With Elder Elico Manenji
✝️In this chapter, the Apostle deals with disputes arising between believers and how they should be resolved or settled within the church and not in a public court of law. If Christians will judge the world in the future judgment surely they can settle everyday affairs of the present life. The Apostle says it is a shame to take Christian problems to non-Christian for settlement. Rather, he said that better to suffer wrong than to let an unrighteous person to rule over the righteous. True, many things are lawful but they are always expedient, food is of the belly, and the belly for food but God did not make the body for uncleanness. So any one who commits sexual sin defiles his own body to uncleanness.But God in sending His Son and His resurrection makes us members of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Because we belong to Christ, we are bought with a price, therefore our bodies are members of the Holy Spirit. He that defiles the body, defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit and of God and shall be condemned in the coming judgment.
*1️⃣1Corinthians 6:1-6: The Saints will judge the world in the coming judgment.*
⏹️Christians should be able to settle issues which are not criminal in nature between themselves. The Apostle says, *"For you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men?"(1 Corinthians 3:3).*
⏭️Differences between saints in regard to property rights and other issues are not to be brought for litigation but settled amicably amongst the saints in which there shall be no blame on either side. Moses said, *"When they have a matter, they come to me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws"(Exodus 18:16).*
⏹️ As Christians will judge the world and angels (fallen angels that had been deceived by the devil), then they can be considered fit to judge little worldly matters of life. Jesus said, *"And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel"(Matthew 19:28).*
*2️⃣1Corinthians 6:7-14: Lawsuits amongst believers are not encouraged but God will judge transgressors of His Law.*
⏹️The Apostle says that greater evil would be done to the cause of Christ and the gospel for Christians to appear before a pagan tribunal with their disputes, so it is better to suffer wrong than the shame the gospel of Christ. The wiseman says, *"Say not you, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save you"(Proverbs 20:22).*
⏹️When there are causes of difference between Christians and the people of the world who do not acknowledge the propriety of submitting their matters to the church, it is proper for a Christian to carry the matter before a civil tribunal. The Apostle says, *"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men"(Romans 12:17).*
⏭️Where a Christian is injured in his person, character, or property by a non-christian, they have a right to seek redress in the courts of law which are instituted for the protection and defense of the innocent and the peaceable against the fraudulent, the wicked, and the violent. The Apostle says, *"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying"(Romans 13:13).*
⏭️Drunkards, lascivious, and covetous persons, fornicators, idolators,
extortionists or any who do such heinous crimes and sins shall inherit eternal life. But God' s people should be washed, justified and sanctified by God's grace. The Revelator says, *"For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie"(Revelation 22:15).*
*3️⃣1Corinthians 6:15-20: Sin of adultery and fornication are grossly offensive against our bodies, which are members of Christ, temples of the Holy Ghost.*
⏹️Adultery and fornication are sins of the flesh, these sins connect human blood together and so pollute the members of the body of Christ. Marriage is the only way people can be connected without pollution and sin, and God made them male and female as husband and wife. The Lord declared, *"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall join to his wife: and they shall be one flesh"(Genesis 2:24).*
⏹️The union of believers with Christ is more intimate, entire, pure and ennobling than that which can be between a man and woman. That union with Christ makes us holy, undefined, justified and sanctified and is sacred and inviolable fir we were bought with the blood of Christ. The Apostle says, *"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"(1Corinthians 3:16).*
⏹️The human body was created for glorifying God, it is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so belong to God first by creation. Then when sin entered, God redeemed us, He bought us with the blood of His Son, so we belong secondly to God by redemption to the glory of His name and not to the gratification of the sinful flesh. The Apostle Peter says, *"For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers"(1Peter 1:18).*
*🅰️Appeal*
The body is not an instrument for adultery and fornication but for the service of the Lord and honour of God. It is to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness and never to be made an instrument of uncleanness. It is to be a member of Christ, and therefore must not be made the member of a harlot, there are no two ways, its either we belong to God or to evil works of the devil. The Apostle says, *"And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people"(2 Corinthians 6:16).* Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704)
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