Corpus Christi

When Wisdom Leaves the Court

1 Corinthians 6:1–8 · Brendon Helm · October 11, 2026

Summary

Paul rebukes the Corinthians for taking disputes against one another before unbelievers rather than before the saints, exposing a church that has forgotten who it is and what it will one day judge. The sermon unfolds this text under three headings. First, Heavenly Judgment and Earthly Affairs (vv. 1–3) — the saints will judge the world and even angels, so those who will judge greater matters in eternity are surely competent to judge the smallest matters of this life; Christians ought to be able to make righteous judgments. Second, The Shame of a House Divided (vv. 4–6) — to drag a brother before the unrighteous is to shame the church and hand the gospel's enemies a weapon, for a quarrel between believers settled in a pagan court testifies against the body rather than for Christ. Third, Wronged and Defrauded (vv. 7–8) — the very existence of such lawsuits is already a defeat, so it is better to be wronged or defrauded than to defraud a brother, and the church's witness is preserved not by winning disputes but by bearing wrongs. Because we will judge in eternity, we must learn to judge rightly now.