Judging them Without and Within the Church 1 Corinthians 5:12

Paul the apostle told the church in Corinth “not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat”, and in chapter five and verse eleven of First Corinthians, Paul asks the church members in Corinth concerning “judging” “them that are without” and “them that are within” the church where we read:

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not you judge them that are within?

The verse begins, “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?” Paul began with the words, “For” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “what have I” or “what is Paul's concern” “to do to judge” which means “separate, put asunder, select, choose, determine, resolve or decree” “them also” which means “even and indeed the ones who practice wickedness” “that are without” or “away from or strange” to the church. Paul had nothing to do with “judging” people who were not a part of the church.

The verse goes on to say, “do not you judge them that are within?” Paul continued with the words, “do not you judge” which means “don't the church members separate, put asunder, select, choose, determine, resolve or decree” “them that are within” or “the people who attend and are members of the church”. Paul asked the church members in Corinth why they did not “judge” people who were part of the church.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see how his attention in cases of “judgment” are those “within” the church and not “without”. God has a standard of judgment for the world, but the church has one for itself as well. Paul knew the church in Corinth was to represent Jesus Christ and His values, and those who were part of the church should have been “determining and resolving” issues among themselves. Let us note Paul's directive to the church, let God “judge” the world and be careful to “judge” things within the church.

Next time Paul shares how “them that are without God judges”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.