Community Group Questions: May 17th- 23rd

May 17th, 2026
by Karissa Smith

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? 4 So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers? 6 Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!

7 As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and you do this to brothers and sisters! 9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males,[b] 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

Why was Paul so upset about Christians taking each other to court? What made this particularly shameful in the Corinthian context?
What does Paul mean when he says "the saints will judge the world" (v. 2)? How does our future role in God's kingdom impact how we should handle present conflicts?
Paul asks, "Can it be that there is not one wise person among you?" (v. 5). What is the irony here given what we know about the Corinthian church?

Personal Reflection

Paul suggests it would be better to "be wronged" or "be cheated" than to damage the church's reputation (v. 7). How does this challenge our natural sense of justice? When is this most difficult for you personally?
Look at the vice list in verses 9-10. How should we read these lists without either:
- Becoming complacent about sin in our lives, OR
- Losing assurance of our salvation when we struggle?
The sermon emphasized that "true Christian love is basically an open invitation to be taken advantage of." How does this sit with you? What are the limits (if any) to this principle?

Application to Community

What would it look like practically for our church to handle disputes internally? What structures or processes might we need?
The sermon distinguished between civil matters (which should be handled internally) and criminal matters. Where do you think the line is? Are there situations where involving outside authorities is appropriate?
How does our behavior as Christians—especially our conflicts—affect our witness to non-believers? Can you think of examples (positive or negative) you've witnessed?

Gospel Identity

Paul reminds the Corinthians: "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified" (v. 11). How does remembering our identity in Christ change how we approach conflict with other believers?
The sermon emphasized that encouragement comes from "statements of truth" (indicatives) rather than commands (imperatives). Why is this distinction important for our spiritual growth?

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