Introduction

Good day to all. Today, we will examine the sixth chapter of 1 Corinthians. The main point of this chapter is somewhat elusive because Paul wrote about various aspects. The conclusion one draws is closely tied to the logical framework within them. The logical system within a person is crucial in determining how they understand what they read. We have two systems within us, one of which is worldly, and many of us still possess it today. For example, some traditional sayings belong to this system. Yesterday, an old friend said, Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents, and then laughed. Consider this logic: cutting off someone's livelihood is akin to killing their parents. This logic is very prevalent in today's society, permeating all aspects of life.

Today, we will use these two systems to examine the situation of the Corinthian church at that time. After Paul stayed for a year and a half and left, some very interesting things happened. Apollos and Cephas (Peter) went there, and the teachings received by the Corinthian church became chaotic. What Paul imparted to them was mixed with what others taught, turning the Corinthian church into a marketplace. Calling it a marketplace is an understatement; it was more like a fish market, filled with a fishy odor. It was chaotic, with all sorts of messy things happening. Someone even married his stepmother.

Reading today's chapter, I want to add something extra. How did the church become like this? Initially, Paul had high expectations for the church, just like Chinese Mingding Destiny does. Therefore, don't engage in rambling with me here, or you'll have nothing to do with me. See how the Corinthian church lowered its standards? Moreover, after lowering the standards, the Corinthian church experienced many deaths, prayers were ineffective, and healings were not happening. Many problems arose. Even the brothers and sisters were enthusiastically doing business together, but when conflicts arose, they sued each other, eventually ending up in court. I make a bold guess that it was because Peter came after Paul left.

Peter conveyed the ideas from Acts, telling the Corinthians that they should not build the church in this way. Instead, they should be like him, leading people to believe in the Lord by the thousands with just one prayer, and three thousand with one sermon, and have more revivals. However, that was not a real revival, and the church was ultimately ruined. He still thought he had done a good job back then, with everyone selling their possessions and eating together. He felt that the Corinthians taking such a small piece of bread during the Lord's Supper was inadequate. Instead, they should have a large piece of bread each, and the communion wine should be drunk from large cups of grape juice because they had plenty of money. As a result, the Corinthians adopted this approach.

Now, let's get back to the main topic. The theme of this chapter is Do We Know How Honorable We Are? If we knew, these chaotic things would not happen in building His glorious church in Jesus Christ. And to what extent are we honorable? To the extent of encompassing everything, heaven and earth. But the Corinthians did not have this understanding. Paul taught them that this was an honorable gospel, and believing in the Lord was an honorable thing. Being chosen by God was being bought with a great price, and they were all treasures. However, people did not know this and made the church chaotic. On the surface, they seemed to have compassion, but it was fleshly compassion.

When I build a church, I don't want to bring in trash. If anyone still carries that worldly framework, our pastors must deal with the worldly system in their minds. Otherwise, although they can be healed here, they will eventually have to leave. If we don't know how honorable we are, we will think those things are justified because we still have a worldly logical system within us. A brother called me and said that his wife had been sick for many years, and his in-laws also needed care. In short, his family was chaotic. I must tell those who come to hang around that if they are not building God's temple, God's glorious church with me, there is a Court of the Gentiles outside the temple where such people can do whatever they want, and no one will fine them for urinating anywhere. Some people are in the Court of the Gentiles, and some are in the outer court of the outer court. I am here to build God's glorious church. One can tell that someone is living under a curse as soon as they open their mouth. Don't think I will tell you nice things; I only ask if you want to continue living under a curse and if you know how honorable we are.

I. We Are Redeemed at a Great Price by God

Would God buy trash? I would not buy trash. Anyone with common sense knows that they would not spend money to buy trash. Someone who spends money to buy trash is sick. I had a classmate who often got drunk, so drunk that he confusedly carried a trash can from the street into his living room. The next morning, he would ask who had brought the trash can, completely forgetting that he had done it himself. This is not honorable. Some of the older sisters among us bring home sofas, iron trays, or iron spoons that others have thrown away when moving. It's not like they lack that little bit of money, but they don't know how honorable they are and insist on bringing junk home. In fact, you are much more valuable than those broken sofas, broken iron trays, and broken iron spoons.

