1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Where Do You Fit In?

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 and the Question of Where You Fit In

First Corinthians chapter 6 hear the word of the Lord. When one of you has a grievance against another. Does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the Saints? Or do you not know that the Saints will judge the world and if the world is to be judged by you.

Are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more than matters pertaining to this life? So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle dispute between the brothers? But brother goes to law against brother and that before unbelievers. To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.

Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded but you yourselves wrong and defraud even your own brothers. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.

Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who practice homosexuality nor thieves. Nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you.

But you were washed you were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. May the Lord add his blessings to the reading of his Holy Word. Well, do you fit in here?

What do you think? Do you feel like this is your kind of gathering? Your kind of people that we have a place for you that we accept you you have a role to play among us. They say that a key to growing church is making people Immediately feel like they fit in.

Someone even goes so far as to give a newcomer almost like show up the first day something to do in the church right away a little job of their own perhaps providing a snack or Taking care of the children are playing a musical instrument.

But the philosophy is to do this on purpose and get a little job of your own that way you'll feel like you fit in. This is your home and soon you'll be a regular and maybe eventually you'll even join as a member.

Hopefully after After looking over what we believe the problem with that is that in such churches They can often find themselves with people running their ministries and their programs who don't really believe what the church believes.

Or live as the members of the church are committed to live. They may have felt like they fit in. But they didn't bother to check if they really do. Where do you fit in? Now having lived overseas for seven years I know what it's like to not feel like you fit in like you're a foreigner.

You know, everything is different of the three main ethnic groups in Singapore. Mine is not one of them and twice I was denied permanent residency status in Singapore probably because of that I didn't fit in.

Singapore is about three-quarters Chinese and the rest are Malays and Indians. Singaporean judge told me that they the government probably didn't grant my request for PR status on permanent residency.

Because I was over any of those ethnic groups. So I didn't fit in and they don't want any kind of new ethnic group started. They feel they want to keep their balance as it is. And in fact over after a while that the Chinese weren't multiplying enough.

To match the other ethnic groups, particularly the Malays and so they first they began to try to promote have had more Chinese and they even did a Series of commercials on and who's by the government first to get shy guys to go on dates.

Yeah, I should show the video. I should show the commercials on it. Just hilarious, you know. But the tagline was go ahead take that first step. Otherwise ask some girl out on a date and then further.

Commercials were to promote the benefits of having children. So I guess after you've taken that first step now now start having kids and. Apparently that didn't work out as they even have a special unit of the government called the special development unit SDU just for that.

Have more kids particularly it was really aimed at the Chinese. So they didn't make it so overt, but apparently that didn't work out like they wanted as enough. And so they began to import Chinese people because there's this nation up north of Singapore called China.

But they have a lot of Chinese people up there in China. And so they begin to allow import a lot of them to keep and all that to keep the balance. But white Americans, no, thanks. They don't want me. So anyway, that was that but people crave to fit in.

That's why in large universities, they have fraternities and sororities, you know. So you if you have a big group, you're just one you feel so detached. But if you can have one little group that's yours could club a sorority and fraternity.

Whatever and some people some people go to church just so where they have a place to fit in even if they don't really care. You know about all that Christian Bible stuff, you know, but but you know, there's nice people so they'll stay there that's why a lot of single people long to be married to have a family of their own so they can have a place where They fit in and that's not necessarily wrong.

Psalm 68 verse 6 says God sets the lonely in families. One of the diabolical tactics of racism was stripping certain people of the sense that they could ever fit in anywhere in society except at the bottom a Separate and never really equal that just because of their skin color that everyone would know that that person does not fit in here or there.

Only in certain places down below not in positions of leadership or power or wealth. The old excuse about why some churches tolerated racism in their midst was that well the society around them Is just like that and it would just be too radical to try to take that issue on right now.

Wait, you know give it time. Be gradual. So tolerate a little injustice now because justice won't quite fit in yet Martin Luther King called that the quote the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Which numbed people to be what he called the fierce urgency of now.

