Monday, October 21, 2019
When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers! Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers. Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
Paul makes the case for God’s people to
trust God’s holiness rather than man’s cultural bent. It makes little difference that the world
mocks one who would follow Christ rather than bow to world and societal
pressure; our standard is what God says!. This is the background of why Paul wrote what
he did in his second letter to the
church at Corinth…you don’t let the world judge the church; it’s the other way
around! Too many Christian people get
that backwards.
The rub in this is that our faith very
often puts us at odds with people we love.
It is so hard to take a stand that puts distance between us and our
friends, neighbors, or family. Jesus did
make it abundantly clear that would happen:
Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. Luke 12:51
It is certainly not wise to separate over trivial
issues, like whether it’s right to be a Republican or Democrat, or if the color
of the church carpet should be green or plaid.
But there are issues of righteousness over which we must hold a higher
bar to the level of our affiliations; those things we take into our lives and become
part of our character. Even the word affiliate
projects that sense. The word comes from
the medieval Latin base that is related to the process of adoption, bringing
into your home something, or someone from the outside to be part of you. A child adopted is irreversible by law. By common sense, a practice or habit you adopt
undoubtedly changes your worldview and allegiances, for better or worse.
In his second letter
to the Corinthian church, a fellowship gifted by God above many others, but steeped
in worldliness, hedonism, and sexual sins, Paul did not pull any punches at
this point; he told them it was time to fish or cut bait; they couldn’t do
both.
What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:15-18
For You Today
Holding two opposing convictions never
makes either stronger, it only drives the holder insane. Better to choose God, be adopted into His
character, than to side with this world which is passing away.
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