He blames them for going to law before unbelievers. Of sins that exclude
from the kingdom of heaven. The evil of fornication.
6:1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to be judged
before the unjust: and not before the saints?
6:2. Know you not that the saints shall judge this world? And if the
world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest
matters?
6:3. Know you not that we shall judge angels? How much more things of
this world?
6:4. If therefore you have judgments of things pertaining to this world,
set them to judge who are the most despised in the church.
6:5. I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not among you any one
wise man that is able to judge between his brethren?
6:6. But brother goeth to law with brother: and that before unbelievers.
6:7. Already indeed there is plainly a fault among you, that you have
law suits one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you
not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
A fault... Lawsuits can hardly ever be without a fault, on the one side
or the other; and oftentimes on both sides.
6:8. But you do wrong and defraud: and that to your brethren.
6:9. Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God?
Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers:
6:10. Nor the effeminate nor liers with mankind nor thieves nor covetous
nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of
God.
6:11. And such some of you were. But you are washed: but you are
sanctified: but you are justified: in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the Spirit of our God.
6:12. All things are lawful to me: but all things are not expedient. All
things are lawful to me: but I will not be brought under the power of
any.
All things are lawful, etc... That is, all indifferent things are indeed
lawful, inasmuch as they are not prohibited; but oftentimes they are not
expedient; as in the case of lawsuits, etc. And much less would it be
expedient to be enslaved by an irregular affection to any thing, how
indifferent soever.
6:13. Meat for the belly and the belly for the meats: but God shall
destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for
the Lord: and the Lord for the body.
6:14. Now God hath raised up the Lord and will raise us up also by his
power.
6:15. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I
then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot?
God forbid!
6:16. Or know you not that he who is joined to a harlot is made one
body? For they shall be, saith he, two in one flesh.
6:17. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.
6:18. Fly fornication. Every sin that a man doth is without the body:
but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
6:19. Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy
Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God: and you are not your own?
6:20. For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in
your body.