1 Corinthians 6:4
“If then, you have to judge things pertaining to this life, do you set them to judge who are of no account in the assembly?”
What does 1 Corinthians 6:4 mean?
Paul is asking the Corinthian church a pointed question about their judgment. They've been taking their disputes to pagan courts instead of settling them within their own community, and he finds this troubling. His question essentially challenges them: if you're going to judge matters of everyday life, why would you trust people who don't share your faith and values to make those decisions for you? This reflects a broader principle in Paul's thinking: the church community shares something outsiders don't, namely common ground in Christ and shared spiritual wisdom. His concern isn't about being separate from society, but about recognizing that believers have unique resources for resolving conflicts with each other. When we're facing difficulties with others in our faith community, Paul suggests we're actually equipped to work through them together rather than looking only to outside solutions.