Day 327: 1 Corinthians 4-6

(The previous post ended with the Theme of Chapter 3: Glory in God, not in men. Men, in their own wisdom are foolish and vain. Glorying in Paul or Apollos, instead of in God, is even more foolish and unprofitable.)

1 Corinthians 4
¹ Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

(As part of the premise presented in the first three chapters, Paul showed resolution between the mysteries understood by the Spirit and the things valued by the flesh. Paul began the previous chapter speaking to the church of Corinth carnally because they were being fleshly, as witnessed by their divisions. Paul began this chapter exhorting the church in Corinth to be spiritually-minded, by reminding them they ought to be stewards of the mysteries of God. Not only ought we to know the mysteries of God, we ought to take responsibility for them so that others will be able to learn them.)

² Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

(Paul showed that believers needed to be found faithful (understanding and experience) in order to qualify as stewards.)

³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
⁴ For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

(Doctrine: Man should not judge others; the Lord is our Justifier and our Judge. Paul completely rejected judgment from any man. Paul only recognized the Lord as Judge. If you want to have support of this from Jesus: See Matthew 7:1. If you want to have support from Paul: See Romans 14:12-14.)

⁵ Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.

(Doctrine: We should not judge people before Jesus returns. In the New Testament, "judge" meant to equal out Justice. This is Christ's responsibility at Final Judgment. Christ will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. Christ will make the counsels (intentions, be minded) of our hearts appear. Christ, via the Holy Spirit, will guide believers into all truth.)

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.

(Paul again stated believers should not go beyond what was written: we should not judge other people. Paul specifically stated that he and Apollos did not judge others so that they would not get prideful towards one another. Paul and Apollos had been examples of humility to the people. They were willing to consider they could be wrong.)

⁷ For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?
⁸ Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

(Paul stated none of the people in the church at Corinth had reason to be prideful because they did not found their church: apostles founded the church.)

(Verses 9-13: effects of being an apostle.)

⁹ For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.

(Doctrine: Apostles are last of all, they ought to be the most humble because they have the toughest road. An apostle will not last very long if they are prideful. Apostles are "as men doomed to death.")

¹⁰ We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.

(Paul referenced the points he made in the premise of the first three chapters. Paul was a fool, weak, and not noble according to the world. He was wise, powerful, and noble in Christ: spiritually.)

¹¹ Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;

(Apostles are vulnerable vagabonds.)

¹² and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

(Apostles respond to being reviled by blessing. Apostles endure persecution, persecution that will come.)

¹³ being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.

(Apostles are defamed and treated as "the filth of the world." Apostles have a hard existence in this world. How many apostles do we have today that fit this description? Would the church today recognize people who fit this description as "apostles"?)

¹⁴ I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

(Paul was an exhorter. He realized what he wrote could be taken in a negative fashion, as if the church in Corinth ought to be ashamed. Paul made sure the church in Corinth realized he was not shaming them, he was trying to facilitate their growth as if they were his children that he greatly loved. Paul continued the analogy of being a father...)

¹⁵ For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.

(Paul recognized the church in Corinth had a lot of teachers (tutors). However, Paul pointed out the church in Corinth did not have many spiritual fathers. It appeared the only spiritual fathers were Paul and Apollos.)

¹⁶ I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.

(Paul encouraged the Corinthians to be an imitator of him. Some people may get into condemnation when they try and be like Christ who was sinless. Paul was someone people can better relate to because of his storied background.)

¹⁷ For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.

(Paul sent them Timothy to remind them of the way that Paul (and Timothy) lived. Paul sent his "favored son" to the rest of his "children.")

¹⁸ Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
¹⁹ But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

(Doctrine: The Kingdom of God is not in word (say), but in power (do). Paul warned the church that he heard some were in pride and they ought to realize he would return and confront them. Paul concluded by allowing them to decide now how Paul would confront them when he arrived...)

