Are We Ready to Judge the World and Angels?

[keithareilly]

1 Corinthians 6:1-7

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?


When responding to the following, please keep in mind that during the time the letter was written to the Corinthians there was no distinction between criminal and civil law, consequently, these verses apply to both criminal and civil law.

We are to judge the world and angels. Are we ready to do so?

Should we turn over judgment to the "unrighteous" (verse 1) legal system or should we as a church handle things internally? Is there a line? Where is it? Are there grey areas? What are they?

Most importantly, how does your opinion prepare you for judging the World and Angels?

[GodsStudent]

There are civil matters, and there are criminal matters.

I don't believe we, as the church, we are "set up" at this time to handle criminal matters, and imo, they should be reported to the appropriate authorities for resolution. Even if we rightly judge the crime and implement a sentence to be carried out, we don't have the structure in place to enforce segregation or imprisonment for crimes that would require separation from society at large and rehabilitation.

I do believe we can, as a church, handle civil matters between ourselves, and if possible, and the parties involved are willing, mediation amongst the body, and between the parties involved, can and should take place. The scripture advising us to do so is pointed out in another thread. Civil matters (lawsuits) typically involve monetary or material resolution.
GodsStudent Supporting Member Posts: 9500Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:36 pm

[keithareilly]

GodsStudent,

True, modern translations discuss civil matters in these verses. However, at the time of there writing, civil and criminal law were not distinct or separate. The verses apply to all law, both criminal and civil. For this thread I chose the King James because it also does not distinguish between criminal and civil law.

Most importantly, how does tour position help you to become prepared to Judge the world and Angels?

Keith

[Ready1]

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

[GodsStudent]

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Blessed is the Word of God.

[Resurrection Torchlight]

I believe that what truly makes us ready to judge angels and the world is our resurrection. When we are changed we shall be like Christ, we will fully know as we are fully known. It is when we are completed in Christ at our resurrection that we will be "ready" to judge on a grander scale than we are able to now in our fleshly bodies.

And what can we do here and now to better render judgement in our current situation?

Matthew 7:3-5
3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Judge yourself first

RT