1 Corinthians 6:1-2
Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to form the smallest law courts?

† Paul rebukes believers for bringing lawsuits before pagan courts instead of resolving disputes within the church.
† The saints, as heirs with Christ, share in judgment, and therefore should handle matters within the body.
† Josephus (Wars 2.8.14) notes how Jews preferred to settle disputes among themselves, showing Paul's words fit their historical mindset.

1 Corinthians 6:3-4
Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law cases dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?

† Believers have authority even over angels in Christ.
† It is shameful to entrust the church's disputes to unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 6:5-6
I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise person who will be able to decide between his brothers and sisters, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

† Paul exposes their spiritual immaturity, unable to resolve even basic disputes.
† Such actions damaged the church's witness before the world.

1 Corinthians 6:7-8
Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves do wrong and defraud. And this to your brothers and sisters!

† Lawsuits among believers already mean spiritual defeat.
† Better to suffer wrong than to harm the body of Christ by selfishness.
† Tertullian (Apology 39) praised early Christians for preferring loss over dishonoring Christ, reflecting Paul's teaching.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
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 homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

† Paul lists sins that exclude from the kingdom, warning the church not to be deceived.
† Inheriting the kingdom is covenantal inheritance fulfilled in Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:11
Such were some of you; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

† The church is reminded of transformation in Christ.
† They are no longer defined by past sins, but by cleansing, sanctification, and justification.

1 Corinthians 6:12-13
All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will do away with both of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

† Christian freedom is not license for sin.
† The body belongs to the Lord and is for holiness, not indulgence.

1 Corinthians 6:14
Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.

† The resurrection of Christ guarantees the believer's participation in resurrection life.
† Fulfillment came at the resurrection of the dead in AD 70, confirming the church's hope.

1 Corinthians 6:15-16
Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? Far from it! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "The two shall become one flesh."

† Union with Christ forbids sexual immorality.
† The body is sacred because it is joined to Christ.
† Philo (On the Decalogue 124) condemned sexual sin as destructive to both body and soul, aligning with Paul's teaching.

1 Corinthians 6:17
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

† Believers are united to Christ in spirit, belonging wholly to Him.

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

† Sexual immorality is unique because it violates the sanctity of the body, Christ's temple.
† Holiness demands fleeing, not negotiating with sin.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price, therefore glorify God in your body.

† The believer's body is God's temple, indwelt by the Spirit.
† Redemption by Christ's blood makes us His possession.
† The call is to glorify God in body and spirit.

How it applies to us today
† 1 Corinthians 6 teaches that believers must not bring disputes before the world but resolve them within the church.
† Christians are called to holiness, remembering they were washed, sanctified, and justified.
† Our freedom in Christ is not license to sin, but a call to honor God in body and spirit.
† The body is sacred, redeemed, and indwelt by the Spirit, demanding purity and devotion.

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †

Source Index
† Josephus, Wars 2.8.14 - Jewish disputes settled internally
† Tertullian, Apology 39 - Christians preferring loss over dishonor
† Philo, On the Decalogue 124 - sexual sin as destructive
† Deuteronomy 17:7 - remove evil from among you (parallel to discipline)