Now is when we need to change Now is when we turn from our sins. Today is the day of salvation whether God will give us another hour another day. We don't know. We do know he calls us to repent.

Now.

Paul here is dealing with a cultural expectation, you know, kind of like Mason was expected in the South. He was dealing with a similar as this expectation the way people lived everyone in their society.

Fights and claws for their for the rights in court, that's the Greek way. You have a problem with your neighbor you take it to the to the town meeting and the jury of basically whoever all whatever men Showed up they could decide the case.

That's the American way, right? Some might have tried to warn Paul. Why why endanger the church you might alienate some potential converts? They'll they'll think you're too radical. What do you mean? I can't go to court against another believer.

What are you talking about? I'm out of here. They may go back to their pagan temples. But he sees that just here the Greek Christians must be distinct if we are not distinct we will be extinct. Where do you fit in?

That depends of course on who you are, right? I Didn't fit in in Singapore. So the government told me this because I'm American. If you're an American you fit in America. If you're Singaporean you fit in Singapore, where do you fit in?

Who are we?

We are Paul tells us here four things first Saints. We are future judges. We are sufferers and finally we are heirs. First Saints now that didn't mean like st. Ignatius, you know somebody of a holy power and some ancient man from passage.

It means being you're being a Christian changes who you are. So it changes where you fit in. It means you are a saint in a world of the unjust the Corinthians hadn't seen this. They they still thought that they fit in here.

They fit in now. I'm in this society so they acted like all the other people who fit in here and now and when they had a grievance they fought for what was Theirs by right. Always ready to demand their rights and so they took that to court to just like everyone everyone else.

Greek culture was highly litigious. I was they sued each other a lot. They prone to public trials where the assembled men would you know decide the case for the Corinthian Christians the Saints. That was what they had grown up in.

That was their society. That was their culture it was their city of the laws of. That they accustomed to decided by judges or juries made up of their neighbors and they felt like they fit in there. And it never occurred to them that being a Christian.

Would change that. But Paul is shocked by it and he begins the sixth chapter here we just shock. How dare you you're taking to each other to court and that before the world in Greek culture. It could have been juries of the men in Corinth perhaps hearing cases of one Christian versus another.

While they decided the case according to their traditions and customs. They are as he calls them here the unjust. That make my sense to ask the unjust to decide for justice does it. They have unjust they're not just and you want them to decide just us.

I don't make sense. It makes no sense to expect justice for the unjust after all as he calls them here. You are Saints that is holy ones set apart by God, but these people you are taking your affairs to.

They're not Saints. They're not set apart. And so you are coming from very different worlds you from the Saints those may write with God and they from the unjust and That's not your home.

Don't you know?

You don't fit in there. Notice that they cared so much about their personal rights that when they were offended they'd take even fellow Christians to court. But when in chapter 5 a church member was deeply offending God remember last week guys deeply offending the Lord.

Yeah.

So what you didn't really care. They wouldn't lift a finger to defend the glory of God while scratching and clawing for everything. That's that that's mine. They still felt like they've Fit in nicely in Corinth.

Yes, they really did still. Well, they shouldn't have this is why this is what white churches did when it tolerated South racism for generations. White white people fit in here black people fit in over there.

That's what the society around them was doing it's what they had grown up with a bit instilled in them and they brought the same thing into the church like it's not like we're Not supposed to be any different today.

Some are doing the same thing with now may be living together before marriage with homosexuality. It's all just all sexual ethics like so that's why you often in many places. They you don't hear Much teaching against it like we're not any different because they just want to fit in they don't want to be distinct.

So eventually they will be extinct. What do you fit in? Any Christians they say a man too much of this that a man, you know, we don't fit into this world. We're Saints. Amen. They are the unjust. Makes us feel good about ourselves, right?

Amen. We are heading for distinction. They're heading for extinction. The world is not my home. They say I'm just passing through.

Amen.

