1 Corinthians 6:1-8
(Lawsuits Against Believers)
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
Tag: Imagine a World Where God’s Word Ruled Our Disputes!!
The church at Corinth was not always the best example of a group of believers that had it all together. In chapter five we read that there was actually a young man who was having a sexual affair with his step mother. Paul condemned the man and the church for failing to speak out and act against such behavior. Now in chapter six we read about some other believers who were taking each other to a civilian court to win a verdict against another brother. Paul sternly condemns them for this. His reasons are as follows:
1. Why would the “saints” allow a “non-saint” (non-believer) to judge them. The “saints” are going to judge the word.
2. The church has believes are not “incompetent” to judge trivial matters ... if this is a matter of the world it is trivial.
3. Believers are going to judge the angels. That makes us highly qualified for trivial matters.
4. It is shameful to take disputes between believers and show them to the world. It damages the Kingdom. No matter of this world, that is a dispute between believers, is more important than the reputation of the Kingdom of God.
5. The leadership of the Church has been given wisdom for these very things.
6. You are already in “defeat” that you can’t resolve this based upon Christian love.. The fact that two believers can’t allow the Spirit of God to produce love in their lives to care for any dispute is a “defeat.”
7. The proper way to handle this is to allow yourself to be defrauded; to suffer loss. Again, there is nothing in this world that is more important than the Body of Christ and the harmony we have in Christ. When we allow disputes to go unresolved through Christian love we defraud our brother or sister in Christ.
God knows how to handle disputes. It is not before non-believers.
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