[A series designed to help people read the Bible together (RTBT).]
Individual Study Questions (Work on before group gathering)
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What are your initial observations of this passage?
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Did you find anything confusing? Exciting? Challenging?
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What are some of the most important words and themes? Why?
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What are some of the key verses or paragraphs in this section? Why?
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How would you outline this chapter of 1 Corinthians?
Overview of 1 Corinthians 6 (Read after working on “Individual Study Questions”)
There were also lawsuits between fellow church members there. Some disputes were being taken outside the church to secular courts. Paul said to let the wise men among them settle their disputes. He said it was “already a defeat” — neither party won because Christ’s name was dragged through mud. He asked, “why not be wronged … defrauded” rather than bring shame to the name of Christ? He also said, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable,” indicating one of the key problems in that church: the unwise use of freedom.
Explanation of 1 Corinthians 6
(6:1-8) The issue Paul addressed here was lawsuits between fellow church members. Some of the disputes he addressed earlier were actually being taken outside the church to secular courts.
“I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.” (1 Corinthians 6:5–8, NASB95)
Neither party really wins because Christ’s name has been dragged through the mud “before unbelievers”. They should have let the wise men among them settle their disputes. The secular courts are run by the “unrighteous” (v.9). Wise men within the church would not only approach the situation from a Biblical worldview, but also from a love for each of the parties involved in the dispute. The local church is ideal for settling disputes because believers should see members as “brothers” with a common goal of honoring Christ in their community. Even if they were truly “wronged” or “defrauded” it would be better. But only one who had an eternal perspective — a God-centered view of life could think this way. Only one who loved God above his own interests would understand that it is a far greater tragedy to discredit God’s name and the Church than to lose millions in gold.
(6:9-11) As Paul had written earlier, the Corinthians were acting like unbelievers — the wicked who will be judged (“not inherit the kingdom of God”; i.e., not be saved and receive eternal life). This kind of behavior gets judged. It is not saying the Corinthians will be sent to hell for what they were doing, but that it was wrong for them to behave this way because they had been “washed … sanctified … and justified”. This is what they “were” in the past, not what they were in the present. They should be very different from the world around them.
Dallas Seminary Professor Dan Wallace writes, “…When Paul, in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, speaks of not inheriting the kingdom of God, there is good evidence from the use of ‘inheritance’ in Scripture, that he is not talking about getting into heaven. The heirs of the kingdom are its owners and rulers who reign and rule with Christ (see Rev. 3:21; 5:10; 20:4) and not just its residents. In other words, salvation, which provides us access to heaven and the eternal state is unchangeable. It is by grace through faith alone in Christ alone, but our inheritances in the kingdom are not unchangeable. Receiving one’s inheritance in the kingdom involves receiving special rewards and special privileges that come to a believer for faithful service. The loss of one’s inheritance is not the same as the loss of salvation. Salvation cannot be lost since it is a gift, free through faith” (Will adulterers go to hell as it says in 1 Cor. 6:9-10?; https://bible.org/question/will-adulterers-go-hell-it-says-1-cor-69-10).
(6:12-20) Paul is famous for his teaching on Christian liberty (e.g., Galatians 6:1ff), and this is probably evidence that some had taken this teaching too far. Paul always qualified Christian freedoms with maturity.
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12, NASB95)
This is a case where “all” does not mean “all”. “All things are lawful,” was probably a common saying in Corinth where it was almost literally true. Paul was probably quoting the saying, not teaching lawlessness. He certainly didn’t mean nothing is sinful. “Prostitution” and sexual “immorality” were never “lawful” for the Christian — these are contrary to the revealed will of God. He was teaching the difference between maturity and immaturity. The immature say, “All things are lawful!” The mature ask, “Is it profitable?” The “spiritual man” recognizes that the abuse of freedom in matters such as “lawsuits” can lead to dishonoring the name of Christ. The abuse of freedom in matters such as “food” can lead to addiction or being “mastered” by something that is not inherently sinful, and this can then lead to dishonoring Christ. Instead, we should “glorify God” in our bodies. The honor of Christ should prevail over our liberties. We should see our bodies as temples because the Holy Spirit is dwelling in them. This perspective should change everything.
“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18–20, NASB95)
Sometimes, we should literally run from temptation. Perhaps turning off a computer or cutting off cable TV. It means not letting yourself get into certain situations, but being where you’re supposed to be. If you hang out at a bar after work instead of going home to your wife, who’s surprised when that ends up in adultery? Women lust for the lust of men. This leads to flirtatiousness and immodesty that can throw gasoline on the flame of men’s lust. Women are not responsible for the lust of men, but they can certainly be either helpful or hurtful in a man’s battle against it.
Discuss Together
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How did you answer the “Individual Study Questions”?
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What do you think is the author’s intent for this passage — what was his point exactly?
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What would you say is the expected response(s) to this passage?