It's true that the world is not our home that the world as it is made up of rebellious people. People like those described in verses 9 and 10, you know the unjust the immoral idolaters adulterers homosexuals thieves greedy drunkards or Drug addicts the scoffers and slanders and swindlers are just people who fit in nicely with them.

That world is Not our home but this world this planet in Which we we might not we shouldn't fit in very well yet. Yes, it's not now our home. But it will be Meanwhile we're to be living now like we will be When this world will be our home.

You know, there's an escapism among many Christians that just wants to turn a.

Blind eye.

To everything that's wrong here to forget about it to excuse it. Take no responsibility to change it. Instead, you know escape to songs. About how we'll fly away to a golden shore over yonder one bright morning.

That we don't do anything about this Shore right now that is escapism and it passes for spirituality in many places. Many people think that is what it really means to be spiritual. Don't do anything about this world.

You're just singing about that golden shore over yonder. It passes for spirituality and it misuses often this very passage. You see some say that we aren't even to go to the courts. They even try to rectify problems here and now.

That's not really what Paul is saying here. It's not.

But.

He's not against the the courts or the use of law. You know three times in the book of Acts He personally used his legal rights to protect himself, you know what you remember in Philippian Philippi. Hey, it's me and Silas here.

We're Roman Citizens, you weren't supposed to beat us. You bring that town council over here make them apologize to us. Remember that and and here the implication is you're not supposed to be taking brothers to court.

But if it's someone's not a brother someone not a Christian and they've wronged him. That's what courts are for. He's gonna do that. But but now some use this passage as an excuse to escape from this world.

I know of a man who a pastor whose daughter was almost killed by the malpractice of a hospital when they gave her The wrong blood type and a transfusion and he was proud of himself For not even thinking of suing the hospital Because he thought we aren't supposed to go to court.

Apparently from this passage. He that's what he thought this meant. But but what if the hospital fails to correct his problems because it got off without having to settle. You know because it didn't have to do anything about it didn't have to pay up and and next time it kills some other patient.

Will it not be because that man an escapist who thought that since this world is not my home I'm not going to worry about correcting his problems. The Bible clearly tells us in Romans 13 that the courts and the other rulers the government is Instituted by God to bring his justice to bear on earth and we have a right to use that that government use the courts when necessary.

Sometimes we even have an obligation to use them if it will prevent future Injustices, this is especially so in our day when there's been a Christian influence on our society and on our courts on our laws For hundreds of years unlike some churches.

Well, this is a well we have an obligation then to continue to exert that influence whenever we can.

Such as.

Through voting. Now I'm not going to tell you How to vote or endorse candidates. Give you a list, you know go into the ballot box and vote for these people. We're distinct. We're not a special interest group or a political action committee.

But I will tell you that you need to register and be informed and vote. The Lord Jesus commanded us to be a light and salt in our society and our government gives us the opportunity to do that by voting and So as long as we are led by the light of his word, we're voting By our by our biblical principles.

Then We we have a we have an opportunity. We have an invitation and according to God We have an actually an obligation to To take advantage of that opportunity and vote. I will not tell you who to vote for but I will tell you.

To vote.

Yes, it's true. The world is not my home, but it will be.

One day.

This is what Paul is getting at in verses 2 to 5 First we are Saints and Second we are future.

Judges.

We will judge the world even the angels that's why this is why this is coming off a chapter 5. When he said don't you need to be judging a sinner in your own midst now, don't you know you are Future judges don't let the world judge you we will we will get to have a vote on the eternal destinies of people in Angels here with all that judge the angels.

Hmm. Now, of course We will not just vote as we feel like it, you know, I don't like you Gabriel. I'm gonna throw you to hell. No, it's not gonna work like that. That should never be our opinion. Even now as Christians We are to bring the kingdom that is the rule of God on earth now imperfectly now only partially.

But that's what we're after right seek first the kingdom of God in our lives and bring it on the world. But later we will be able to do it perfectly and completely the world will not know it or believe it but it's true.

