“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? KNOW YE NOT THAT WE SHALL JUDGE ANGELS? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.” (1 Corinthians 6:1-4).

In this portion, the Apostle Paul was addressing a grievous situation in the church at Corinth.  It seems that some of the believers in that city were having problems with each other, perhaps involving personal transactions that resulted in some believing they were treated unfairly or illegally.  Instead of handling this among themselves, they were going to the legal system to have their cases heard.  Paul pointed out that this was an affront to the name of Christ.  How terrible that two believers, who were both indwelt with the love of God (Romans 5:5) and with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) would have to turn to the worldly systems to solve their problems.  SAVED PEOPLE ASKING UNSAVED PEOPLE TO HELP SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS…WHAT A DISHONOR!  Paul instructed these saints that they should not go “before the unbelievers” (verse 6) to resolve their conflicts, but to “set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.”  What skills and knowledge would one need to be able to help solve these difficulties?  First…they were to be believers; then all they would really need is common sense and honesty.  It would not take the most esteemed, most learned one to do that.  That would be the honorable thing to do.  Do not disgrace the Lord by going to worldly systems for answers. After all, we will judge the world one day.  How can we allow the world to judge us now?

These comparatively ‘small matters’ should be taken care of by fellow believers.  After all, we will judge the world and the fallen angels one day, so we should be able to judge these small issues today.  You asked about how we will judge angels. Let’s see what the Bible says about that.  First:

THE SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD – Every believer is considered a saint (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2), and ‘the world’ is the ungodly worldly system we live in.  1 John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”  The fact that we, as believers, will stand in judgment of this sinful world was told to us back in Daniel 7:22, “Until the Ancient of days came, and JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Read also Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30).  From this we learn that when Christ returns to the earth to establish His kingdom, believers will reign with Him and matters of judgment will be committed to us who belong to Him. 

WE SHALL JUDGE ANGELS – Again, this is in reference to the saints…those who have been made holy by the blood of Christ on the cross. (Romans 5:19).  We do know that rebellious angels will be judged one day. 

  • “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4). 
  • “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6).

We also know the Lord has committed this judgment into the hands of His Son.  “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (John 5:22).  According to what we just read in Daniel 7:22, we know that the Lord Jesus will allow believers to join with Him in the judgment upon these fallen angels.  So, believers shall, as administrators of the kingdom under the Lord Jesus, put down all rule that is hostile to God…including these angels that sinned.  (CC)  (720.6)