Question:  Dear Greg,

            Can you explain I Corinthians 6:1-6?  In verse 2 it states, “the saints will judge the world…judge angels.”  Isn’t judgment left to Jesus Christ?  Also, the rest of the verses go on to talk about disputes.  Is this Paul’s opinion or something we are to follow?  In the Scriptures how do we distinguish the difference between a writer’s “opinion” and God’s instruction?  Or is that actually the wrong way to view any verses in the Bible?

            Thank you for your time.

            Anthony

Answer:  Dear Anthony,

            The passage in 1 Corinthians 6:1-6 uses many word plays upon the word “judge”, based upon the topic that Paul raises in verse 1, that the saints were taking disputed matters before the ungodly.

            Paul makes a distinction between the people of God, as being a part of the kingdom of God now, and those who are outside of that reality—those who do not believe.  For Paul, there is always an “already, but not yet” tension to the kingdom—Christians are part of the kingdom now, but will realize the fullness of the kingdom at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

            The judging that Paul is talking about in these verses is not related to the final judgment that belongs to Christ alone, but a) in verse 2, the part that believers will play, in some way, in a final judgment upon the world.  That judgment may be as simple as the testimony and witness that believers give in their lives as Christ lives in their lives, and their example is thereby holding others to account (1 Peter 2:11-12).  The Bible does give some idea that the saints are somehow helpful, useful and that they “assist” in final judgment (Daniel 7:22) but never that the saints are the judge in the final court of arbitration.  Paul also speaks of b) judging “trivial cases”—meaning those issues of dispute that arise in our daily lives.  This is another kind of wisdom, judgment and discernment.

            In verse 3 Paul returns to final judgment versus mundane daily matters, using the word “judge” in both instances, as he speaks of the people of God “judging” angels—no doubt fallen angels/demons.  What role in the courtroom of God the saints will be given is unclear—but we know from all other biblical passages that we will not be the judges.  Perhaps we will be on the jury, perhaps we will be spectators—but it seems we will be part of the judgment.  So the best insight on this might lie with the fact that a judgment involves a judge as well as a number of others who assist—and it seems that it is in this area that the saints will be involved.

            Your second question involves another kind of “judging” on our part as Christians—“rightly dividing” (KJV) and “correctly handling” (NIV) the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15).  You ask when passages are Paul’s opinion and when they are not.  Since all Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16) perhaps it might be more accurate to ask when a passage was intended, under God’s inspiration, for only local, immediate application and when passages are intended for more than simply immediate use, but have universal and timeless application.

            One important hermeneutic key is generally stated—“Always look for what the passage meant to the immediate audience who first heard/read it before making a contemporary application.”  Negatively stated—“A passage cannot have a meaning that it never had.”

            Another basic key to understanding the Bible involves the principle of emphasis and repetition.  An isolated statement that appears to contradict many other passages that instruct otherwise is just that—an isolated statement which does not contradict the testimony of Scripture.

            And yet another—the cross of Christ and his resurrection, the new covenant in his blood, defines, modifies and changes all of the old covenant.  The Old Testament is to be read in the light of the New Testament.

            There are, of course, many principles to keep in mind as we interpret and properly understand the Bible.  The Bible is coherent, logical and consistent.  So, when we read passages about greeting each other with a holy kiss we should use logic and understand that such a practice is not required of Christians in our western culture of the 21^st century where such a practice would be out of place.  Other passages speak of being careful not to offend, of Paul not eating any meat while the world stands if it offended his brother—the “when in Rome” principle.  We do not pick up snakes out of the brush, allow then to bite us and then shake them off, suffering no ill effects (Acts 28:1-6) simply because Paul did.  Hope this helps Anthony.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht