The Redeemed Review the Books in HeavenBible World
6:31 Corinthians 6:3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
The saints will judge angels, and so they are competent and worthy to decide even the smallest ordinary matters belonging to this life. The angels to be judged are Satan and the evil angels, judged together with the wicked dead by Christ and the redeemed in union with Him during the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection. That judging is done by comparing acts with the Bible, opening the book of life and the book of death and deciding every case according to deeds done in the body and meting out to each what is due for those works. Therefore when a believer has a matter against another believer it must be judged before the saints within the church, even before those least esteemed, and not taken to law before unbelievers and worldly courts. For brother to go to law with brother before unbelievers is utterly a fault and a shame, disgracing the cause of truth, dishonoring Christ, and showing lack of faith and dependence on God.
Verse Sense and Argument
The saints will judge angels, and for that reason they are competent, capable, able, worthy and fully able to judge even the smallest ordinary matters and judgments that pertain to this life. The future responsibility proves present fitness, so believers having a matter against another believer, especially matters relating to the cause of God, must have it judged before the saints within the church and not take one another to law before the unjust, unbelievers, disloyal lawyers, and civil tribunals. Judgments of this life are to be set before even those least esteemed in the church, for there should be a wise man among the brethren able to judge between his brethren. Brother going to law with brother before unbelieving courts is utterly a fault and a shame, and it is better to take wrong and suffer to be defrauded than to do wrong and defraud brethren.
Those entrusted with the living oracles of God who appeal to the world show pride, self-love, self-exaltation and loss of first love, and hinder souls from being convinced of the truth. Those who for years lean on the arm of the law and make unbelievers their stay and support do what an honorable worldling would never do, hinder the advancement of the cause and the carrying of the warning message, and should be relieved of responsibilities in connection with the work of God. Thieves, the covetous, drunkards and extortioners who persist in such unrighteousness and wrong shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
God's loyal believing children, as Christ's purchased possession, are exalted in this promise to sit beside Christ and the Father on the throne in that judgment of angels. The saying belongs to the lesson of the whole sixth chapter of First Corinthians, which gospel ministers and medical missionaries should study. That study wakes up the watchmen to give the warning message for this time, to understand their need to be healed of the maladies of sin and unbelief, and to refuse to accept the teachings of the prince of darkness.
Thousand-Year Judgment of Angels
The angels to be judged are Satan and the evil angels, judged by Christ and the redeemed in union with Him. In that work the righteous reign as kings and priests with Christ and share in His judgment.
This judging takes place during the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection, after the second advent. It follows the changing of the saints to immortality and their being caught up together, when they receive harps and crowns and enter the Holy City. There they sit with Jesus in judgment through the thousand years in the Holy City before it descends to the earth.
The judgment also embraces the wicked dead, whose cases are decided in unison with Jesus. After their judgment is determined, God executes that sentence by consuming them with fire at the close of the thousand years. Their deeds are reviewed in the books and compared with the Bible before the judgment is executed.
The work of judging means comparing acts with the statute book, the Bible. The books are opened, the book of life containing the good deeds of the saints and the book of death containing the evil deeds of the wicked. Every case is decided according to the deeds done in the body, meting out to each the portion to be suffered according to works, setting it off against each name, and recording it in the book of death. Satan receives a far greater punishment than those he deceived and continues to suffer after they have perished.
Only those who are saints in character will be entrusted as God's representatives in that judgment. They are those obedient to the law of God which is holy and just and good, who respect a Thus saith the Lord. Their characters are shaped by meekness and conversion. The disobedient to the law of God will never be entrusted to judge, because God could not trust them to act for Him, and one with an accusing, abusive spirit is disqualified for that future responsibility.
Settling Disputes Inside Church
When one believer has a matter against another believer, especially in matters relating to the cause of God, it must be judged before the saints within the church and not taken to law before the unjust, unbelievers, disloyal lawyers, civil tribunals, human courts, or worldly courts. The reason is that those who will judge angels are competent and worthy to judge even the smallest ordinary matters pertaining to this life. Christians are therefore not unworthy to judge such things but must settle their differences among themselves.
Judgments of things pertaining to this life are to be set before even those least esteemed in the church. For there should be a wise man among the brethren able to judge between his brethren. Instead of wronging and defrauding brethren, believers should rather take wrong and suffer themselves to be defrauded. They should accept some loss, and even when wronged be willing to suffer the loss rather than expose fellow members' sins before the world.
The right course is to approach one another privately in Christ's spirit and to agree in what is desired. Believers should unite in persevering prayer to God for deliverance and help, trusting Him for help rather than opening church difficulties before those who do not fear Him and lack wisdom from above. A wronged Christian should seek to save the brother who did the wrong rather than avenge self, and can entrust the case to God who judges rightly. Matters should be handled wisely and peacefully within the church without public conflict and criticism, with dissension laid at the foot of the cross so that harmony is restored. Those who have the ennobling knowledge of God shining in their hearts will live well-ordered lives revealing Christ with no lawsuits between neighbors or brothers. Because they are to judge angels and therefore matters of this life, they are able to settle earthly disputes among themselves. Obedience in refusing legal action after financial loss, though a trial requiring resistance to temptation, is made possible by strength given through the Spirit.
