Lawsuits and Sexual Sins

1 Cor 6:1-8

We live in a era of sue happy people. Law suites seem the norm anymore. It’s even to the point that several teachers have been sued recently because they flunked kids for skipping too many classes or failing all their tests. Luckily, no one has won one of these cases yet, but already schools are insisting teachers change grades because they can’t afford the law suites even if they win.

It’s part of our world any more, but should it be part of the church? Should Christians be suing other Christians? What about when one Christian really wrongs another, is there a right to sue then? Should we end up on some court TV show? How do we go about seeking restitution from another Christian.

These are all questions that modern Christians deal with and so did the ancient Christians. In those days, like our nation now, suing was as much a hobby as golfing or something. What can we learn from Paul in dealing with our brothers and sisters about legal problems and conflicts?

PRAYER

I. Like it or Not, We Have A Higher Standard

A. Individuals represent the church

1. Shortly after moving here, I realized how much influence individuals have on the church as a whole.

2. I remember introducing myself to a businessman here in town and when I told him where I was the minister, he said, “Oh, that’s Lyle Vandermark’s church. He is a good man.”

3. It was good to hear our church positively connected to an individual, but what if Lyle had a reputation for cheating his customers or even just shorting them on quality of work.

4. What would have happened to Lyle’s church then?

5. There are people who identify this congregation with you. How do they see the church based on their dealings with you?

B. That’s what Paul is getting at in these first few verses

1. Even though the city was preoccupied with suing each other, the church needed to be above that.

2. If they saw the church members being no different, why bother with Christianity?

II. How to Settle Differences In The Church

A. Reality

1. There are some times when we have to legally sue someone to be right with the law.

2. I was talking with an insurance guy who said they have what they call friendly lawsuits. In order for them to pay someone, they have to be sued in a court of law to have everything on record, even though the person didn’t want to sue and the company wanted to pay.

3. I don’t claim to understand the law, but I recognize that sometimes lawsuits are the only way to achieve a legal process.

B. Spiritual reality

1. But then there is the rest of the time.

a) Law suits to get even with someone

b) Law suits to make a quick buck

c) Law suits to gain restitution

2. When Christians get caught up in these and even more so when one Christian is suing another Christian, it takes away from the message of the cross.

3. Is being right on a trivial earthly matter more important that being right on eternity matters?

C. Deal with it in-house

1. The Corinth church apparently did not have elders at this time.

2. This would be a time if ever there was a time for spiritual mature leadership in a church.

3. I’m not going to say this is never practiced, but I cannot recall a time that I am aware of that a church settled a dispute between 2 people on non spiritual matters.

4. Think of how much better it would be for the church if we did practice this more often.

5. A group of mature members if you don’t have elders or even if you do have elders to deal with disputes that are not necessarily of a spiritual matter.

6. That would leave the elders to deal with the spiritual matters of a church.

7. Why deal with it in house? READ vs 6

D. A lesson in spiritual maturity

1. Paul ends this section with a challenge of spiritual maturity

2. He stresses the negatives of what they were doing to elucidate what was the proper way for Christians to act

3. READ vs 7-8

III. Sexual Immorality and Salvation

A. Sexual Sins

1. In the next few verses Paul deals with sexual sins.

2. In Corinth, everyone looked at sexuality as just part of human nature and whatever floats your boat is fine.

3. Paul stresses that is never what God intended for sex.

4. There are sexual sins that wrong any time.

a) Idolatry was almost always associated with sex.

b) Adultery, male prostitution, homosexuality all are wrong no matter if you are married or not.

B. Non sexual sins

1. But sex isn’t the only thing he condemns.

2. Thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers were just as wrong too.

3. Notice Paul says that neither group will inherit the kingdom of God.

4. If you are practicing these things, don’t plan on being with God in Heaven.

C. God cleanses sin

1. The most awesome aspect of God in my mind is found in verse 11. READ

2. No matter where our life is before contact with Christ, he can cleanse us, make us pure, give us the strength to fight desires we had before we became Christians.

3. In that little snippet, Paul gives us an incredible story of God’s power.

a) We can change!

b) He will give us the power to change!

c) No, matter how bad we were, no matter how sinful we were, no matter what our former lives were, Christ has the power to change us!

d) We have been washed, sanctified and Justified!

e) You can’t get any cleaner than that!!

D. God sets the standards and makes the rules

1. In the last part of this chapter, Paul points out that legally he can do all these things, but that just because he can, doesn’t mean that is what’s best for him.

2. It’s legal to commit adultery, homosexuality, abortion, and many other sexual sins, but it isn’t right in God’s sight.

3. He’s the ultimate judge, not some human court.

4. Not only that, but Paul takes the image of the Temple again to point out that our physical bodies house God in them just as the temple did.

5. Sexual sins are sins that take that house of God and defiles it directly.

6. Paul says your body is not your own. It belongs to God because he bought it.

a) As Christians, we have a freedom from spiritual death because of the price God paid for us.

b) A price we could never afford.

c) He paid it willingly and happily

7. When we defile God’s temple we need to remember what he did for us to free us from the very sins we keep trying to go back in to.

8. Honor God with your body, don’t disgrace him.