1 Corinthians 6:1-11
“I Want What’s Coming to Me”
Date: 5-Sep-10
Required Resources: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 – Application worksheet
Purpose (Why am I teaching this lesson? What effect did the writer expect it to have on the recipients?)
The purpose of this lesson is to challenge thinking, and thereby affect behavior, of how as brothers and sisters in Christ we ought to deal with one another when it comes to disputes within the body of Christ.
Introduction
Review & Homework:
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Outline A. Salutations & Reminders (v1:1-1:9) B. Divisions within the church (v1:10-4:21) C. …of conduct unbecoming a believer (v5:1-13) Ü D. Dealing with offenses in The Body (v6:1-11) 1. A Christian’s Position (v1-6) 2. A Christian’s Philosophy (v7-8) 3. A Christian’s Personality (v9-11) |
Homework
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The legal situation in Corinth was probably much as it was in Athens, where litigation was a part of everyday life. It had become a form of challenge and even entertainment.
One ancient writer claimed that, in a manner of speaking, every Athenian was a lawyer. When a problem arose between two parties that they could not settle between themselves, the first recourse was private arbitration. Each party was assigned a disinterested private citizen as an arbitrator, and the two arbitrators, along with a neutral third person would attempt to resolve the problem. If they failed, the case was turned over to a court of forty, who assigned a public arbitrator to each party.
Interestingly, every citizen had to serve as a public arbitrator during the sixtieth year of his life. If public arbitration failed, the case went to a jury court composed of from several hundred to several thousand jurors. Every citizen over thirty years of age was subject to serving as a juror. Most citizens were regularly involved in legal proceedings of one sort or another, either party as a lawsuit, as an arbitrator, or as a juror. - [John MacArthur; The MacArthur New Testament Commentary 1 Corinthians; 1984; pg 136]
The Text
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Scripture
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Observation
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1 Corinthians 6:1-6
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A Christian’s Position
1 Corinthians 6:1-6
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v1
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“before the ungodly” – not referring to the morally unrighteous, instead to the spiritual standing
In the Roman world judges were always chosen from the well-to-do
Among the elite of first-century society it was quite acceptable to institute civil proceedings before a magistrate and jury on trivial matters in order to establish one’s social and political superiority over others. [New Bible Commentary; Wenham, Motyer, Carson, France; pg1169]
¿: Do you think Paul was concerned that they would not get a fair trial in the public courts, since those courts were run by pagans?
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v2
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“Do you not know” – points out truths that should have prevented the problem in the first place (previously used in v3:16; 5:6, 6:2, 6:9 – 6 times in this chapter alone and only 3 times in NT outside this letter)
In the Roman world the socially inferior could not even sue the upper class
¿: What do you think this indicates about their belief that disputes could be settled within the church?
Ü they did not lack ant gift (cf. 1 Cor 1:2-7)
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v3
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“judge angels” – in the Jewish tradition the righteous would judge the nations. It would believed that angels ruled over nations and that this judgment would extend to the angels. (cf Dan 10:1-14)
¿: What are our qualifications to judge angels?
Ü Angels will be judged (Jude 6, 2 Peter 2:4,9), Christ will judge (John 5:22), we will reign WITH Christ
“things of this life” – normally refers to property matters – could refer to adultery as well.
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v4-5
Whiteboard
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The NIV and KJV translate this as an imperative, other translations as a rhetorical question.
¿: What standing does the ungodly have in the church?
¿: Regardless of translation, what is the thought that is conveyed?
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v6
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¿: When two believers have a public dispute what does that:
Ü say about our worldview?
Ü do to our testimony?
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1 Corinthians
6:7-8
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A Christian’s Philosophy
1 Corinthians 6:7-8
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v7
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Paul makes it very clear they were entirely wrong in this action. Which is better, to do what they were doing or be cheated?
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v8
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“brothers” – Paul is using this label to drive the point home. Who would do wrong to their family?
¿: If you were to paraphrase Paul’s words in verse 7 & 8, how would you say it to emphasize the meaning?
¿: Is there justice in what Paul says here?
Ü See Matthew 18:21-35 (parable of unforgiving slave)
Ü A Christians primary concern should not be to protect his possessions or his rights but to protect his relationship with his Lord and with his fellow believers.
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Homework
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1 Corinthians 6:1-11 – Application worksheet
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1 Corinthians
6:9-11
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A Christian’s Personality
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
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v9-10
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At the time of this writing, Nero was about to marry the boy Sporus, which was only unusual for the Roman emperor in its formality. Wickedness was commonplace throughout the Roman world.
This is not a list of sins which would indicate a loss of salvation or inability to be saved. These are sins which are typical of the lost. This list is given as an admonition not to be like that from which we were rescued out of bondage.
¿: Can believers be dominated by these sins?
¿: If so what does that indicate? [a life of disobedience to God’s ways]
¿: When it comes to these sins what’s the difference when a believer does them or the world does them? [when a non-believer commits sin there is no understanding about how this displeases God]
¿: How should a brother/sister sinning against me inform my actions? [they’re not my enemy – even if it feels like it]
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v11
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Paul reasons from who they are positionally to appeal to their sense of how they should live.
It makes no difference what we were before we were saved. But it makes a great deal of difference what our behavior is like after salvation. Our life should correspond to our position.
We are:
If is no longer OK to act like their former selves. They were saved from that life!
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Conclusion
Personal Application:
¿: Do you think there are times when Christians must go to public court? If yes, when?
¿: What do you do if one or more parties refuse “in house” mediation?
Homework:
- Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 and complete page in study booklet