I don't bring these things home. I don't know what they are used for, and I don't lack that money. Many people take toilet paper from public restrooms to bring home. Even if they fill their house with toilet paper, it won't be worth much money. This is not honorable. If you are not honorable today and not honorable tomorrow, how can you live out God's image? Therefore, I am very anxious that everyone does not know how honorable the salvation they have received is today. Do you truly believe that we lack nothing in Jesus Christ? If you don't believe, then what are you doing here? Some people think about making money all day long, so much so that their faces become long like horse faces when they look in the mirror, like old horses, and if they get any longer, they will look like bitter gourds.

Therefore, we must know how honorable we are. We are redeemed at a great price by God, and this great price is the life of Jesus Christ, the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ went to the cross for us, shed His blood, and sacrificed Himself to make us holy. How precious must we be to be worth God's sacrifice? Those who only want to make money say that blocking someone's financial path is like killing their parents, but even that cannot be blocked by humans. If we know how honorable we are, we don't need to value money as much as the world does. Know that we will be resurrected in the future and enter eternity. All the trash of this world will be thrown into the landfill and burned, and the treasures will be received into God's kingdom.

Our bodies are redeemed, and we are healed by Jesus' stripes. Then we don't need much money either. Those who rely on hospitals today don't know how honorable they are; they believe in doctors, and the doctors themselves don't know who to believe in. Some people have great faith in doctors, but the doctors themselves don't have faith in themselves. I think this is wrong. People don't know they are very honorable, and they don't know in their minds that we are redeemed in Jesus Christ throughout our lives and lack nothing throughout our lives. Jesus will surely heal the diseases of the body. If He cannot heal, then the saying that we are healed by Jesus' stripes is useless. The matters of life, old age, sickness, and death have all been resolved in Jesus Christ. If they haven't been resolved, it's because we don't believe.

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

It's not that only our souls were bought, and our bodies were sold like pork at ten dollars a pound. Today, Jesus Christ redeems our minds and our bodies, which means we are healed by Jesus' stripes. This redemption includes the body. Therefore, working hard in the world is a waste of time. It's not knowing how honorable you are. After Jesus redeems people, they don't believe. That stubborn streak in their bones prevents them from knowing, so they introduce the things of Peter and Cephas and bring trash into the church. You must be careful; if you are trash, I don't want you either. I have learned from Paul very well. Don't blame me; blame Paul. That's how Paul dealt with it. If you don't know you are honorable, what did you come for? Believing in Jesus makes you feel cheap instead of valuable. How much can ten dollars a pound of meat sell for? It's not even as valuable as pork.

Our God wants us to inherit God's kingdom, receive His salvation, and become holy. God wants us to be one with God, to become one spirit, and then our glory is God's glory, and God's glory is our glory. From now on, we will no longer be controlled by anything. There is really nothing better than this. If you ask me what job is best, of course, serving God is best; if you ask me what is most precious in this world, Jesus Christ is most precious. This is not just a slogan; it's real.

II. We Will Judge the World and Angels

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more, then, matters of this life! (1 Corinthians 6:3)

This is very important. It turns out that we can judge this world and angels! You think you are being judged, but actually, we are judging this world together with Jesus Christ, judging the spiritual world. I have been thinking about what this sentence means. In Peter's eyes, angels are powerful, but in reality, after we are united with Jesus Christ, we will inherit everything God has created for us. God will give us all the authority that Jesus Christ has obtained for us. Our union with Jesus Christ to build God's glorious church cannot be exchanged for anything else.

But in this generation, many people cheapen this gospel. They are teaching religion, not preaching honor. If people don't know they are honorable, they are ruined. Two brothers grab each other's hair and necks, which is not knowing they are honorable. Seeing two people grabbing each other's hair and necks in the street makes people laugh. In the end, they even go to the authorities because people don't know they are judging the world and judging angels, so they are cheapened by demons. Even ten dollars a pound is expensive. To be honest, no one wants them for five dollars a pound. This is because Christians don't know how honorable this gospel is and how honorable we are in the eyes of God. If anyone fights to the police station, don't come back. Our church doesn't want such people. Such people cannot be called Christians.

