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Priscilla: I Corinthians 6:1-11
Lawsuits Against Believers

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

[King James Version]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, today I offer You my meditation on the Word of God in I Corinthians 6:1-11 regarding the issue of believers suing one another.

I understand verse 1 to mean that the Apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthian believers for bringing their disputes before secular courts instead of resolving them in a just and fair manner within the Church, as instructed by the Word of God. Believers should not sue one another before unbelieving judges, who are not qualified to judge the affairs of the Church, for they are sinners in Your sight. Therefore, believers should not allow them to pass judgment on matters between believers.

I understand verses 2-4 to mean that the Apostle Paul reminds the people of God in the Church of Corinth to remember that they are the saints of Christ, granted the authority to co-reign with Him in judging the world, and even the angels who have sinned on the day of final judgment. Therefore, how can the Church allow unbelievers to judge the people of God when the judgment of the world is more important than judging small disputes within the Church? Thus, the people of God cannot sue their brothers and sisters before the courts of the world.

I understand verses 5-6 to mean that the Apostle Paul was ashamed of the behavior of the people of God in the Church of Corinth. They did not use the authority, ability, wisdom, and righteousness that the Holy Spirit had bestowed upon them to judge the disputes within the Church, and they did not have love, endure suffering, or forgive each other as Christ had forgiven them. As a result, the people of God in the Church filed lawsuits against each other before unbelievers, which was a sinful and evil act that did not bring glory to God.

I understand verses 7-8 to mean that the Corinthian believers had a problem with greed and were cheating each other, which led to them suing each other in secular courts. The Apostle Paul believed that their quarrels and lawsuits against each other in worldly courts were sinful. He believed that when the people of God were prideful and did not resolve their issues according to the Word of God, they lost to the schemes of the devil.

I understand verses 9-11 to mean that the Apostle Paul is warning some of the Lord’s people in the city of Corinth, those who had previously repented of their sins and received the grace of salvation from Christ. They were declared righteous by God and had learned the truth through the Holy Scriptures. However, if they returned to their old sinful ways of the flesh, they would lose their salvation. They would not be able to dwell in the Kingdom of God and would be lost forever in hell. They would become self-deceived, thinking that they were still saved. The Apostle Paul listed some typical sins, such as sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, effeminate behavior, homosexuality, stealing, greed, drunkenness, violence, and extortion.

Thank You, Father, for giving me the opportunity to be saved from the punishment of sin and to be justified. May the Holy Spirit grant every child of Yours the wisdom to judge all things and to act in the righteousness of God. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
05/02/2023