1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?… This the apostle rebukes because — I. THE CHURCH SHOULD DECIDE ITSELF THE DIFFICULTIES OF ITS MEMBERS. "The saints shall judge the world," i.e., this earth shall be one day a kingdom of God. 1. We cannot tell how, but one day "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God," &c., and legislation become Christian. And more, a time is coming when statute law shall cease, and self-government supersede all outward or arbitrary law. That will be the reign of the saints. Let us examine the principles of this kingdom which is to be. 1. The supremacy of goodness. The word "judge" does not mean that the saints shall be assessors with Christ at the day of judgment, but that they shall rule the world as Gideon, &c., "judged" Israel. Successively have force, hereditary right, talent, wealth, been the aristocracies of the earth. But in that kingdom to come goodness shall be the only condition of supremacy. 2. The best shall rule. The apostles "shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel," which is not to be taken literally; you lose your time in investigating theories about the restoration of the ten tribes, &c. The spirit of the passage means, and typically expresses, that in that kingdom the best shall rule. 3. That there each shall have his place according to his capacity (see 1 Corinthians 12:28). Each man took his position in the Church according to his gift. Here was a new principle. So in the kingdom to come we shall not have the anomalies which now prevail. Men are ministers now who are only fit to plough; men are hidden now in professions where there is no scope for their powers. But it shall all be altered there. These are the things that must be hereafter. And it is only in such a belief that human life becomes tolerable. 4. This is the future destiny of the Church. Are these principles, thou, to be altogather in abeyance now? In the highest spiritual matters the Church shall decide hereafter. Therefore, in questions now of earthly matters, Paul argues, the least esteemed among them should be able to decide. "I speak to your shame; where are your boasted teachers? Can they not judge in a matter of paltry quarrel about property?"(1) Let us not, however, mistake the apostle. He did not mean to say that the Corinthians should have ecclesiastical instead of civil courts. The question here is not between ecclesiastical and civil, but between law and equity, litigation and arbitration. The difference between the worldly court of justice and the Christian court of arbitration is a difference of diametrical opposition. Law says, You shall have your rights; the spirit of the true Church says, Defraud not your neighbour of his. Law says, You must not be wronged: the Church says, It is better to suffer than to do wrong. (2) And now, Can any principle but this heal the quarrels of the world? While one holds out as a matter of principle, the other appeals to law, and both are well assured of their rights, what must be the end? "If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." Whereas if we were all Christianised, and ready to endure injuries, law would be needless — there would be no cry of "my rights." You will say, perhaps, "But if we bear, we shall be wronged." You forget if all felt thus there would be no wrong. There is no remedy for the world's miseries but the cure of its selfishness. Men have attempted to produce a peaceful and just state of society by force, by law, by schemes of socialism, and all have failed, must fail. There remains, then, nothing but the Cross, the Spirit of Him who conquered the world by being the victim of its sin. II. IT CONTRADICTS THE CHARACTER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. A true kingdom of Christ should be altogether free from persons of this character. His argument runs thus: — "You ask me how quarrels are to be decided except by law; how the oppressed are to be freed from gross oppressors, except by an appeal to legal justice? I answer, the Church does not include such persons in the idea of its existence at all. The Church consists of men washed, sanctified, justified, &c. I cannot tell you how to legislate for drunkards, revilers, &c., for such ought not to be in your society at all. This is what you were as heathens; this is not what you are to be as Christians." St. Paul insists on man's dignity. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? |
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