1 Corinthians
Summary
Lawsuits between Believers and the Temple of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 addresses two distinct moral issues: the practice of taking fellow believers to secular courts and the ongoing problem of sexual immorality. Paul argues that since the saints will one day judge the world and even angels, they should be capable of judging small matters within the church. He then provides a stark list of those who will not "inherit the kingdom of God," while reminding the Corinthians: "And such were some of you." The chapter concludes with a profound theological defence of bodily holiness, declaring that the believer’s body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit" and was "bought at a price," therefore they must "glorify God in your body."
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
If then you have judgements concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?
I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brothers?
But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?
No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brothers!
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!
Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh."
But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.