They are Watching

“Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases?” (1 Cor. 6:2).

At first glance, this passage seems to be at odds with the statement Paul made to the congregation in Rome, when he wrote, “On the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus” (Rom. 2:16). If God will judge the world through Christ (Acts 17:31), how then will the saints, faithful Christians, judge the world? Perhaps the thought is similar to what Jesus said during His earthly ministry. “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look — something greater than Jonah is here” (Matt. 12:41). Their lives stand as an affirmation of the truth Jonah preached, and the response was one of repentance, which validated the will of God.

It seems clear what Paul is trying to emphasize is that those who lived faithful Christian lives will affirm the righteous judgment of Christ, the validity of who He is and the message He spoke. Those who live in and for Him confirm there is glory for the righteous, and punishment for the wicked. He offers a rebuke to those Christians in Corinth, whose lives do not offer such a testimony to the truth, who are incapable of resolving issues and must resort to worldly courts to work out their differences (1 Cor. 6:2-8). What does that say about the gospel to unbelievers?

In considering Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian church, we should ask ourselves what kind of image do we offer to the world around us? Do they see the wisdom of God at work in the church? Do they see brotherly love shown to one another? Do they observe a willingness to work out our differences, even to the point of being wronged and cheated, rather than dishonor the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 6:7)? Many years ago, while still a student in college, I remember a congregation who had a dispute that led them to court before a secular judge, who in essence gave them a lecture on how Christians should act. He sent them back to work out their differences with a stern rebuke for how they were behaving. It was to the church’s shame someone from the world had to set them back on track to act like believers should.

Sometimes it is better to forego a situation in dealing with brothers and sisters in Christ, than to act in a way that the world, as wicked as it can be, realizes the church is no different than it is. I believe there are times we may face such circumstances to be tested by God, to show Him and the world who we truly believe in, by what we say and do. If we genuinely trust God, will He not bless us for taking the high road, so to speak, to put Him first, rather than show the world our faith is more talk than a lifestyle? If we truly trust God, will He not provide for all our needs?

Paul would later write the church in Corinth, “For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:16-18).

The world is watching us. Our brothers and sisters are watching us. God and Christ are watching us. What do they see?

μαράνα θᾶ

Robert