The next evil manifested among the saints at Corinth was they were going to law with one another, and that before unbelievers. Did they not know that the saints should judge the world? Were they therefore unworthy to judge in the smallest matters? But they would judge also the fallen angels. Were they not then able to judge the things of this life? What humiliation were they exposing themselves to! They were bringing their differences before unconverted judges, and they would sit hereafter in judgment on those very men! They were going to judge angels, the least esteemed amongst them too, and yet did not think themselves competent to judge in the things of this life. Let the least esteemed in the Church judge such matters. Was there no wise man amongst them? They had far better take wrong, be defrauded, than do this. A manifest lack of love was shown in it all. Did they not know that the unrighteous should not inherit the kingdom of God? Don’t let them deceive themselves; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, should inherit the kingdom of God. This was the former state of some of them, but they had nothing to do with such things now; they were washed, they were sanctified, they were justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus and in the Spirit of God.
The Assembly as shown in ch. 5 and beginning of ch. 6 is the place where judgment is administered amongst the saints. The world has its law courts as the place where its judgment is administered; but the Assembly of God is outside the world, though the saints are to submit themselves to the powers that be, Rom. 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1). In 1 Cor. 5 we have church discipline for the putting away of open manifested evil. In 1 Cor. 6 we have the Assembly as the place where differences between brethren should be settled, by a wise, or two or three wise brethren; just as the world settles its differences before its law courts. Brethren should never take their differences before the world. It is a mean thing to do; they are going to judge it. They should have confidence in their brethren, even in the most unwise, to settle their matters; for Christ in their midst is made unto them wisdom, 1 Cor. 1:3030But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30).
All things were lawful, but all things were not expedient; all things were lawful, but he would not be brought under the power of any.
He then fully brings out the two-fold individual position of the Corinthian saints, to guard them against fornication and all unrighteousness. The first in reference to Christ, the second in reference to the Holy Ghost. They were washed, sanctified, justified, in this double relation. Their bodies were not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, and God had both raised up the Lord and would raise up the Christian by the same power. Their bodies were first members of Christ, secondly temples of the Holy Ghost. If committing fornication, they were members of an harlot, one body with her; for two, saith God, shall be one flesh; but their bodies were members of Christ, so that he that was joined to the Lord was one spirit. No union therefore in the flesh. We are one spirit with the Lord. But they were to flee fornication for a second reason. An awful sin! for together with other uncleanness mentioned above, it was done against the body, and brings, even in this life, its own judgment. Did they not know that their bodies were temples of the Holy Ghost that was in them, which they had of God, and they were not their own? They were bought with a price, and therefore responsible to glorify God in their bodies, which were His. Wonderful position! The believer’s body is a house bought by God Himself, at the cost of His Son’s blood, for Himself to dwell in. It is also a member of Christ Himself, washed so clean, set apart so fully, and justified so completely, that the Holy Ghost can fill it, and indwell it. It is likewise going to be raised up by the power of the Lord when He comes. I am fit at any moment then to be introduced into the revealed presence of God. My future destiny is to sit with Christ on His throne, to judge the world and the angels. And yet the saints were going to law before unbelievers! How could they, if such was the case? How could they live in sin, if their bodies were members of Christ and temples of the Holy Ghost, bought at such a cost, even the precious blood of Christ? Such is the truth brought forward in this chapter.