I long to make gaining Christ the first priority in my life. Not finding myself, or righteousness for myself, but precisely what Paul speaks of: 'To be found in Him, not with my own righteousness, which comes from the law, but with that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God through faith.' The Lord gives us everything in this world, including life itself; would it not be natural...
I long to make gaining Christ the first priority in my life. Not finding myself, or righteousness for myself, but precisely what Paul speaks of: 'To be found in Him, not with my own righteousness, which comes from the law, but with that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God through faith.' The Lord gives us everything in this world, including life itself; would it not be natural, in gratitude and praise to the Creator, to open ourselves to His presence? More than that—to seek Him and call upon Him continually, so that in the joy of being with Him we may 'know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and participation in His sufferings, becoming conformed to His death'? And Jesus, with the same love with which He speaks to the sinful woman (see Jn 8:11), will speak to us too, gradually revealing what we are able to take in.
And what is all this for? The joy of sensing God's presence that is available to us on earth conveys only a small part of what will be after the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 2:9). If only because we will be able to stand beside Him and hold His hand…
6
6:1 The unjust - The heathens. A Christian could expect no justice from these. The saints - Who might easily decide these smaller differences in a private and friendly manner.
6:2 Know ye not - This expression occurs six times in this single chapter, and that with a peculiar force; for the Corinthians knew and gloried in it, but they did not practise.That the saints - After having been judged themselves. Shall judge the world - Shall be assessors with Christ in the judgment wherein he shall condemn all the wicked, as well angels as men, Mat 19:28 Rev 20:4.
6:4 Them who are of no esteem in the church - That is, heathens, who, as such, could be in no esteem with the Christians.
6:5 Is there not one among you, who are such admirers of wisdom, that is wise enough to decide such causes?
6:7 Indeed there is a fault, that ye quarrel with each other at all, whether ye go to law or no. Why do ye not rather suffer wrong - All men cannot or will not receive this saying.Many aim only at this, "I will neither do wrong, nor suffer it." These are honest heathens, but no Christians.
6:8 Nay, ye do wrong - Openly. And defraud - Privately.O how powerfully did the mystery of iniquity already work!
6:9 Idolatry is here placed between fornication and adultery, because they generally accompanied it. Nor the effeminate - Who live in an easy, indolent way; taking up no cross, enduring no hardship. But how is this? These good - natured, harmless people areranked with idolaters and sodomites! We may learn hence, that we are never secure from the greatest sins, till we guard against those which are thought the least; nor, indeed, till we think no sin is little, since every one is a step toward hell.
6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed - From those gross abominations; nay, and ye are inwardly sanctified; not before, but in consequence of, your being justified in the name - That is, by the merits, of the Lord Jesus, through which your sins are forgiven. And by the Spirit of our God - By whom ye are thus washed and sanctified.