The Corinthians must not vex their brethren, in going to law with them, especially before infidels. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Our bodies are the members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Ghost: they must not therefore be defiled.
Anno Domini 57.
THE Corinthians since their conversion had sued each other, as formerly, in the heathen courts of judicature about worldly matters, often of small importance. This practice was the more blameable, as the Christians, who in the first age were not distinguished from the Jews, might as Jews, according to the law of the empire, have held courts of judicature of their own, for determining most of the controversies about worldlymatters which arose among themselves. Wherefore, by declining the decisions of their brethren, and by bringing their causes into the heathen courts, they shewed that they had but a mean opinion of the knowledge and integrity of their brethren. Besides, the frequency of their suits led the heathens, before whom they were brought, to think the Christians not only litigious, but disposed to injure one another. These things, of which the Apostle was informed, bringing great dishonour on the Christian name, he rebuked the Corinthians severely, for daring to go to law with one another before the heathens, and not before the saints, 1 Corinthians 6:1.—Know ye not, said he, that the saints shall judge the world, yea, angels? And why may they not judge in things pertaining to this life? 1 Corinthians 6:2-4.—I speak it to your shame, that in your opinion, there is not so much as one wise man among you, who is fit to judge between his brethren; but brother carrieth his brother into the heathen courts, as if he expected more justice from heathens than from Christians, 1 Corinthians 6:5-6.—Now it is utterly wrong in you to have any law-suits at all in the heathen courts. Ye had much better suffer yourselves to be injured and defrauded, in small matters, than go to law before unbelievers, since the seeking of redress in that manner will be attended with more trouble and loss than if ye bear the injury patiently, 1 Corinthians 6:7.—Next, because many of the other parties, by suffering themselves to be sued in the heathen courts, had shewn a disposition to defraud their brethren, the Apostle denounced the judgment of God against all unrighteous persons whatever: and mentioned particularly, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, pathics, sodomites, thieves, and others, solemnly declaring that they shall be excluded from the kingdom of God, 1 Corinthians 6:8-10.—And such, said he, were some of you before your conversion to Christianity, 1 Corinthians 6:11.
The false teacher, it seems, with a view to gain the favour of the Greeks, had taught that luxury and fornication were allowed under the Gospel; and had supported that doctrine by the common arguments with which sensualists in all ages and countries defend their debauched manners. Wherefore, to prevent the unthinking from being seduced by these arguments, the Apostle, with great propriety, confuted them in his Epistle to the Corinthians, because, of all the Greeks, the inhabitants of Corinth were the most debauched; and because many of them who had embraced Christianity, had not yet acquired a just sense of the obligations to purity, laid on them by the Gospel. It is true, the Apostle, according to his manner, has not stated these arguments explicitly. Nevertheless, from the things which he has written in confutation of them, we learn that they related to the pleasures of the table, and the other pleasures of sense.—To the argument, concerning the luxuries of the table, the Apostle replied, that although all meats and drinks are made for men's use, and are in themselves lawful, the luxurious use of them is criminal. Many kinds of nice meats and drinks, even when used in moderation, may be prejudicial to a man's health; and may not be suitable to his income and station. Besides, the love of the pleasures of the table always creates habits injurious to the luxurious themselves in soul and body, and troublesome to the persons with whom they are connected, 1 Corinthians 6:12.—To the argument implied, that the belly is made for eating and drinking, the Apostle answered, that both the belly, and the meats by which it is gratified, are to be destroyed: they are to have no place in the future life of the body. From which it follows, that to place our happiness in enjoyments which are confined to the present short state of our existence, while we neglect pleasures which may be enjoyed through eternity, is extremely foolish, 1 Corinthians 6:13.—To the implied argument, whereby the licentious justify their indulgence in the other criminalpleasures of sense, the Apostle answered, by flatly denying it. The body was not made for fornication, but for the service of the Lord Christ, who will raise up the bodies of the faithful at the last day fitlyformed for his own service, 1 Corinthians 6:14.—To another argument implied, that the lusts of the flesh may be gratified without injury to others, the Apostle replied, first, that great injury is done to Christ, when the members of our body, which are his members, are made the members of a harlot, 1 Corinthians 6:15.—Secondly, by fornication, a man injures his own soul. For he becomes one person with his whore; he acquires the same vicious inclinations,and the same vicious manners with her: Nay, he makes himself her slave, 1 Corinthians 6:16.—Whereas he who is joined to the Lord, is one spirit. He acquires the dispositions and manners of Christ, and is directed by him, 1 Corinthians 6:17.—In the third place, he who commits fornication, sins against his own body, as well as against his soul, 1 Corinthians 6:18.—Lastly, by gluttony, drunkenness, and fornication, great injury is done to the Spirit of God, whose temple our body is, or should be; we injure that ever-blessed God, to whom we belong, not only by the right of creation, but the right of redemption. We should therefore glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are his, by making that holy and honourable use of our body, which he has prescribed, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.