We will judge them According to God's law, of course. So if that be the case, how much sense does it make for one Saint one future judge? To take his grievance against another future judge and Take it before someone who is unjust and who will in the end be judged.

I Didn't make any sense at all to do that. That's what Paul does. That's what Paul says. That's why he says in beginning of verse 2 or do you not know? Don't you know you should know this already. I've told you why have you forgotten that you are judges?

Why have you forgotten? How distinct you are? Where do you fit in? We're Saints we're future judges and.

Now. Sufferers.

People willing to suffer wrong to fit in. You know people are willing to suffer to fit in like often they will. They'll suffer paying dues to be part of a club. They'll suffer having sometimes to go out eat at a restaurant.

Ever been with a group. Where'd you like to go out to eat and they end up signing to go someplace? You just don't like at all. Maybe you hate it, but you go. And you bear it because you want to be part of the group.

Or maybe you in a family. What do you want to watch for TV and they say oh and I want to watch NCIS. I'm tired of that. But they but you sit there and you watch it because you just want to be part of the group.

You'll suffer that you want to be part of what the group is doing sometimes being a part of something larger either family a Nation a church means choosing to suffer some for the greater benefits. Because you fit in there.

Here choose to suffer loss. Rather than take a brother to court. Now does this passage mean then that we can't go to court against any person who even claims to be a Christian even in this atmosphere here in the Southern u .s.

With so many nominal Christians almost everyone says they're a Christian. Doesn't this didn't practically mean we're back to where we were before. With no way to seek justice in the world because everyone says they're Christian so I can't sue anybody.

Or maybe you try to get you know, if you want someone to do work on your home. You put out an ad, you know looking for a plumber. Only. Only Jews and Mormons may apply. Whatever, you know. Or atheist.

No, no, it doesn't mean that I I don't think so. We've gotten to this condition that we're in with so many nominal Christians because of the failure to practice what we looked at last week. You know church discipline many people now in our society are in a.

Church.

Maybe just by name. Some of them say they're in a church members of it and haven't attended there for 35 years, but whatever many people are In name in a church who should be out. Now if they're not in if they're not in our church and they say they're a Christian.

We can appeal to them. Hey, you're a Christian. You should do better than that. You shouldn't have defrauded me. You said you're gonna do this or that you you know. You say you're gonna do the work. You didn't do it.

Whatever whatever you took my money. You didn't you didn't do what you said you were did we can appeal to them? Yeah, you're a Christian. You should be doing this and then perhaps we can appeal to their church.

Look this person defrauded me. You should you church just do something about it. I know they'll think you're weird if you try that. After they don't have a church at all. I don't think you have to even honor their confession.

These are Christians. Okay, but yeah. But if that doesn't work. You appeal to their church. That is a work maybe because their church won't do anything. Because they don't even know what you're talking about.

What are we supposed to do about it? We just take their money. We I think if they don't do anything, I think then we can go to court. But this would mean however that in this chapter here that here in this church.

Our members should not be suing one another if ever there's a grievance and We are members of the same church. Having accepted each other as brothers and sisters when we did that covenant. You know bear with each other walk together in Christian love all that we should be able to trust if we do have a grievance.

Somehow we think we've been cheated or run. Maybe we're maybe we're wrong. Maybe there's misunderstanding, but we should be able to trust the arbitration of others the church itself. We should be able to arbitrate to judge.

To settle it and if we still think the church arbitrated and came to a judgment and we still think We didn't get full justice. Then we should be able to say Paul says here. You know just basically kind of shrug our shoulders and say well it's better to suffer wrong.

It's better to be defrauded. Okay, I'm out a few hundred dollars, whatever. It's just I'll take the loss it's better to be a sufferer because we think.

This is.

Where I fit in to tear it apart because I would cheat it out of something. It is just just not worth it. The piece of the body is more important than me getting mine. This once again proves the importance of church membership where you are a where you were in a body that you fit into.

Now think for a minute what Paul in this passage think what he's assuming then fully articulated but what he's just assuming that the church is and How Christians are joined in it together? He is saying here that as brothers and sisters.

