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1 Corinthians: The Gospel for the Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 36:37
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Like most young men, I grew up watching whatever Dad watched and listening to whatever Dad listened to. That meant I got a lot of talk radio, a lot of news and politics, and a good amount of military movies. We probably watched Top Gun 50 times over the years (and listened to the soundtrack on repeat).
When I hopped into Dad’s car after he passed away, I turned on the stereo, hit the CD button, and what started playing but “Highway to the Danger Zone” from the Top Gun soundtrack. The CD is still in there, too.
We watched a lot of military-themed stuff together, not just Top Gun. And I knew that Dad could answer almost, if not every, question I had. When watching A Few Good Men several years ago, the end of the movie brought up a question.
During the sentencing, the court officer reads the verdict:
“On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, the members find the defendants not-guilty. On conduct unbecoming a United States Marine, the members find the defendants…guilty.”
I questioned Dad: “Conduct unbecoming, huh?”
“They may not be able to make anything else stick,” he answered very matter-of-factly, “but they can always get you on conduct unbecoming.”
The Corinthians Paul is addressing have, it seems, lost sight of the gospel. In a lot of ways, they’ve reverted to their old way of living.
There’s sexual immorality in their midst (ch. 5). And now there’s a grievance/a dispute between some of the members. Comparatively, it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. It doesn’t rise to the level of blatant and on-going sexual sin, but it is, at the very least, conduct unbecoming a follower of Jesus.
Their conduct doesn’t match their confession. They are behaving the way they used to behave; behaving as they did before Jesus transformed them.
This here at the outset of 1 Corinthians 6 is simply more of the same; more of what we saw in 1 Corinthians 5.
Conduct unbecoming the saints/the Lord’s people/the holy ones.
This is what they are—ton hagion, the saints/the Lord’s people/the holy ones.
If we belong to Christ, this is what we are: saints/the Lord’s people/the holy ones.
This is what we are.
Which of those do you prefer?
Okay, saints/God’s people/holy ones, if you have your Bibles (and I hope you do) please turn with me to 1 Corinthians 6. And if you’re able and willing, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Holy Word.
1 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? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? 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. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
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? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
May the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Holy Word!
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From the beginning verses, we see that it is inconceivable to Paul that a believer would sue another believer. Paul flabbergasted by the tolerance the church showed the man in chapter 5; here Paul is stunned: “How dare you guys do this!”
In-con-CEIV-able. And, yes, I do know what that word means.
Paul’s line of reasoning is pretty easy to follow, though some of the details are a little weird to us. He discusses stuff we don’t think about often or at all.
Saints/Holy Ones, don’t you know that you will judge the world?
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
When Christ returns and sets the world at rights, His people—the saints, the holy ones—those who belong to Him by faith will reign with Him in His kingdom here on earth. We will judge the world.
So, Paul reasons, if we—His people—are going to do that, why in the name of Pete would we take a dispute between two Christians before the ungodly for judgment? Why wouldn’t we let the Lord’s people do the judging?
What’s more (and this is really odd), Paul says, “Don’t you know we’ll judge the angels?!”
This precedes from the last sentence; it builds on the truth that we will judge the world, intensifying what was just said.
So inclusive will be our participation in God’s eschatological (end times) judgment, that not only the world, but even the wicked angels will be judged by the people of God.
Paul’s saying, in essence: “In the end, we will sit in on ultimate judgments—even on angels—which of course means that I don’t even need to mention the fact that we should be able to handle mere matters of business.”
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
Inconceivable that the church would let the outside world—the dark, sinful, unspiritual world—speak into the life of the church, discipline the church, lead the church, guide the church. But, boy howdy, it happens.
“Who are they to judge the church? You all (we) are going to judge them on that great and terrible day.”
“Why in the world would you let the world handle things you can and should handle yourselves?”
Paul’s argument makes a lot of sense. His line of reasoning makes it really clear that the Corinthians should not be behaving in this way, sloughing off their responsibility on those outside the church.
There’s some shame in this. Paul intends this to shame them a bit.
5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?
They’re acting like there’s nobody qualified to judge a dispute between them, when really, as R.C. Sproul writes:
“Even the least qualified among the Corinthians, since he has received God’s Spirit and wisdom, is in a better position than an unbeliever to arbitrate disputes in the church.”
You see, Christians (saints, the Lord’s people, the holy ones) have a righteousness the world does not have. And they have a kingdom perspective the world can’t have, uniquely qualifying Christians to handle matters amongst themselves.
Plus, the Church is a family. Paul’s use of brother should stand out to us. It’s not merely that one Corinthian is taking another Corinthian to court; it’s that one brother is taking another brother to court. It’s crazy.
They’re family—a family who should care about the reputation and witness of the church; a family who should protect the reputation and witness of the local church.
6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
And this in front of unbelievers!
If we can’t get along with one another, if we don’t value each other above ourselves, if we drag each other into court, or air our dirty laundry in public, what will the world think of us? What will the world think of the Church? What will the world think of Christ?
I’ll tell you: they won’t think much of us; and they probably won’t want anything to do with a follower of Christ.
The world won’t see any need of the church if the church looks and behaves just like them and treats their own worse than the world treats there’s.
The Church is a reflection of Christ, so if we’re petty and argumentative and hostile and hateful, it makes Jesus look...well, petty and argumentative and hostile and hateful—that’s what the world will think of Christ.
