- 1 Corinthians 6:5 : Ac 1:15
- 1 Corinthians 6:6 : S Ro 7:1
- 1 Corinthians 6:6 : 2Co 6:14, 15; 1Ti 5:8
- 1 Corinthians 6:7 : Mt 5:39, 40
- 1 Corinthians 6:8 : 1Th 4:6
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 : S Mt 25:34
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 : Job 13:9; 1Co 15:33; Gal 6:7; Jas 1:16
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 : Lev 18:20; Dt 22:22
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 : Lev 18:22
- 1 Corinthians 6:10 : 1Ti 1:10; Rev 21:8; 22:15
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : S Eph 2:2
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : S Ac 22:16
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : 1Co 1:2
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : S Ro 4:25
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Lawsuits Against Believers
6 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous (A)instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that (B)the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, (C)why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 (D)I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. (E)Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even (F)your own brothers![a]
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: (G)neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[c] 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And (H)such were some of you. But (I)you were washed, (J)you were sanctified, (K)you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 6:8 Or brothers and sisters
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 Or wrongdoers
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts
Cross references
- 1 Corinthians 6:1 : [Matt. 18:17]
- 1 Corinthians 6:2 : Dan. 7:22; [Matt. 19:28; Rev. 20:4]
- 1 Corinthians 6:4 : [ch. 5:12]
- 1 Corinthians 6:5 : ch. 15:34; [ch. 4:14]
- 1 Corinthians 6:7 : [Matt. 5:39, 40]
- 1 Corinthians 6:8 : 1 Thess. 4:6
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 : ch. 15:50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 12:14; 13:4; Rev. 21:8; 22:15
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : ch. 12:2; Eph. 2:2, 3; 4:22; 5:8; Col. 3:7; Titus 3:3
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : Acts 22:16; Heb. 10:22; [Titus 3:5]
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : See ch. 1:2
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 : Rom. 8:30
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Brothers should not sue brothers (1-6)
Problems between Christians should be solved in God's way. It is shameful for a believer to sue a fellow believer in a pagan court. A fellow Christian should mediate in a dispute between brothers. Someday, Jesus' people will join Jesus in judging the world. So even the least Christian should be wise enough to settle a dispute. God's people must not let material things damage their relationships with one another--this goes against God's creation order.
2. Remember what you were (7-11)
Here is a list of the kind of people who cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The list includes the sexually immoral, the greedy, homosexuals, drunkards, slanderers, thieves, etc. Then Paul says--'That is what some of you were.' The Christian fellowship is a gathering of forgiven sinners, washed clean by the blood of Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, help me to remember your great grace and help others humbly and prayerfully.
One Word: Remember who you were--and are
