Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The Apostle Paul is asking for restrain from the culpable parties partisan to the lawsuits in the civil courts to settle personal disputes among certain individuals. For the sake of Christ and His witness, will the defrauded party not rather suffer wrong than to go all out to right their wrong?
The Apostle Paul seeks to impress upon the hearts of the Corinthian Christians that it is foolish for them to seek settlement for their disputes outside of the church in the civil courts. He acknowledges that there is indeed a need for settlement. But he is seeking restrain from them so that these disputes may be amicably resolved among peacefully in church amongst the brethren.
The Apostle Paul reasons with the Corinthians establishing the basis that God has given them a spiritual foundation and the wisdom through His Word and the Holy Spirit to run their lives well including the wisdom to handle disputes among themselves.
William MacDonald said well, “Paul reminds the Corinthians that they will judge angels. It is almost astounding to consider the manner in which the apostle injects such a momentous statement into the discussion. Without fanfare or build-up, he states the tremendous fact that Christians will one day judge angels.”
The Apostle Paul highlights that the matters arising among the saints are “the smallest matters”. In other words, the saints are equipped with the wherewithal to settle these disputes among themselves. There is no cause to refer them to unbelievers to judge their petty disputes. It is incompatible with their spiritual stature and standing before God that they will need those without God’s Spirit indwelling them to guide them in resolving their differences.
The Apostle Paul is alluding to the true worth of the believer having the capacity and ability to make judgments in the future. As such, he is worthy even now to be a judge in an matter of disputes among God’s people. There is the leadership of the church that should be able to help resolve differences between brethren. And for the gravity of the matter at hand, the Apostle Paul is confident that the believer with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the counsel of God’s Word would have the ability to resolve differences between brethren.
The Apostle Paul now addresses the matter of settling disputes among believers. He has come to know that there are individuals in the church in Corinth who are seeking redress for disputes in the gentile civil courts. Is there no mediator in the church for the dispute that it has to be filed for hearing with unbelieving judges? He asked. This must not be!
He is not making a judgment concerning one that is outside the church. That he tells us in God’s prerogative. But for one that is within the church, there is a moral responsibility within the church to keep the purity of the body by dealing with sin through church discipline. He is urging the church to exercise their God-given duty to help this errant one to come back to God. And the verb “to put away” comes with it a sense of urgency, duty and command. The church is ” to put out the evil person from among its members” and it is to be done in love and great sorrow. It seemed from indirect evidence from 2 Corinthians 2:1 that this brother was reclaimed.[Zodhiates]
The Apostle Paul warns the believers in Corinth of the danger of being influenced by ungodly individuals in the church. Their guard would be down since they are also called “brother” in Christ. Such individuals are not true disciples of Christ. He names the fornicator describing an immoral person, covetous describing a defrauder for gain, idolator describing a worshipper of idols, railer describing an abusive slanderer, drunkard, extortioner describing one who is violent and forcefully steals. He tells them to keep clear of such ones who profess faith but without true faith.
The Apostle Paul says to the Corinthian Christians to separate themselves from the brother who refuses to repent of his known sin as fornication lest they be influenced to follow his evil ways. His direct advice is that they do not have company with him even on a social basis like eating a meal together.