So what is a Christian? They must be a disciple of Jesus Christ and know how honorable they are. We can judge this world and angels and are more honorable than angels in the spiritual world. If we have such a position and title, we don't need to fight with people to the police station. It's well said here that people tear each other apart because they don't know they are honorable, like my cousins. They can argue all day long over trivial matters. Even if they are seated at different tables at a wedding, they can still fight. The younger brother even wanted to stab his older brother with half a bottle of wine. Such things happen because they don't know how honorable we are.

Even today, many of us are not honorable, so we are deceived by scammers. Because they lack so much inside, they are easily deceived, which sounds like a joke. How can they love money so much? We can judge angels; if we have the final say in spiritual matters, we also have the say in matters of this life. Why are they still so foolish? It's because they don't know that they lack nothing in Jesus Christ.

How is it that some of you dare to take your brother to court before the unrighteous, instead of before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Is there not one person among you wise enough to settle disputes between brothers? (1 Corinthians 6:1-5)

These words should shame these individuals, causing them to dig a hole and hide themselves.

But instead, one brother goes to law against another, and this before unbelievers! To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! (1 Corinthians 6:6-8)

From this, we can see that this church has been corrupted beyond recognition. It's not that I have a problem with Peter, but I have a problem with these matters. These people never think about purifying the church. Today, I tell you, don't mess around here, because this place is very honorable, this salvation is a very honorable salvation. If you are just muddling through here, I will put you in the outer court of the Gentiles. They can judge angels, but they are bickering with people all day long, all because of money. It's just about suffering a little loss, and the inability to willingly suffer loss is due to poverty. Pastors dare not cleanse these people for fear of delaying the collection of offerings; without offerings, how will they repay the loans?

I don't want to collect offerings; many among us are not qualified to give offerings. This place is not short of money; it is extremely honorable. You don't need to tell me when you give offerings; it's not as if you are supporting God. There is nothing to boast about. I say this not because of anything else, but because I am honorable within, honorable enough for Jesus to pay the price for me. We somehow let God willingly pay the price for us, is this not honorable? If it is not honorable, then Jesus must have made a mistake in buying you the price. I absolutely believe that our Lord Jesus would not come home with a garbage can full of garbage after drinking too much.

III. We Shall Lack Nothing in Our Lifetime

Why do we say we shall lack nothing? It doesn't seem to be in the Scripture, it just says that they are taking their brother to court, just to grab money. They are going to the judge not to give their share to the other party. So everyone needs to know that there is something very wealthy in my bones; I value the relationship between us brothers very much. This is no joke, I will not lack money in this lifetime. Of course, brothers and sisters in the church should not be inflexible; if there must be a division with your family, it's not bad to have the court mediate. But within us, we must not be dishonorable, we must not be poor, we must know that we are not living for money, but living to bless people.

We want to build God's glorious church; building the church is to bless people. Absolutely no lies, and absolutely no fooling everyone. We just rack our brains thinking about how to let everyone receive more grace. Together with us, cleanse your thoughts and intentions, become holy, and then let God's grace flow. God will surely open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings upon us, so that we shall lack nothing in our lifetime. If you don't know, you must try it; if you don't try, you won't know how rich the grace is in Jesus Christ, how glorious this grace is. Come, this is to receive grace, not to give God something, but to receive from God. What abundant grace we receive from God, today we are no longer poor, we should always think about giving out a little more.

IV. What We Are To Inherit Is the Kingdom of God

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

You need to know that all the good things are in the kingdom of God. If you want to immigrate, you must immigrate to the kingdom of God. The world is pretty good now, many people want to immigrate to good countries, few people choose to immigrate to a desolate place. Some of us immigrated to Zambia early on. Some time ago, I was drinking tea with a friend and he mentioned that his sister married to Argentina, that country is now unstable, very turbulent. Some people have also immigrated to Ukraine, what are they doing going to these places?

Today, how good it is for us to immigrate to God's kingdom, because there is abundant grace and glory in God's kingdom. Some people say they haven't seen it yet, that's because they haven't moved in yet. I am calling out here loudly for everyone to come in together, but some people are unwilling, saying they still have to take care of their parents. What you lack is this sense of honor. God's kingdom can last forever. In God's kingdom, we not only inherit the benefits of God's kingdom, but also obtain satisfaction in this life and satisfaction in eternal life. All the benefits of God's kingdom come upon us. There is no illness, no hospitals, because there is no need for hospitals at all. There are no capitalists either, because God's kingdom does not need capital operations, it is not short of money at all. Living in the glory of God, God has wisdom and intelligence, and will distribute these wisdom and intelligence to the people in God's kingdom.

