Day 13: 6:1-11 (Disputes: God’s Wisdom in Love, Not the World’s Way)

-  Paul warns believers not to take disputes to secular courts but to resolve them with God’s wisdom. He reminds them they are changed by Christ and should live in righteousness, not in the world’s ways.

1. SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
  1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 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? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! 9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

 11 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.

2. OBSERVATIONS :
a.  What did this passage mean to its original audience? 
Corinth was a city known for lawsuits, public arguments, and competition. People loved taking each other to court to win honor or money.  Some believers in Corinth were bringing their church conflicts into secular courts, embarrassing the church and harming its witness.  Paul was telling them: “You are God’s people. You are different now. Act like it.” He wanted them to understand that church family conflicts should be handled with spiritual wisdom, not worldly methods. Their lives were meant to show the power of the gospel, not contradict it.

b. What does this passage reveal about God?

• God cares about unity, holiness, and love within His church. God is not only interested in what we believe, but also how we treat one another, especially when conflict arises.
• He washes, sanctifies (makes us holy), and justifies (makes us right with Him) through the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

c. What does this passage reveal about people?
We easily forget who we are in Christ and start acting like people who don't know God at all. But we have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 3. APPLICATION: What does this passage impact my affections, attitudes and actions?
This passage really challenges my desire to prove myself right. I realize how easily I protect my pride and feel the need to defend myself. Paul’s words, “Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” confront me deeply. They remind me that relationships matter more than winning an argument. When I think about Jesus, who chose the cross instead of defending Himself, I want my responses to look more like His. Because of this, I choose to step away from gossip, complaining, or public criticism that can hurt the church’s witness. Even when it is uncomfortable, I want to be willing to accept loss for the sake of love.
I am reminded again of who I am in Christ. I am not defined by my past sins or even by my current struggles and failures. Jesus has washed me, made me holy, and made me right with God. When I truly remember this, I know my life cannot stay the same. I want my words, my choices, and my attitudes to reflect this new identity. I also want to learn to see my brothers and sisters the way God sees them—not through their past mistakes, but through who they are becoming in Christ.

4. PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You that my past does not have the final say. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that washed me, Your Spirit that sanctified me, and Your grace that justified me. Today, when the enemy whispers lies about my old failures, help me to shout Your truth back. Help me to treat others in the church with the same grace You showed me. Let me live today not as a slave to my sin, but as royalty in Your kingdom. Amen.