It's a disgrace that we go to court against each other. It is as if we had more confidence in the judgment and the decision-making the principles of the secular judge. Then we do in the leaders of the church.

We are saying that even though I supposedly fit in with these people like they're my family I trust those outside more to decide what is right. Then then then then then their decisions but here he is saying the opposite must be the case.

So what he's assuming about the church the opposite. We must trust each other more than we would trust. You know lawyers out there in the in in courts. We are brothers and sisters. We are a body we have the Word of God and One day God will let us use that word to be agents of his judgment of the earth together.

We fit in with each other. You know, there's no there's no idea you find what we find here so much in our culture. This is kind of lone major Christians out there unattached. Absolutely not your brothers sisters you're so bound together that you judge each other's if you have grievances.

Where do you fit in? We're Saints.

We're future judges.

Suffers. And now we're heirs. Verse 9 continues the thought in Greek it begins with the word. Or or don't you know? It's better to suffer wrong. Don't you know you don't think it's better to suffer wrong.

Don't you know? The fourth and final reason that they should not bring their brothers before the unjust was not because they. The Christians don't now fit in with the worldly courts, that's that's true, too but there's another reason because eventually I Mean now we don't fit in here, but eventually the unjust will not fit in with us and Will inherit the earth?

When that happens. They won't fit in. Now we don't fit it. But we're gonna inherit the whole thing and then they won't fit in. We're heirs. We're inheritors of everything. Inheriting means to enter into full possession of something that has been promised and now we have it prompt.

We have everything promised. I Remember earlier all is yours. Paul said current in Corinth and Corinthians. Everything is yours life and death and heaven and earth everything. And we're gonna inherit it all.

Now the kingdom of God has been promised the new earth is begun and we have we have taste of it we like appetizers. But we don't have the full possession of it yet. We are we are now. You know Kings kids.

We're inheritors. We're heirs of a kingdom. But we haven't inherited all yet. And this kingdom is not just empty talk, but it's powerful. But the fullness of it is yet to come. Will inherit it. And this chapter Paul is driving home the point so often missed by modern Christians that there is a radical divide Between the world and the church the true church.

There was once one human race one people created by God, but as soon as there were the first two sons.

There was a divide.

Abel received God's grace and so was saved but Cain did not Right. And because one was right with God and the other was not they were divided the unrighteous killed the righteous. The Lord Jesus said that he's not come to bring peace on the earth But a sword to divide even families right down the middle Between those who believe him and those who will not.

In the end that radical divide will be permanent in what CS Lewis called the great divorce. At the judgment when the rule of God Comes on earth perfectly and fully The righteous will be divorced from the unrighteous With no more reconciliation possible.

At that time the world system that was not our home Where we could not fit in will be finally fully Conquered brought to heal made to obey the Lord Jesus Christ the king. Then this world. That world to come Will be our home And we will.

Fit in. Where do you fit in?

Those who choose to live their way their own way now. Living in in this world as if there were no God they may say they believe in God. But they live they don't make any difference in their life as if there were no judgment to come.

Those who would not submit to the coming King. They're now listed in verses 9 and 10. Those who create societies were rebels against against God. Could fit in so nicely here and who showed that showed their rebellion in ten sins.

Ten kinds of people it Paul says will not fit into the kingdom of God. It was first the sexually immoral. That's just generally all kinds of sexual immorality. Second lovers of the self-exalting human centered religion religion is made for the customer religion that lets you have it your way.

That makes God in our image to serve our purposes like to give us wealth and success. Third those who break their marriage covenant. Fourth and actually and fifth there's actually two terms here in Greek for homosexuals.

Those who chase after whatever sexual perversion gives them pleasure. And I should note here with that. He means clearly those who actually practice Homosexuality there are some people that have a temptation for it.

Maybe they're even Christians and they have a weakness inclination. Does it call the same sex attraction and Paul would not classify those people as homosexuals unfit for the kingdom of God? They can be Christian.

