Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 6:9–10
God used Paul to warn both the believers in Corinth (and us) that we must not go outside the body of believers to deal with civil disputes. Christians should not allow lost people to counsel them in civil disputes because God has already given us His Word, His Holy Spirit, and other godly Christians to help us. God gives an incredible reason why lost people should not weigh in on civil disputes among Christians, as God had Paul write this in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” God wants us to know that those who refuse to surrender to Christ as Lord will not inherit the Kingdom of God. We don’t need to fool ourselves into thinking that lost people can give us wise counsel. God makes it clear in James 3:15 that the wisdom of this world is “earthly, natural, demonic,” so why would we seek counsel from the world when we know it’s not based on biblical truth? God wants us to seek wise counsel from biblical truth and those who walk in His truth. God tells us in James 3:17 that “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” We must always guard against thinking the world has anything of value to offer.
Challenge & Application
Why should Christians not even consider seeking counsel on civil disputes from lost people?
What has God provided Christians so that we receive the counsel we need in civil disputes?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!