Sermon Tone Analysis
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I. Reading of Scripture
This is God’s Word, Amen.
[TITLE SLIDE]
1 Corinthians 6:1-11 “Do Not Be Deceived”
II.
Introduction
Three of the most beautiful words in the letter of 1 Corinthians are found in the letter’s opening address.
1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 2 begins with this greeting: “To the Church.”
1 Corinthians is a letter written “To the Church.”
To the ἐκκλησίᾳ.
The word “Church” or ἐκκλησίᾳ was a familiar word for a summoned assembly in Greek culture.
It was like what we know as a town council (GCM).
A legislative body (BDAG).
But Paul is not addressing an ordinary [ ἐκκλησίᾳ ].
He is writing to a specific one.
He is writing to the ἐκκλησίᾳ of God.
To the assembly that BELONGS to God!
If we miss this, we will miss the love that drives the instruction of this letter.
God loves His Church!
Christ loves His Church!
Ephesians draws upon the marriage relationship to show this by saying:
This is what Christ wants for His bride.
What God wants for His Church, across all of time.
To be presented to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, and to be holy, without blemish.
It is a beautiful and wonderful thing - the love God has for His Church, and what God Himself makes of Her by His holy name.
With this in mind, we can see the heart behind the instructions given to the church in Corinth, and to the church that we are today.
These instructions are invitations for the Church of Jesus Christ to be participators in what God has already made Her to be - His saints!
His holy ones!
His righteous ones!
His people — in the world, but not of the world.
A. Introduction to Theme & Text
And for this reason, the main invitation today is for the Church in Christ to not be deceived.
[TITLE SLIDE]
1 Corinthians 6:1-11 “Do Not Be Deceived”
Chapter 6:1-11 continues under the umbrella of the need for Church Discipline.
Church Discipline is way of guarding against whatever threatens the Church’s witness.
It is a way of staying on the right path.
Church Discipline is a process among the body of saints, for purging what is wordly - what is evil - what is sinful from among Her.
Getting out what doesn’t belong within!
It is a necessary act of love by the Church, for the Church, to preserve the Church as pure and powerful, and to protect her identity and witness as an assembly that belongs to God!
An undisciplined church is a deceived church.
The title of today’s sermon is lifted from the command in verse 9:
[TITLE SLIDE]
1 Corinthians 6:1-11 “Do Not Be Deceived”
Deception is the enemy of discipline.
Deception convinces you that you are something you are not.
Deception renders discipline powerless.
Indeed, any local church that does not care for loving discipline is a deceived church.
Deception is a mistake in one’s judgement.
It is a loss of direction and wandering astray (BDAG).
Being deceived means you do not know who you are, or what you are, or whose you are! Deception is a distinctive feature of a church that has lost its spiritual authority (TTC).
Because an undisciplined church is an undifferentiated church.
Meaning, there is nothing that separates a deceived church from a deceived world.
Make no mistake - the enemy of Christ is a deceiver.
The world is already deceived.
The world wanders astray!
But we, the saints, the sanctified, the called - we need not be deceived, we need not be like them, and are commanded in Scripture to not be deceived and to not be like them.
III.
Exposition
The deception of the church in Corinth became very obvious in the shameful way that disputes among them were handled.
This is how the apostle words his opening statement:
6:1
Notice first, the word “grievance.”
A “grievance” is the word [ πρᾶγμα ].
It is a matter, or a thing.
Specifically, the apostle is speaking about a matter or thing that has become a point of contention or a dispute (BDAG).
One brother or sister between another brother or sister.
Someone has been offended.
Someone has been deceived.
Someone has been treated wrongly, unrighteously, by another brother and sister and now wants righteousness to prevail.
So how will righteousness prevail?
How will justice be done?
And here is the deception.
The church in Corinth was taking disputes among them, before the public courts of the unrighteous, among them, in hopes that righteousness would prevail.
The saints were suing each other in the civil courts of Corinth.
Think about how that endeavor might reflect upon their public witness for Jesus.
As the testimony was shared, as the evidence was brought forth.
Why would anyone want what they have, in Christ?
Why would anyone need what they have, in Christ?
For it appears that there is nothing different among this church, this assembly?
And the apostle uses a very strong word to express his disbelief and disapproval.
Notice the word “dare” in verse 1.
This word “dare” is a very strong word.
In the Greek language, it is the first word of this sentence in verse 1, bringing emphasis to it.
“How dare you!” “How dare you go to court before the unrighteous instead of the saints!
We are helped by understanding the context of civil courts.
History teaches us that the civil courts were fertile grounds for unrighteousness in and of themselves.
They were easily corrupted through bribes.
The wealthy would sue the poor, and the wealthy would serve as jurors making it impossible for a person of lower standing to receive a just hearing — it was rigged.
And then there was the sport of it all.
Taking someone to civil court wasn’t only about justice, but it was about winning the argument.
Publicly humiliating another so as to receive glory and my rights.
Making the other person pay (and often the loser paid dearly).
[All the above from various commentary readings].
The church in Corinth did not know what righteousness was.
They were deceived.
And so three times in this text, the apostle tells them what they apparently do not know.
First, at the end of verse 1, we are given a clue of what they did not know was possible.
It is possible to settle grievances before the saints.
Did you know that?
God has empowered us, by His Holy Spirit, as the body of Christ, the saints, with the wisdom and discernment we need to settle disputes among ourselves and to thereby preserve our identity as Christ’s people!
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