Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Corinthians 6
Matthew Henry Commentary
1 Corinthians 6
Matthew Henry Commentary
1 Corinthians 6
"Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 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? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life? 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? 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, but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 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? Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren." — 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (ASV)
Christians should not contend with one another, for they are brothers and sisters. If this is carefully heeded, it would prevent many lawsuits and end many quarrels and disputes.
In matters of great damage to ourselves or our families, we may use lawful means to defend our rights, but Christians should have a forgiving spirit. Refer disputed matters to fellow believers for resolution, rather than going to law about them. These are minor matters and can easily be settled if you first master your own spirits.
Bear and forbear, and even the least skilled among you can end your quarrels. It is a shame that small quarrels should escalate to such a degree among Christians that they cannot be resolved by fellow believers. The peace of one's own mind and the calm of one's community are worth more than victory. Lawsuits would not occur among brothers and sisters unless there were faults among them.
"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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 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." — 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ASV)
The Corinthians are warned against many great evils, of which they had previously been guilty. There is much force in these inquiries when we consider that they were addressed to a people puffed up with the notion that they were superior to others in wisdom and knowledge. All unrighteousness is sin; all reigning sin, indeed, every actual sin, deliberately committed and not repented of, excludes from the kingdom of heaven.
Do not be deceived. People are very much inclined to flatter themselves that they may live in sin, yet die in Christ, and go to heaven. But we cannot hope to sow to the flesh and reap everlasting life. They are reminded what a change the gospel and grace of God had made in them.
The blood of Christ and the washing of regeneration can take away all guilt. Our justification is due to the suffering and merit of Christ; our sanctification to the working of the Holy Spirit; but both go together. All who are made righteous in the sight of God are made holy by the grace of God.
"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. 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: and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up as through his power. 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. Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 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; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." — 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (ASV)
Some among the Corinthians seem to have been ready to say, All things are lawful for me. This dangerous notion St. Paul opposes. There is a liberty with which Christ has made us free, in which we must stand fast. But surely a Christian would never put himself into the power of any bodily appetite. The body is for the Lord; it is to be an instrument of righteousness for holiness, and therefore it is never to be made an instrument of sin.
It is an honor to the body that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead; and it will be an honor to our bodies that they will be raised. The hope of a resurrection to glory should keep Christians from dishonoring their bodies by fleshly lusts. And if the soul is united to Christ by faith, the whole man has become a member of His spiritual body. Other vices may be conquered by fighting them; the one cautioned against here can be conquered only by fleeing.
And vast multitudes are cut off by this vice in its various forms and consequences. Its effects fall not only directly upon the body, but often upon the mind. Our bodies have been redeemed from deserved condemnation and hopeless slavery by the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We are to be clean, as vessels fitted for our Master's use. Being united to Christ as one spirit, and bought with a price of unspeakable value, the believer should consider himself as wholly the Lord's, by the strongest ties.
May we make it our business, to the latest day and hour of our lives, to glorify God with our bodies, and with our spirits, which are His.
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