Paul’s shaking his head…and this in front of unbelievers. This is conduct unbecoming the radiant Church of Jesus.
All this reveals something about them:
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? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.
That disputes within the church would come to lawsuits at all shows the Corinthians’ defeat. They’re not behaving as they should; this is a really sad place for them to be.
They’ve forgotten love:
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
They’ve neglected service:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
They aren’t listening to Jesus about what to do when wronged, when sued, when oppressed:
39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
The Corinthians are acting like unbelievers rather than like the saints, the Lord’s people, the holy ones—that which God has called them to be. Paul is pleading with them to see that
There is a Big Difference Between Believers and Unbelievers.
There is a Big Difference Between Believers and Unbelievers.
Or there should be, at least. This difference should extend into every part of the life of the church—corporate and individual, public and private.
Believers have been given new life in Christ Jesus, their sins washed clean by the blood of the Lamb; sins taken away, forgiven, cast into the depths of the sea where the Divine remembers them not.
This is the difference.
It’s not that we’re better than them; it’s that we’ve been transformed. It’s not that we’re good and they’re bad; it’s that by faith in Jesus, His goodness has been applied to us.
There are two categories: unrighteous and righteous. Every single person falls into one of those groups. And the dividing line is Christ. The Big Difference between believers and unbelievers is Jesus—relation to Him determines which group you belong to: unrighteous or righteous.
See Paul’s statement in verse 9:
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the Kingdom of God?”
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the Kingdom of God?”
The word wrongdoers is the same word used for ungodly used in verse 1. Your Bible might have it translated here in verse 9 as unrighteous—“Do you not know that wrongdoers/the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?”
Those whose behavior is indistinguishable from the unbelieving world may not be among the saints, the Lord’s people, the holy ones.
It’s like they say: “If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s probably not one of the Lord’s people.”
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
All of these sins were common outside the believing community there in Corinth. All of these sins are common outside the believing community here and now, and in every age in between.
Those who claim to be Christians and yet live a life of sinfulness indicate that their possession of faith and profession of faith is false and that they have no true place in the kingdom.
These verses aren’t speaking about the occasional sin, but rather a pattern of behavior—ongoing, habitual, unrepentant sin; people whose lives are characterized by their sin (the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers).
The wicked, the unrighteous are not going to inherit the kingdom of God. They will face a future of divine judgment. This is what the Corinthians used to be; this is what categorized their lives before Christ.
The Corinthians need to check themselves to see if they are truly in the faith, knowing that if they do not repent, they will perish. Their actions will show if their profession of faith is sincere or not.
There’s a BIG difference between believers and unbelievers and it’s this: whether or not they’ve been transformed by the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Here in verse 11 is the glorious, beautiful truth of the gospel:
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Eugene Peterson, who passed away just this week, translates verse 11 like this:
The Message Chapter 6
A number of you know from experience what I’m talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list.
The Corinthians were some of the scummiest scumbags around. They were adulterers and idolaters, practicing homosexuals and thieves, swindlers and slanderers.
This is what they were.
No power on earth could have ever saved a single Corinthian. They were as bad off as they could get. They were lost. They belonged to the ruler and power of this age. They were stuck in the muck and mire of sin, held underneath Satan’s thumb.
Likewise, nothing we could have ever dreamed up—charitable acts, religious deeds, Sunday School and Church attendance, money given, penance paid—nothing we could ever dream up will ever save a single one of us.
We are, on our own, as bad off as we can get. Lost. We belong to the Prince of darkness. We are bogged down in iniquity and shame, held in sin’s dread sway.
And that is what some of you were.
We know from experience what Paul is talking about; we were on that list not too long ago. We were part of that motley crew rather recently.
This was us.
This is what we were.
Were.
That's the best word. Were. Past tense. Meaning the present and the future are wonderfully different.
We are not stuck being what we were.
We were that. But we are no longer what we were—all thanks and praise and glory and honor be unto Him who saves undeserving sinners and sets free the captives by His goodness and grace.
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The Corinthians—in fact, any who belong to Christ—are not what they were. They have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
All three of these verbs—washed, sanctified, justified—are in the aorist tense, indicating a once-for-all event which had completely transformed them.
And all three of these verbs have a ‘big but’ before them—a major contrast; a triple alla in the original:
And that is what some of you were, BUT you were washed.
And that is what some of you were, BUT you were sanctified.
And that is what some of you were, BUT you were justified.
The blood of Jesus washed them white. Jesus’ righteousness which was credited to them has made them holy and is making them holy. They have been made right in God’s sight.
I must ask:
Are You? Or Were You?
Are You? Or Were You?
If you can’t say, “That’s what I was”, you are still what you were.
Are you, are you still caught in sin? Are you characterized by your sin?
Or were you? Were you once an idolater, once an adulterer, once a drunk, once a liar, once a person marked by greed? I hope you are a “were”.
There’s nothing better than being able to say, “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see. I once was selfish and prideful, full of hate, addicted, but Jesus called me, saved me, set me free. That’s what I was.”
The Church of Jesus needs to find their identity and ground their conduct in the fact that they were and they are no longer.
The Church of Jesus needs to find their identity and ground their conduct in the fact that they were and they are no longer.
>Are you? Or were you?
If you still are (caught in your sin, trapped in a life of sin and shame), I’d love to chat with you about the One who can rescue you and set you free.
If you were, but are no longer caught in sin, then proclaim the excellencies of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Live as one who has been forever transformed by the grace and mercy of Jesus.