Wrong of Suing Before Unbelievers
For brother to go to law with brother before unbelievers is utterly a fault and a shame to the church. Such contentions and lawsuits disgrace the cause of truth, bring reproach on the church and dishonor to Christ, invite ridicule from enemies, and show contempt for the authority God gave the church. It is better to accept some loss than to give the enemy an advantage through disputes.
Taking disputes with fellow believers to lawyers and courts dishonors God and shows lack of faith and too little dependence on Him. It opens church difficulties before those who do not fear Him and do not obey His requirements, who lack the wisdom that comes down from above. Those who do so show they are not acting under the Spirit of God.
Justifying lawsuits between church members acts out the spirit of the rebellion that developed in heaven. It misrepresents God's character while claiming loyalty, and shows loyalty to the enemy of righteousness rather than to the God of truth. Such a course is contrary to the spirit of Christ.
Appealing to worldly courts makes the world the confidence and judge, and shows sympathy with the world and unbelievers. Those who do this are registered in heaven as one with unbelievers, and betray sacred trusts which the world eagerly seizes. It produces collision and strife, and crucifies Christ afresh and puts Him to open shame.
Bringing a case against commandment-keeping people into worldly courts goes directly contrary to the plain word of God. Such action harms far more than those charged, because it arouses prejudice against God's people as a body, bruises and wounds Christ in the person of His saints, and gives Satan and his angels occasion for triumph as through a backslidden believer he works against God's people and institutions to do them great harm. When this action, never before entered into, is done, God permits it so that those deceived may understand what power is controlling those entrusted with great responsibilities, and it calls for sentinels to stand shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, with present truth in possession of the heart.
Those who for years lean on the arm of the law and make unbelievers their stay and support do what even an honorable worldling would not do. Their course hinders the advancement of the cause and the carrying of the warning message, and they should be relieved of responsibilities in connection with God's work. Those who persist in such unrighteousness as thieves, covetous, drunkards, and extortioners shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Likewise mimicking, caricaturing, ridiculing, accusing, and opposing burden-bearing ministers, and silently justifying it, perverts the way of the Lord and, if not repented of, will exclude the doers from the society of the redeemed in the heavenly courts.
The saints will judge angels, and so they are competent and worthy to decide even the smallest ordinary matters belonging to this life. The angels to be judged are Satan and the evil angels, judged together with the wicked dead by Christ and the redeemed in union with Him during the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection. That judging is done by comparing acts with the Bible, opening the book of life and the book of death and deciding every case according to deeds done in the body and meting out to each what is due for those works. Therefore when a believer has a matter against another believer it must be judged before the saints within the church, even before those least esteemed, and not taken to law before unbelievers and worldly courts. For brother to go to law with brother before unbelievers is utterly a fault and a shame, disgracing the cause of truth, dishonoring Christ, and showing lack of faith and dependence on God.
Verse Sense and Argument
The saints will judge angels, and for that reason they are competent, capable, able, worthy and fully able to judge even the smallest ordinary matters and judgments that pertain to this life. The future responsibility proves present fitness, so believers having a matter against another believer, especially matters relating to the cause of God, must have it judged before the saints within the church and not take one another to law before the unjust, unbelievers, disloyal lawyers, and civil tribunals. Judgments of this life are to be set before even those least esteemed in the church, for there should be a wise man among the brethren able to judge between his brethren. Brother going to law with brother before unbelieving courts is utterly a fault and a shame, and it is better to take wrong and suffer to be defrauded than to do wrong and defraud brethren.
Those entrusted with the living oracles of God who appeal to the world show pride, self-love, self-exaltation and loss of first love, and hinder souls from being convinced of the truth. Those who for years lean on the arm of the law and make unbelievers their stay and support do what an honorable worldling would never do, hinder the advancement of the cause and the carrying of the warning message, and should be relieved of responsibilities in connection with the work of God. Thieves, the covetous, drunkards and extortioners who persist in such unrighteousness and wrong shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
God's loyal believing children, as Christ's purchased possession, are exalted in this promise to sit beside Christ and the Father on the throne in that judgment of angels. The saying belongs to the lesson of the whole sixth chapter of First Corinthians, which gospel ministers and medical missionaries should study. That study wakes up the watchmen to give the warning message for this time, to understand their need to be healed of the maladies of sin and unbelief, and to refuse to accept the teachings of the prince of darkness.
Thousand-Year Judgment of Angels
The angels to be judged are Satan and the evil angels, judged by Christ and the redeemed in union with Him. In that work the righteous reign as kings and priests with Christ and share in His judgment.