²¹ What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

(Theme of Chapter 4: Paul exhorted the church in Corinth to be spiritually-minded and humble themselves just as Paul had humbled himself. Paul concluded his introduction to this letter by asking them to decide how they wanted Paul to arrive: with a rod because they could not humble themselves or in love and gentleness because they chose to humble themselves and stop having divisions. Next, Paul moved to the core of this letter: settling questions of Doctrine so that they could have unity.)




1 Corinthians 5
¹ It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of you hath his father's wife.

(Fornication was reported to Paul. Fornication meant "to commit idolatry." One effect of fornication is sexual relations with your father's wife, as Paul used in the example in verse 1.)

² And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.
³ For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing,

(Critical Point: Paul judged the action (stumblingblock) of this man. The rest of this chapter is easy to misinterpret if the following points are not understood:
1) Paul judged an action (what) that had no possible right how/why. The son was having sex with a woman who was married to his father. There was no possible combination of events that would make this not sin.
2) Paul was speaking to the church, not to the fornicator. Some will state the rest of this letter was Paul addressing the fornicator and miss the fact that Paul was actually addressing the church, the believers.
3) This sin was so widely known, not only within the church, but the information had made its way to Paul. Paul was upset with the church that a well-known fornicator was allowed to remain in the church, as if he was a believer.

We will see Paul's response to the church, but first Paul instructed them what to do about the fornicator.)

⁴ in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
⁵ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(Paul said that this person (the fornicator) was to be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. This was done with the hope that this man can be saved in the day of the Lord. Delivering this man to Satan was actually for the man's benefit. The idea was that since he did not learn from understanding, he would end up learning through experience by being in the devil's snare. Paul also presented this Doctrine in 2 Timothy 2:25-26. This involved removing this man from the church and ceasing to pray for him.

This process did not involve prayer. Some believers think this process involves prayer. To whom would the believers pray? Satan? (I hope not.) God? What would that prayer look like? It would not involve God doing anything. If anything, it would involve God not helping this person, which would be prayed for in what manner? Judging is the equaling out of Justice. Paul used the word "judge" in the beginning of this chapter, and now we see an action was taken to equal out Justice: the fornicator would be removed.)

(Summary: Paul wanted these people to remove the fornicator from being influenced by the Spirit, which could only be coming from outside the individual (church) because he was no longer a believer that had the Spirit within him.)

⁶ Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

(This man would make the entire church of Corinth unprofitable through his fornication, especially because the church was "glorying" in the fornicator remaining among them, and making their ability to get an influence from the Spirit through the church unprofitable.)

⁷ Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ:
⁸ wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

(Purge out the old leaven meant they should have put away (remove from community) the fornicators (unprofitable cells in the church body). Delivering the fornicator to Satan meant removing him from church, which was an action that would result from "judging.")

⁹ I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;

(Paul had already written them to not keep company with fornicators. Notice, this meant that this first letter to the Corinthians was actually not the first! Paul had previously written this church. How many letters did Paul write that we do not have access to? Would the "church" today consider those epistles to be inspired by God if they were found? What is your measure for something being scripture; for something being inspired by God?)

¹⁰ not at all meaning with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:

(Doctrine: Believers need to separate the fornicators from community (church) so that believers can go out to the world to interact with them (fornicators). Paul clarified that having no interaction with fornicators did not mean never interacting with fornicators...otherwise, believers would have to remove themselves from the world. Paul clearly stated that the church ought not to have interactions with fornicators within the church.)

¹¹ but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.

(Critical Point: If the church knows a person is a fornicator and the church recognizes the person as a believer, the church needs to put the fornicator out of the church so that the individuals in the church can reach out to the fornicator...and so that the fornicator is removed from the influence of the Spirit experienced from the church. Major problems come when a fornicator (unbeliever) is within the church and deceives people into thinking he is a believer.)

¹² For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?

(Doctrine: Believers should not judge unbelievers. Believers do not judge those outside of community (unbelievers). Believers do judge those within community (believers).

However, it should be judging between believers: the issues between believers, the conflicts between believers, the stumblingblocks between believers...not the believers themselves, as individuals. The behavior is judged, not the person. Paul's point was that the church in Corinth was putting a stumblingblock in the path of other believers by declaring a fornicator as a believer.)

