1 Corinthians 6 - If You Need Wisdom

Inside this sixth chapter of First Corinthians God reveals part of his mysterious plan.  Not all of it.  We trust His good promise of eternity with Him.  But we have a foretaste here on earth of the magnitude of God’s creativity, justice, and goodness.

A few things I’d like you to notice and a few comments.

First, we are told that someday we believers will judge the world (6:2).  Now, that will be a responsibility!  We know Jesus Christ is the Judge; God is the ultimate Judge of all things.  He never slumbers or sleeps.  God sees all we do and the Lord himself watches over us (Psalms 121:5).  And here Paul provides us with the insight that God will use his prized possession, mankind, believers in Jesus Christ, to assess certain matters and to judge.  What matters?  When?  Who or what in particular will we judge?  I don’t know.  We get only a glimpse.  That’s more than we deserve as Paul’s point is not for us to speculate about such things, but rather that we are not even faithful here on earth to act wisely and decide disputes so we are not preparing for eternal things, to our great shame.

But take it to the bank - we will judge.  And, to make it even more intriguing, we're told here that we will also judge angels (6:3).  Are we prepared for that?  It should give us sober pause.  It does.

To the great shame of the modern church, Christians brazenly abuse each other and lord power over each other.  We do not treat each other as Jesus commands.  And we do not assert Christian accountability as Jesus commands here.  Rather than love, we ignore the needs of others.  Rather than kindness, wisdom, strength, dignity, godly confidence, caution, obedience, diligence, and being known by the good works we do (Proverbs 31), we are often known for scandal and backbiting.  According to the Bible, our reputation matters as well!

        Christians who sue each other and take their petty spats before the worldly judges ignore the responsibility to handle such matters before a wise Christian judge who is well respected by the Church.  This is another example of the church saying it believes God’s word but does not follow Jesus Christ’s commands.

Godliness matters.  Character matters.  Wisdom matters.

Better that we fumble following God’s way than win following the world’s.

Soon, God will do away with this world (2 Peter 3).  God will raise us from the dead by His power.

Lord Jesus, I trust you.  Please prepare us today to risk following your way for the great benefit of your excellent and eternal covenant.  Amen.