They could actually be trying to overcome it and fighting against it. Just like with any other set could be with adultery or greed. You could be fighting against it, even though you had that inclination that weakness.

Well six those who care about the rights and the needs of their neighbors. But but just who don't care about the rights of their needs and neighbors, excuse me, and who just take what they want. They don't care they can get away with it.

They'll steal. Seventh those who live for the dollar who chase more money more things. That's what their life is all about. Money. Eight those who crave the stupor of excess alcohol or the high of drugs.

Ninth those arrogant people who are intoxicated. But with that with a heavy feeling that they get when they scorn authorities they pour out false vitriolic Accusations at people they they scoff. Especially leaders.

They they're mocking the reviling perhaps perhaps reviling people of other races. Tenth the last one those who took millions of dollars in pay and bonuses telling stockholders that all is fine with the company before leaving a company in bankruptcy or Take your money to do a job and then don't do it or don't pay someone who did a job for them.

Or promise that they're you know promise that they're get it. You get an email from a rich Nigerian Prince who says, you know, just give me your bank account number you know, and of course what will happen is your bank account will be empty of money by.

If you do or maybe though or maybe the guy on TV who promises if you just send send in your donation. You'll get healed or whatever. It is. You need to be healed of those are swindlers. Such people may fit in nicely here now.

They know how to play the game. They get what they want. Such people will have no place in the kingdom of God where Jesus rules. They won't fit in when Jesus comes to be in charge. Paul begins in verse 9 with or do you not know?

As if they've forgotten something they should already remember they've been told if after forgetting. That we don't fit in this world that we will judge it instead that we should be willing to suffer wrong if Necessary rather than wrin the body.

Finally, don't you know? That these people To whom you're looking for justice. You're going to them for justice won't even have a place with us when Christ returns and finishes Installing his rule on earth.

Now it is true. The world is not our home. But then. The world will not be their home. They will not fit in with us. That is as we saw two weeks ago. You know, that's not yet. When they don't fit in. There is the now and there's the not yet.

Not everything is now. It's what these Corinthians were having some problems with. Remember it already. You have become kings already. You are rich. Paul kind of Jokes at them. No. It's not already. They thought they could rule and be wealthy now.

Paul says no, it's not yet.

Now.

Remember Christ crucified. Now we hold each other to account.

Now.

Judging the world for being immoral. It's really none of our business. It's kind of it's the way the world is later. It will be. Then we will judge them as agents of God. But that's not yet. Then the divorce will be complete and there will be no way to return.

Once condemned from hell to heaven then where you fit in will be settled forever. You will fit in hell or you'll find your place enjoying the pleasures of the kingdom of God, but that's.

Not yet.

Now.

You can.

Leave this world you can leave your sin and.

Fit in.

Under the rule of God. In verse 11 Paul tells them after listing all these kinds of people who will not fit in the kingdom of God. He says.

Such were.

Some of you. You used to be like that. You used to be immoral or greedy or selfish, but now.

Something's changed.

You're you're new people. You're not the kind of people you were. And because that happened. Now where you fit in.

Has changed.

You used to be like that used to be immoral or greedy or selfish, but he says a magnificent but a stark bold contrast a radical distinction. It's missing in most English translations. But Paul uses the word but missing here in this actually an English standard version Paul uses the word But three times here before washed sanctified justified three times Paul uses that.

It's a sharp Adversative translated as but such as were some of you.

But but but.

They had fit in with the world in rebellion against God, but something revolutionary happened. Happened so that they could fit in the kingdom of God.

But.

You were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified. This is the power of the kingdom of God that Paul said we had in chapter in chapter 3. Our faith has not just talk.

But power.

Power to transform a life from being, you know, maybe from a repulsive perversion to beautiful holiness. This power can take the dregs of humanity such were some of you and And transform them into the children of God.

You can make sinners living proof of the recreating power of Christ whether or not we live we whether or not we give in to these the worst of these sins.

We're all born.