The Question & Controversy: Does The Context of Limit The Action To The LOCAL CHURCH, or Does It Apply UNIVERSALLY? Does The Principle Apply Beyond Just Fraud? Does Apply to CRIMES? (Rape, Murder, Assault... etc) Does Forbid ALL Legal Action Against Brethren, With NO Exceptions? (What about divorce? Some make a brotherhood application, while making divorce civil court action!)
The Text: 1: Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2: Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be 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 judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
The Text: 5: I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6: But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7: Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8: Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
Some Observations: Brethren Were Rebuked For Taking Their Brothers To Law Before The Unjust (v. 1) The Unjust Are Later Called Unbelievers - the word (aidikos) means wicked, heathen (v. 6). Saints Will Judge the World & Angels (vs. 2,3). Therefore, They Should Be Able to Judge Small Matters. Small Matters Is Defined By The Expression Things That Pertain to this Life (vs. 3,4)
Some Observations: Judges Should Have Been Selected From Among Saints or Brethren in the Church (vs. 2,5,4). The Corinthians Had Boasted of Their Own Worldly Wisdom (1 Cor. 3:18; 1:18-31). Paul Shamed Them By Exposing Their Inability to Produce a Single Wise Man (v. 5) Two Groups Were Condemned: 1) Those who wronged and defrauded, and 2) Those Who Refused to be wronged and defrauded.
A Word of Caution: Verse 4 Uses the Word Ekklesia (Church) Obviously NOT a LAWFUL Assembly (Acts 19:32,39) Obviously NOT the Church UNIVERSAL (Matthew 16:18; Eph. 1:22) MUST BE THE CHURCH LOCAL We Must Avoid Any Position That Leads to the Formation of a Functioning ( Church ) Collective That is Other Than the Local Church
The Context: The Key To Any Text Is Its Context! 1 Corinthians 5 Contains Important Background Information to Chapter 6: 12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13: But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
The Context: 1 Corinthians 5:10-11 Mentions Certain Sins That Are Worthy of Disciplinary Action: Fornicator Covetous Idolater Railer (Reviler) Drunkard Extortioner C O M P A R E 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 Fornicator Covetous Idolater Railer (Reviler) Drunkard Extortioner
Immediately After His Rebuke of Both Parties In, Paul Said That the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God (6:9). Fornicator Covetous Idolater Railer (Reviler) Drunkard Extortioner C O M P A R E 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 Fornicator Covetous Idolater Railer (Reviler) Drunkard Extortioner
If Church Discipline Is To Be Practiced Against Fornication, Idolatry, Covetousness, Drunkenness and Reviling, It Should Also Be Practiced Against Thievery and Extortion! Also In The 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 List: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), THIEVES, covetous, drunkards, revilers, EXTORTIONERS
The Context: 1 Corinthians 6:9 Connects The Actions of Verses 1-8 With The Sins Listed in Verses 9-10. Some of the Sins Listed In 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 Are Specifically Identified in 1 Corinthians 5:11 as Sins Requiring Church Discipline. (of course, remember 1 John 5:17). Church Discipline Is a LOCAL Church Action, Not a Brotherhood Action. Is Dealing With A Local Church Environment (see 1 Cor. 6:4).
Consequences of Misapplication: If is not Limited to a Local Church Environment, From What Base of People Would the Judges Be Selected? The defrauded person's church? The defrauder's church? Some neutral church? HOW WOULD SIN BE PUNISHED? Will some suggest some new organizational structure to execute disciplinary action? WHAT IS MEANT BY THE WORD CHURCH IN 1 COR. 6:4?
What Does Teach: Brethren Should Seek to Resolve Their Differences Among Themselves, Rather Than Relying Upon the Decisions of the Godless. Brethren With Disagreements Pertaining to the Things of this Life Should Rely Upon Wise, Judicious Members of Their Local Church to Mediate and Arbitrate Between Them. Brethren Should Have a Willingness to be Wronged Without Seeking Retaliation (Matthew 5:38-42; 1 Corinthians 6:7).