This judging takes place during the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection, after the second advent. It follows the changing of the saints to immortality and their being caught up together, when they receive harps and crowns and enter the Holy City. There they sit with Jesus in judgment through the thousand years in the Holy City before it descends to the earth.
The judgment also embraces the wicked dead, whose cases are decided in unison with Jesus. After their judgment is determined, God executes that sentence by consuming them with fire at the close of the thousand years. Their deeds are reviewed in the books and compared with the Bible before the judgment is executed.
The work of judging means comparing acts with the statute book, the Bible. The books are opened, the book of life containing the good deeds of the saints and the book of death containing the evil deeds of the wicked. Every case is decided according to the deeds done in the body, meting out to each the portion to be suffered according to works, setting it off against each name, and recording it in the book of death. Satan receives a far greater punishment than those he deceived and continues to suffer after they have perished.
Only those who are saints in character will be entrusted as God's representatives in that judgment. They are those obedient to the law of God which is holy and just and good, who respect a Thus saith the Lord. Their characters are shaped by meekness and conversion. The disobedient to the law of God will never be entrusted to judge, because God could not trust them to act for Him, and one with an accusing, abusive spirit is disqualified for that future responsibility.
Settling Disputes Inside Church
When one believer has a matter against another believer, especially in matters relating to the cause of God, it must be judged before the saints within the church and not taken to law before the unjust, unbelievers, disloyal lawyers, civil tribunals, human courts, or worldly courts. The reason is that those who will judge angels are competent and worthy to judge even the smallest ordinary matters pertaining to this life. Christians are therefore not unworthy to judge such things but must settle their differences among themselves.
Judgments of things pertaining to this life are to be set before even those least esteemed in the church. For there should be a wise man among the brethren able to judge between his brethren. Instead of wronging and defrauding brethren, believers should rather take wrong and suffer themselves to be defrauded. They should accept some loss, and even when wronged be willing to suffer the loss rather than expose fellow members' sins before the world.
The right course is to approach one another privately in Christ's spirit and to agree in what is desired. Believers should unite in persevering prayer to God for deliverance and help, trusting Him for help rather than opening church difficulties before those who do not fear Him and lack wisdom from above. A wronged Christian should seek to save the brother who did the wrong rather than avenge self, and can entrust the case to God who judges rightly. Matters should be handled wisely and peacefully within the church without public conflict and criticism, with dissension laid at the foot of the cross so that harmony is restored. Those who have the ennobling knowledge of God shining in their hearts will live well-ordered lives revealing Christ with no lawsuits between neighbors or brothers. Because they are to judge angels and therefore matters of this life, they are able to settle earthly disputes among themselves. Obedience in refusing legal action after financial loss, though a trial requiring resistance to temptation, is made possible by strength given through the Spirit.
Wrong of Suing Before Unbelievers
For brother to go to law with brother before unbelievers is utterly a fault and a shame to the church. Such contentions and lawsuits disgrace the cause of truth, bring reproach on the church and dishonor to Christ, invite ridicule from enemies, and show contempt for the authority God gave the church. It is better to accept some loss than to give the enemy an advantage through disputes.
Taking disputes with fellow believers to lawyers and courts dishonors God and shows lack of faith and too little dependence on Him. It opens church difficulties before those who do not fear Him and do not obey His requirements, who lack the wisdom that comes down from above. Those who do so show they are not acting under the Spirit of God.
Justifying lawsuits between church members acts out the spirit of the rebellion that developed in heaven. It misrepresents God's character while claiming loyalty, and shows loyalty to the enemy of righteousness rather than to the God of truth. Such a course is contrary to the spirit of Christ.
Appealing to worldly courts makes the world the confidence and judge, and shows sympathy with the world and unbelievers. Those who do this are registered in heaven as one with unbelievers, and betray sacred trusts which the world eagerly seizes. It produces collision and strife, and crucifies Christ afresh and puts Him to open shame.
Bringing a case against commandment-keeping people into worldly courts goes directly contrary to the plain word of God. Such action harms far more than those charged, because it arouses prejudice against God's people as a body, bruises and wounds Christ in the person of His saints, and gives Satan and his angels occasion for triumph as through a backslidden believer he works against God's people and institutions to do them great harm. When this action, never before entered into, is done, God permits it so that those deceived may understand what power is controlling those entrusted with great responsibilities, and it calls for sentinels to stand shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, with present truth in possession of the heart.
Those who for years lean on the arm of the law and make unbelievers their stay and support do what even an honorable worldling would not do. Their course hinders the advancement of the cause and the carrying of the warning message, and they should be relieved of responsibilities in connection with God's work. Those who persist in such unrighteousness as thieves, covetous, drunkards, and extortioners shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Likewise mimicking, caricaturing, ridiculing, accusing, and opposing burden-bearing ministers, and silently justifying it, perverts the way of the Lord and, if not repented of, will exclude the doers from the society of the redeemed in the heavenly courts.