I can only tell everyone this, because I just happened to be reading 1 Corinthians chapter 6. If someone asks me if I have been there, I can only say that I have tasted a little bit of the benefits, and I can tell everyone so much. Some people feel very tired living in this world, that's because they are not yet in the kingdom of God. Living in this world is really hard, with old folks above and young ones below, what is lacking is the kingdom of God. If we have a poor mentality within, we certainly will not be able to be wealthy, the kingdom of God lacks nothing. When you get to the kingdom of God, you will have as much as you want. The kingdom of God is not on earth, because people on earth are naturally selfish, so they are constantly grabbing each other's collars, pulling hair, wrestling for money.

V. We Are One Spirit with the Lord

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

We build God's glorious temple to become one spirit with the Lord, to have one mind and intention, one dream, vision, and mission, that is, to be united as one. Some people tell me not to steal God's glory, but what is mine is God's, and what is God's is mine, there is no relationship of stealing. After hearing what I said, do you think my relationship with the Lord is very good? You should also say so, saying that stealing is like separating from the Lord. These silly children have been Christians for so many years and they still don't know that what is ours is the Lord's, and what is the Lord's is ours, they are still being polite with the Lord, as if they still want to separate from the Lord. Suddenly realizing, these people are still slowly muddling along in the outer court, just playing around.

We are building God's temple, bringing the treasures that belong to God, the people who belong to God, into God's temple, together building the glorious temple to become the New Jerusalem. In the future, the New Jerusalem will be made up of these people, and God's Spirit will be in our midst. At that time, we will no longer have tears, and we will not need generators, because God's mighty glory will shine in the New Jerusalem. So everyone knows how good my hope is, right? Old John only wrote a little about the New Jerusalem, and didn't write it very clearly, otherwise we could read it more clearly.

We become one spirit with the Lord, that is, God is seeking a resting place for His Spirit. God hopes that there is a group on earth who are precious in His eyes and long for God's presence. There is nothing more beautiful in heaven and on earth than this. Some people don't want to do this, they come just to mooch some blessings from us, but the greatest blessing is to be united with the Lord. The blood of Jesus Christ flows from the top to the bottom, from the inside to the outside of our bodies, and our life's breath comes from God's Spirit. This is a temple full of God's presence. If you bring a trash can in, you can only be put in the trash can and taken out. The greatest grace pursued in this place is to be united with the Lord, and then we are qualified to bless people. Why do we no longer do charity, because we are doing the greatest charity, blessing people by the Spirit of God and the power of God, this is the real blessing.

Whether you live in the curse of poverty or the curse of disease, I release you, so that you may receive grace from God, what a glorious grace that is. If you lack nothing in God's kingdom, are united with the Lord, what is yours is the Lord's, and what is the Lord's is also yours, build the glorious temple with me, that is unparalleled freedom.

VI. No Longer Controlled

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

Nothing can control us, and we don't need to love money anymore, and we don't need to fight with others, we lack nothing. We have also obtained the authority in heaven and on earth, and we can strut around in the spiritual realm. Not to mention little ghosts, even Satan must come and kneel before us, because we have the honorable image of Jesus Christ. It is good to live freely without being controlled anymore. We have already obtained how to live in this lifetime, and the way of living through Jesus Christ is very honorable, believe it or not. If you don't have a job, Jesus Christ can tailor a job just for you; if you lack customers, Jesus Christ can bring you customers; if you want to do business, Jesus Christ can help you do business well, making your guests come in droves, the prerequisite is that you are a person of Jesus Christ. If you become an enemy of Jesus Christ in the process, it will be troublesome, so you must be in Jesus Christ.

I constantly have to adjust your thoughts and intentions, because those thoughts and intentions belong to the logical system of the world. If you are still living in the logical system of the world, then you are an enemy of God. That is why we value this blessing so much. If you only have money in your eyes and exude the stench of money, where does the honor come from? As if anyone who cuts off your financial path is like an enemy who killed your parents, that cannot be good. Today, look up to God's grace, and know clearly inside and out how honorable we are, and the grace we have received is of what glory.

VII. Conclusion

This conclusion has only one sentence, and that is: we are really honorable!