30 November

Bible In 365 Days                                     

1 Corinthians 5-8

1 Corinthians 5

The Apostle now passed to derelictions. The first was lack of discipline. A case of immorality had brought no sense of shame to the church, and no action had been taken. The woman was called to immediate and drastic dealing therewith, and was to act in harmony with the Apostle's instruction finally by "the power of the Lord Jesus." The man must be severed from all the advantages of church fellowship.

The reasons for these strong measures were the ultimate salvation of the excommunicated man and the purification of the church. The whole teaching emphasized that there must be no toleration of evil in the church.

1 Corinthians 6

The Apostle now passed to another dereliction. Disputes in the church were being submitted to heathen tribunals. What these matters were we are not told. The teaching of the Apostle is clear, and has application for all time. Disputes among saints should be settled between saints, and wholly within the confines of the church. The argument as to the fitness of the saints for the work is that as they will finally have to judge angels, surely they ought to be able to judge things pertaining to this life. The Apostle declared that it is better to bear wrong than to appeal for right to a tribunal of unrighteous men. His argument as to the unfitness of unbelievers is that "the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."

Under certain circumstances lawful things may not be right for the Christian. First, lawful things may not be expedient, and, second, lawful things must not gain mastery. In the compass of the first limitation, namely, expediency, the whole outlook of the Christian is undoubtedly included, not merely personal right, but the culture of the life; and, moreover, relative responsibility concerning others. Things which are lawful in themselves if they do not directly tend to profit both the individual and those who may be influenced by the individual are inexpedient.

The second limitation is that things which are perfectly lawful must not be permitted to obtain mastery over life. With a passing reference to the question of meats, the Apostle deals with the sin of fornication. How high and stately is the ground of his argument, that the body is now a member of Christ and is for the Lord. The person joined to the Lord "is one spirit," and therefore, all the functions and powers of the life must be dominated by that spirit.

1 Corinthians 7

Certain difficulties had arisen in the Corinthian Church concerning which they had sent inquiries to Paul. He now answers their questions. These answers contain principles of permanent application.

The principles concerning marriage may thus be simply stated: First, marriage is in itself honorable and right. Second, where married union of converted and unconverted men and women is concerned, the believer, at least, is not to take the initiative in bringing about a dissolution. The supreme thought in the apostle's mind throughout this whole section is the relation of the Christian to the Lord. That must be zealously guarded. Everything else must be subservient to it because of the urgency of the Lord's business. The Apostle then leaves it to each to make personal settlement of all these difficulties in the light of this supreme relationship.

Let the daughters of the King settle the question of marriage always and only within this sphere, consenting or refusing, according as such action will help or hinder their highest realization of the fulfilment of His glorious purposes.

1 Corinthians 8

The Apostle next dealt with the subject of "things sacrificed to idols." The question evidently was whether the members of the Church in Corinth ought under any circumstances to eat parts of the heathen sacrifices which were sold in the market places for general consumption as food. In dealing with the question the Apostle, by contrasting knowledge and love, laid down a principle that is of far wider application than the subject itself demands. He shows that "knowledge puffeth up," while "love edifieth," or "buildeth up"; and thus at once reveals love rather than knowledge as the true principle of action.

If knowledge is the simple principle and as an idol is nothing, sacrifices offered to idols have no meaning or value. The evident deduction is that in the light of knowledge a man may eat most certainly. Howbeit the Apostle says not all men have that knowledge. Some have been used until now to the idol. They have considered it real, and the judgment, while evidencing the weakness of their knowledge, is nevertheless real to them.

The Christian principle of love demands consideration of the weakness of them; consequently the question whether such meat is to be eaten by the Christian must ever be decided on the basis of that principle. The Apostle summarizes the whole position in the superlative words with which this section closes, "If meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble."