This is my Enhanced Driver’s License. When we first moved to WNY. It was a new reality to have vehicle access to another country within minutes. I already was aware of some of the ways to get into Canada: birth certificate or passport. But, when I moved here, my passport was expired. I had to get a New York driver’s license anyway, after moving. Enhanced driver’s licenses were becoming a thing here around that time. Where you could cross the northern or southern U.S. border by car or boat with only that form of ID. So, I got that.
When we first moved to WNY, we lived in an apartment. But a couple years later, we bought and moved to our current house. So, when we moved, I wondered how my Enhanced license would work when crossing the border. Would I need to get a new card, with a new address? When I inquired about this, I was told to just write my new address on the back of the card. I was like, “Really?!” “That’s acceptable?!” All the technology used in this card. And my handwritten new address will suffice?! So, the next time I crossed into Canada, I was a little nervous that my ID would be accepted. I was a little nervous that I’d be asked to explain who I really am.
I had a similar situation, In 2002, when I was preparing to go to Honduras on a youth mission trip, when I was in high school. My brother and I were going on the trip. And we applied for our first passports. One of the pre-trip items that the mission’s agency asked our group to do, was make copies of our passports, In case we misplaced our originals along the way. And there could at least be a reference to our information. So, when we got our passports, my mom copied them. And my brother and I had to sign both version of the passport: The authentic version, and the copy. After we signed them, we realized that somehow, we both signed the right copied version. But, we signed each other’s real passport. So, we’re thinking, “Great!” “We’re going to have to go through the whole process to get a new passport.” “And would it be ready in time for the trip.” When we called about what to do to fix the problem, we were told “Just cross out the wrong signature, and put the new signature next to it.” And we were like “Really?! “No way that’s how this works!” And this was within a year of the 9/11 2001 attacks Where airport security was tightened in response. So, we’re thinking, “No way a passport with a crossed-out name, won’t look suspicious.” I remember feeling nervous at the customs counter, as they’re reviewing my passport. And just expecting them to ask me to explain my name and signature. And asking me to explain who I really am.
In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul, the early church leader, writes to followers of Jesus there, who were struggling to answer, “who they were.” Throughout 1 Corinthians, the Corinthians culture is characterized by: Identity of appearance. Appearing powerful, prestigious, unique, standing out, more eloquent, smarter than others, better than others. And the appearance of these qualities, often looked past other qualities and behavior. It looked past the disunity that elevating one person over another caused. It looked past the exclusion that happened when power and prestige were pursued. It looked past the dignity of the human body when sexual relationships were gratified however people desired. And in this chapter, we encounter that Corinthian culture looked past injustice when disputes were judged with wealth, power, and eloquence.
While the Corinthian people pursued identity through power, prestige, gratification, wealth, and eloquence, it has left a wake of destruction in it’s path, Specifically in the community of Jesus followers: disunity, separation from God, and in 1 Corinthians 6, exploitation and poverty. 1 Corinthians 6 is a clash between the identity of Corinth, and the identity of Christ Jesus.
Throughout this section of Paul’s letter, he is asking the Corinthian follower of Jesus to answer the following question: who are you? What is your primary identity? Is it as a Corinthian? Or as a citizen of the kingdom of God? As a member of the body of Christ? Or as a member of Corinthian society?
For Paul, the answer to that question will direct how a person lives. For a person who identifies primarily as a Corinthian, than they will live like a Corinthian. They will push others aside to be powerful or important. Abuse others to gratify their desires. Exploit others to settle a dispute. But for A person who identifies primarily as a citizen of God’s kingdom, will live like a citizen of God’s kingdom. They will live like the model citizen of that kingdom. They will live like Jesus. They will give-up power and importance, to include others. They will consider others in their pursuit of pleasure. They will seek restoration in their disputes. Like Jesus does.
Good news that we can receive from this section of God’s word, is that God has a full and true life for you to live in Jesus. God has a fuller and truer identity for you to have as a citizen of God’s kingdom. Through Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 6, God’s word calls us to not live a lesser life outside Jesus. Rather, live your true identity in Jesus. Live your true identity. Live in the washed identity you’ve received in Jesus. Live in the purpose-filled identity you’ve received in God’s kingdom. Live in the undistorted identity you’ve received by God’s Spirit. Live your true identity. Live your true identity.
The 1992 McDonald's hot coffee case involved Stella Liebeck. While Liebeck initially sought $20,000 to cover medical expenses. McDonald's only offered $800. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury awarded Liebeck $200,000 in compensatory damages. Which was later reduced to $160,000 (to compensate for her fault in the spilled coffee). Initially the jury granted Liebeck $2.7 million in punitive damages. This was eventually reduced to $480,000. And Liebeck and McDonald's eventually came to an undisclosed agreement. In U.S. culture, this case has somewhat become a joke – about how rich a person could get from spilt hot coffee. But it does highlight how this case, and others, aimed at exacting a pound of flesh, rather just the righting of a wrong.
This captures a glimpse of the approach taken in Corinthian culture to settling a dispute. A dispute was settled by what could be exacted at another’s expense. And to play the game, eloquent, charismatic orators were utilized to argue one’s case. To do so, required wealth or status – to hire such people. And the form of settlement that was pursued, was exploitation. Eloquent orators were hired to – prop-up the status and privilege of wealthy litigants (lit-i-gants), or the wealth of high-status litigants, bribed judges for favorable outcomes. Overall, what resulted were wealthy, high-status people – taking peasant, poorer folk to court – to exploit them, and maintain their identity of status. And this is way of handling disputes, was happening between wealthy, high status, Corinthian followers of Jesus, and pooer, low-status, Corinthians followers of Jesus.
And Paul is asking the question: who are you? What is your primary identity? Are you primarily a Corinthian or a citizen of God’s kingdom? Their talk would imply that their primary identity is: a citizen of God’s kingdom. But their actions show that their primarily identity: is as Corinthians. Because they are treating a dispute with brother or sister in Christ – like a Corinthian would treat a dispute with someone.
Paul is asking them to evaluate their allegiance. Is it to the culture of Corinth? Or to the kingdom of God. Is their allegiance truly to Jesus, and his way of living? Or to Corinthian ways of living? Ultimately, Paul is distinguishing the harm and destruction that comes by the Corinthian way of living. Compared to the caring and healing way of living like Jesus.
To have the second, the Corinthian followers of Jesus – need to remember who the are. They need to remember that they’re no longer primarily Corinthians. As followers of Jesus, we are now primarily citizens of God’s kingdom. If that’s who they want to continue being, then they need to live their true identity. Live as a citizen of the kingdom of God.
Last week during the communion meditation, KC Cronin referenced an oft-said saying of mothers: Wait til your father gets home. That imagery is in the background of an odd statement that Paul makes within this section of 1 Corinthians 6. The statement in verses 2-3, where Paul says, “Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
The Lord’s people will judge the world?! This idea can be drawn together from a few places in the Bible:
Daniel 7:27, Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. (Daniel 7:27)
Matthew 19:28, Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
Revelation 2:26, To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations…. (Revelation 2:26)
Revelation 3:21, To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne… (Revelation 3:21)
Revelation 20:4a, I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. (Revelation 20:4a)
Hebrews 2:5-11, It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. (Hebrews 2:5-11)
Jesus, who took up human life, is given authority over everything, including angels. And the writer of Hebrews notes, that those who are of the family of God, share in this place of authority in the new creation.
In general, we could take this privileged status, as co-judges with Jesus (that comes with being a citizen of God’s kingdom, part of the family of God) – as an overall reference point to the ultimate of authority that Jesus has as Lord over all. Any authority or judgment that followers of Jesus have in God’s kingdom, or over angels, will be delegated. Which also means that the ultimate judgment of right and wrong – on anything – is according to the judgment of the God revealed in Jesus.
In a sense, we have Paul giving a “wait til the Father gets home” statement. In that God will come and put wrong things right. So, don’t seek Corinthian justice, which uses injustice to achieve a distorted form of justice. Corinthian justice fights evil with evil. And, handling disputes in this manner, is just as distorted as: sexually immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, slander, or lying. And does not fit the way of God’s kingdom. What this underlines, is that Anything that’s not aligned with Jesus is a false way to live. Rather, the true way to live, the true way to handle disputes, is to leave justice to Jesus. And the justice of Jesus, is the way of restoration and healing, not exploitation. Not a pound of flesh. Not what you can get out of someone, because you have the means to do so. The justice of Jesus is fuller and truer, because it doesn’t use injustice to others to bring it about. The justice of God’s kingdom fights evil with the goodness of God. The goodness of God that is revealed to us in the life of Jesus. Settle disputes according to the way of God’s kingdom. Live like Jesus with others. Don’t seek exploitation. Seek God’s healing.
