Now Paul goes to meddling where he doesn’t belong. 

As people who possess new yeast, Paul wonders why the Corinthian Christians are taking each other to court to settle their disputes. This is another indication that the old yeast is present and still must be purged; it is yet another proof that life within the church is no different than life outside of it. Although we do not know the details, what we do know from history is that the Roman court was a tool used by the rich and the powerful and not by the poor or the ordinary. Because of this, it is likely that Paul here is now addressing greed—another of the immoralities that the Christian must avoid.

His questions here are rhetorical and would naturally be followed by the sound duh. Paul is confused as to why Christians are involving the civil, worldly court in their lives, and he finds no use for this. It can only end in greater division. 

Back in chapter four, Paul addresses those Corinthians who are trying to elevate themselves to become leaders in the church. They are using their blessing and “fullness” as proof of worthiness to lead. Paul responds the them, sarcastically pointing out that he, as an apostle appointed by Christ, has experienced none of these blessings that would indicate his right to lead. In 4:14 he writes, “I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.” On the contrary, this time, when it comes to taking Christian brothers and sisters to court, Paul tells them this to shame them! He is shocked that no one in the church is willing to step in in to arbitrate these disputes. The Corinthians, who will one day judge angels appear to care little to nothing about each other or about living into the future in a new way. And if these disputes are about money, if they are about greed, how even more shameful!

In Daniel 7:21,22 state: “I saw, and the same horn made war with the holy ones, and prevailed against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgement was given to the holy ones of God Most High, and the time came that the holy ones possessed the kingdom.” (NJV)

Wisdom 3:8 declares that the righteous, “shall judge the nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever”; while Sirach 4:15 says, “Whoever obeys me will judge nations; whoever listens to me [Wisdom] will dwell in my innermost chambers.” (LXX) 

So Paul’s response cannot be easily labeled hyperbole. He is genuinely perplexed by the Corinthian’s decision to involve secular courts in their disputes with one another—indicating the focus of the plaintiffs’ hearts. 

As the sinfulness and habits of their old lives continue to linger so does their effectiveness to be the Church and also their ability to overcome the world as did Christ Jesus. Their reaction to each other is very familiar, and I fear that we have prevented the Church from changing all that much. The fact that they do not turn the other cheek and respond in kind brings into question their status as member of the universal Church. If the pornoi who claim to be brothers and sisters aren’t actually brothers and sisters, is it a stretch to think that the congregation will be held to the same standard?

Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.

Paul expands by three the list of qualities and practices that he gave in chapter five that makes a person adikoi, “unjust/unrighteous”; there, he states that believers should not mingle with the “sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler”, Now Paul adds two sexual acts: adultery and men engaging in sex with other men, and theft. Paul has already taught them this—“Don’t you know”. How can worldly judges be trusted to make righteous decisions and why do you continue to involve them in your lives, Paul is asking. 

The Corinthians’ focus and desire should be on and for the Kingdom of God, solely. Why then turn to judges from an unrighteous system—a system run by those who will not inherit the kingdom of God? The Knox Version translates this passage more eloquently:

“Yet you know well enough that wrong-doers will not inherit God’s kingdom. Make no mistake about it; it is not the debauched, the idolaters, the adulterous, it is not the effeminate, the sinners against nature, the dishonest, the misers, the drunkards, the bitter of speech, the extortioners that will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Verse eleven indicates that the Corinthians—at least some of them—have moved beyond this worldly way of living. “11 And some of you used to be like this. 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.” Paul reminds them what Jesus did for them to reinforce his admonishment of their ongoing legalism (and assumed greed).

Once again, we hear the apostle’s sarcasm. “’Everything is permissible for me,’” Paul quotes the congregation’s mantra. It’s best to imagine this accompanied by an eyeroll. These verses neatly summarize the Corinthians’ problem: Their lives are still all about themselves; they are still the heroes of their own stories. Also, Paul perhaps is indicating that the Corinthians’ problems may arise from more than their maintenance of old practices and habits; they may be coming from a false understanding of the doctrine of grace. 

It is true that we are forgiven solely through an act of God’s grace—that we are all brought into God’s presence through Jesus’ work on the cross—but forgiveness is not a one-way action. It is true that it only begins with God, and we have not earned a right to it—that’s grace—but when we receive God’s gift of forgiveness and life, there is a requirement for the recipient to respond. Usually this is, “Go and sin no more.” The Corinthians don’t seem to understand this. They believe that they can carry-on living as they once did after receiving the gift of the cross. This even extends to maintaining immoral sexual practices. Paul reminds members of the church that because of the new, spiritual nature that they have received from Christ they can no longer be led by their bodily desires.

Choosing to live deliberately in the Spirit takes effort, and it is conscious decision to do so. When the faithful make this choice the only possible outcome is that the church will live into its calling as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Choosing to remain enslaved to the endocrine system, however, even embracing it more tightly after receiving God’s grace in forgiveness, is problematic for the church’s fulfillment of this call. Each person’s choice to strive for righteousness will bring about holiness for all Corinthian Christians, or each member’s immorality may well destroy the church.

Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.