Chapter 6:1-11 treats the subject of wrongs. It was shameful that those
who were to judge the world and the angels should be incapable of judging
the paltry affairs of this world. Let the least esteemed in the assembly be
employed in this service. Rather should they bear the wrong, whereas they
did wrong themselves. But the wicked and the unrighteous would assuredly
not inherit the kingdom. What a wonderful mixture we have here of
astonishing revelations, of a morality that is unchangeable whatever may be
the divine supremacy of grace, and of ecclesiastical order and discipline!
The assembly is united to Christ. When He shall judge the world and
pronounce the doom of the angels, she will be associated with Him and take
part in His judgment, for she has His Spirit and His mind. Nothing however
that is unrighteous shall enter into that kingdom, for in effect how could
evil be judged by any that took pleasure in it? Christians should not go to
a worldly tribunal for justice, but have recourse to the arbitration of the
brethren-a service which, as entering so little into christian
spirituality, was suited to the weakest among them. Moreover the proper
thing was rather to suffer the wrong. Be it as it might, the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom.
Judaism, which took pleasure in a carnal sanctity of outward regulations,
and the spirit of the world with conformity to its ways, were the two
dangers that threatened the assembly at Corinth-dangers, indeed, which
exist for the heart of man at all times and in all places. With regard to
meats the rule is simple: perfect liberty, since all is allowed-true
liberty, in that we are in bondage to none of these things. Meats and the
belly, as in relationship to each other, should both perish; the body has a
higher destiny-it is for the Lord, and the Lord for it. God has raised up
Christ from the dead, and He will raise us up again by His power. The body
belongs to this and not to meats.
But the doctrine that the body is for Christ decided another question, to
which the depraved habits of the Corinthians gave rise. All fornication is
forbidden. To us, with our present Christian habits of mind, it is a thing
of course-to Pagans, new; but the doctrine exalts every subject. Our bodies
are the members of Christ. Another truth connected with this is of great
importance: if (by union according to the flesh) two were one body, he who
is united to the Lord is one spirit. The Spirit whose fulness is in Christ
is the same Spirit who dwells in me and unites me to Him. Our bodies are
His temples. What a mighty truth when we think of it!
Moreover we are not our own, but were bought with a price-the blood of
Christ offered for us. Therefore we ought to glorify God in our bodies,
which are His-powerful and universal motive, governing the whole conduct
without exception. Our true liberty is to belong to God. All that is for
oneself is stolen from the rights of Him who has bought us for His own. All
that a slave was, or gained, was the property of his master; he was not the
owner of himself. Thus it was with the Christian. Outside that, he is the
wretched slave of sin and of Satan-selfishness his rule, and eternal
banishment from the source of love his end. Horrible thought! In Christ we
are the special objects and the vessels of that love. We have here two
mighty motives for holiness: the value of Christ's blood, at which we are
purchased; also the fact that we are the temples of the Holy Ghost.