Recently, Tom Brady, the seven-time Superbowl winning quarterback for the Patriots and Buccaneers, was the center of a Roast, that streamed on Netflix. During the event, comedian Nikki Glaser joked, “Five-time Super Bowl MVP, most career wins, most career touchdowns. You have seven rings. Well, eight, now that Gisele gave hers back….” While I don’t know the ins and outs of his personal life, and what led to his divorce from supermodel, Gisele Bündchen (boon-chn). I’m constantly amazed at people who are massively successful in one arena of life, but fail to be successful in other arenas of life.
In 1 Corinthians 6:5, Paul mocks the Corinthian followers of Jesus, by drawing from their fascination with the wisdom and eloquence – and essentially saying, “If you Corinthians are so wise, how do you need an outside judge to settle disputes?!” “If you’re so wise, you shouldn’t need to go to a Corinthian judge.” “But ironically, you’re need to go to a judge, indicts your lack of wisdom.” All of this supports what Paul has, at length – already been saying in 1 Corinthians 1-5 – that human wisdom, alone isn’t enough. The Corinthian people need God’s wisdom. The wisdom revealed in the life of the crucified Jesus. And they already have access this this wisdom, by being identified with Jesus in baptism – being washed, sanctified, and justified.
Being washed of the messiness of Corintian life – to live into the cleanliness of Jesus’ way of life.
Being sanctified, or set-apart to live the way of God’s kingdom.
And justified, or shaped, to see the world and others rightly by the guidance of God’s Spirit.
Any image of the margin ruler on a Word Document
Justification is more than a legal declaration. It’s an actual righting of things. Like righting, or evening the margins of a Word document. You use to be this. You use to live this way. But, now you’re not, but, now you don’t have to, because of Jesus. Live your true identity.
I’m all for the Hallmark-style Christmas movie at Christmas-time. But one of my least favorite versions of those movies, is the “Royal Christmas” versions. The movies where a prince or princess is frustrated with their privileged life. And just wants to experience the common person’s experience of life and love. These royal characters try to live like something that they’re not. Something different from their royal identity.
Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian followers of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 6 is similar. He’s instructing the Corinthian church to stop living lesser than who they are in Christ Jesus. Paul challenges them to live into their true identity. Rather than settling for the false and lesser identity of Corinthian culture, that is disconnected from God. Paul challenges them to Live into your true identity as citizens of God’s kingdom through following Jesus. Live your true identity.
Consider the fuller and truer identity and way of life that following Jesus offers.
Today, God’s word in 1 Corinthians 6 invites you to consider the same question: Who are you? What is your true identity? What is your primary citizenship? What identity shapes the way you live? If you’re primary identity is in something other than Jesus, I invite you to Consider the fuller and truer identity and way of life that following Jesus offers. I invite you to taste and see, and consider surrendering your life to Jesus in faith – under the water of baptism – trusting Jesus to give you a fuller, truer, and righted way of living, than what you’re experiencing now. Please pull me, Mitch, Sean, an elder, or another trusted follower of Jesus aside – to help you discern this step of faith.
If you’ve already identified yourself as a citizen of God’s kingdom through faith in Jesus, I invite you to consider what lesser, false, distorted way of living you’re currently tempted to pursue? What’s God’s Spirit revealing about your actions? What primarily allegiance do your current ways of living convey? Does it reveal a primary identity as an American, or as a citizen of God’s kingdom? Does it reveal a primary identity: in political affiliation, or sexuality, or gender, or nationality, or something else, other than primarily as a follower of Jesus?
What do you need to confess?
I invite you to confess that to Jesus, and live your true identity in him. Confess it out loud to a trusted person (text, call, have coffee). Write it down and put it somewhere that you’ll see, to make this real. And not just an intellectual moment; but a life-changing moment to live differently.
How do you need to repent?
I invite you to repent. Submit your other identities below the primacy of identity as a citizen of God’s kingdom. What steps can you take, to help you live your true identity in Jesus? How can the teachings of Jesus, be your constitution? How can the example of Jesus, be your precedent? How can the life of Jesus be the form of identification that you show – in all that you do, in how you live? Live your true identity.