1 CORINTHIANS 6 (NOTES OF A READING)
[p. 60] 1 CORINTHIANS 6 (NOTES OF A READING)
CAC The effect of the teaching was to give the saints a very true sense of their dignity. There is more capacity really in the saints to judge of things rightly than in the highest court of justice.
Rem It seems to make the assembly the highest tribunal.
CAC Yes, and not only the assembly but the saints individually. “There is not a wise person among you”, he says, which shows that matters of judgment connected with this life are not supposed to come before the assembly, which is instruction for us. They are matters to be reserved to wise men. ‘Have not you a wise man among you?’ Paul says. “Set those to judge”; that is, it is by appointment. The assembly deputes one or more to go into it and adjudicate it. In Israel, in every ten persons there was one who was qualified to decide matters. If it was so in Israel, there would not be less competency in the assembly. It does not suppose here that these matters are brought to the assembly, but the assembly appoints those to adjudicate, so the matter does not become a matter of general discussion, or perhaps of personal feeling. It is the wisdom of God, so it is settled, so to say, out of court. If they cannot find a wise man, “set those to judge who are little esteemed in the assembly” (verse 4).
To decide a dispute between one brother and another calls for an intense degree of spirituality. What the apostle is at throughout the whole epistle is to form spirituality in the saints. It makes a great demand on me to be in a spiritual condition, and that is a great help to me. We then shall possess those features in a substantial way. Sometimes we are baffled by feeling our incompetency; but it is a great call to spirituality. It is a great exercise for us all. If we take [p. 61] up in prayer and worship the great things of God, and we do, are we not competent to decide a dispute as to matters of this life? But all this is to lift us up to our true dignity as the people of God.
Rem “The elders” are mentioned in Revelation 5.
CAC What is represented in the elders is maturity of judgment, and that is characteristic of the assembly. Such matters were to be considered by two or three wise men, and if that principle had been adhered to, it would have saved the saints much distraction. We could not walk with or be in fellowship with anyone who acted in this way and went to law. Now we have had the instruction, we know such action is altogether against the dispensation of grace. But at the same time Paul does not mince matters: such persons will not inherit the kingdom of God (verse 9); it is an absolute principle. I ought to be afraid to do something wrong, because then I am not practically in the kingdom of God! But such a matter must be settled righteously. Why should I want to be vindicated? Not to contest my rights — that is the path of liberty. Thus the individual can leave his matters in the hand of the Lord, and it is not necessary for him to seek his own justification. But it is not so with the assembly, the assembly could not let things pass. It shows that God’s way of handling things is the wiser and the best way.
A person walking in self-judgment and in the Spirit does not make a false judgment, as a general principle. It exposes my state if I do. It is a test in subjection too. The principle of government in Israel would only work on the ground of subjection, and no principle of government in Scripture will work under any other condition. A person without subjection is not fit for the assembly.
Rem “But ye have been washed ...” (verse 11).
CAC Now that is what has operated.
Ques What is justification “... by the Spirit of our God”?
CAC [p. 62] Does not it bring out the wonderful character of the working of God in His people? It is very important to take note of it, that the Spirit of God enters into all in this matter. It is the working of God in the matter, so the saints are morally cleansed from all the pollution around them, and the Spirit and the name of our God enter into it. The divine thought was that they should be freed from all that characterised them naturally; and he brings the highest motives to bear even on the basest and vilest lusts of the flesh.
Ques It would not be right for a believer to bring anyone before the world’s court either, would you say?
CAC We used to be told the apostle did not say anything about that possibility, because he did not conceive such a thing possible!
The last section of the chapter has to do with our bodies, and it is summed up in, “glorify now then God in your body”. The body is for the Lord, a vessel to be disposed of by the Lord; and the bodies of the saints are members of Christ; they are to be vessels through which Christ is to be expressed. He has no other vehicle of expression in this world but the bodies of the saints; so it dignifies the bodies of the saints! And the saints are “joined to the Lord” (verse 17). What wonderful elevating realities are brought in in regard to our mortal bodies, because all this refers to our mortal bodies. “He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit”
(verse 17). It is a remarkable introduction of the marriage thought in connection with the bodies of the saints. It is an individual matter: “He that is joined to the Lord”. It is worked out in the holiness of individual believers. There is the thought of being actually joined to the Lord, the most intimate link possible, of the individual believer who is in a mortal body, with the Lord. It involves a personal nearness and intimate contact with the Lord — “joined to the Lord”.
There is no other scripture I know of like it. “Members of the Christ” (verse 15) shows that the bodies of the saints are [p. 63] the vehicles through which Christ is expressed; they are not to be used in the expression of self-will, or unrighteousness in any form. It rules out, by the highest possible consideration, the gratification of the body. In the presence of this, how can you entertain the thought of bringing your body into contact with anything vile? It is inconceivable! When it is a question of being joined to the Lord it is a spiritual matter. “He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit”, and that is true of the believer when he is still in the body.
Another motive is that purchase has come in; it is an unrighteous matter to indulge the flesh. Our bodies are the Lord’s, the price has been paid for them. So a chain of most wonderful statements are brought in to counteract the lowest and basest things you can think of. “Joined to the Lord”, would be an affectionate personal intimacy with Him. We read (Acts 11) that certain persons “turned to the Lord”; certain persons were exhorted to “abide with the Lord”; and some were “added to the Lord”; but this is intimate contact with the Lord in relation to the body. It is the marriage figure that is in his mind, but he applies it not to the assembly, but to the individual.
The first part of Romans 7 would come in here. God would have us conscious of an affectionate link with the Lord, as husband and wife are conscious of an affectionate link with each other. It is with the Lord in a marriage sense; it is only as we are conscious of that, that we shall understand the marriage links that exist between Christ and the assembly. There is nothing more wonderful than the way that here the highest possible considerations are brought to bear on the lowest dangers that attack us through the flesh.