¹³ But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.

(Theme of Chapter 5: Paul addressed the first doctrinal issue. Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to put away the known fornicator, who was seen by the church as a believer, so that other believers would not stumble in their faith. Paul stated the way to interact with fornicators was to remove them from the church so the fornicator and the church knew they were dealing with a fornicator.)




1 Corinthians 6
¹ Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

(The first doctrinal issue dealt with the division within the church because of a fornicator posing as a believer. The second doctrinal issue dealt with division within the church because of a dispute between two believers.)

² Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
³ Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?
⁴ If then ye have to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church?

(Doctrine: Believers will judge angels. Angels have not been judged yet. Also, believers should be settling disputes within their community. Other believers should be able to resolve a dispute you are having. The church should not have to go to the world to settle internal disputes. The point here was that if believers would judge the world and judge angels, shouldn't believers be wise enough to judge matters between themselves? Believers ought to be examples of judging matters well.)

⁵ I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,

(Here was an example of Paul speaking something in order to shame the reader. Paul asked if the Corinthians had even one wise man among them. Remember, Paul was writing to the church of Corinth. It seemed that they had no leaders. A believer who can judge between other believers is considered wise.)

⁶ but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
⁷ Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?

(Paul did not say going to law against a brother was wrong. Paul was disappointed (and saw it as a defect) that they could not settle the disputes themselves. Paul said it was better to be wronged or defrauded than to have a lawsuit with another believer. Notice, Paul was referencing Reward through Justice. Paul stated it would be better to allow a brother to take advantage of you and get Reward at Final Judgment. However, a first step in doing this is to first understand if you have been defrauded. We ought to confront the brother who sins against us (Luke 17:3 and Matthew 18:15-18). If they do not hear us, we ought to continue the process for their benefit and take it to the church. If they do not hear the church, they fall under the process from the previous chapter. If they hear and do not repent, then we ought to act as mercy towards them and receive whatever Reward we are due on Judgment Day.)

⁸ Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
⁹ Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
¹¹ And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

(Paul warned the believers that handling this issue incorrectly could put them in danger of not inheriting the Kingdom of God, of no longer having Salvation and returning to the condition they were in before becoming believers. Paul transitioned from his original topic to the concept of fornication. Paul did this to set up the next chapter. Pay close attention to Paul's thought process because it was critical to understanding the rest of this letter to the church in Corinth.)

¹² All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.

(Paul wanted the reader to know that to a believer, all things were lawful but not all things were profitable (good/create). This verse continued the transition to show how forming covenants with those outside the church could lead to becoming an unbeliever. Paul first stated in verse 12 that none of the laws outside the church had any power over him so he should not form a covenant with the world through its laws.)

¹³ Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body:
¹⁴ and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up us through his power.

(Paul then explained that allowing laws (or any other influence) outside the church to have power over us was fornication. Definitions:
-Fornication was "to commit idolatry."
-Idolatry was "giving one's self to an image."

There were two ways to do this:
1) worship another god, or
2) covenantal sexual intercourse with an unbeliever.

Both of these result in forming covenants without God's involvement. Remember this definition as you read the rest of this chapter.)

¹⁵ Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid.
¹⁶ Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.
¹⁷ But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

(Paul stated that having covenantal sexual intercourse with someone caused you to join to their spirit.)

¹⁸ Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

(Fornication is a sin against one's own body because it is the forming of a covenant to another god.)

¹⁹ Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;

(Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit because He lives in us. Fornication is an attempt to worship another god within the temple of the Holy Spirit.)

²⁰ for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

(Theme of Chapter 6: The second doctrinal issue that Paul addressed concerned settling disputes between believers. Paul stated we ought to settle disputes within the church. We should not go outside the church, to the world, to settle our disputes. Paul warned that not being able to settle these disputes could lead to becoming an unbeliever. Paul even continued in this vein by showing that forming covenants with unbelievers was fornication and was a sin against our own body which ought to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.)

Day 328