Settling disputes (2)

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His goodness, faithfulness, and fellow believers He surrounds us with.

Primary Text

“Does any of you dare, when he has a matter of complaint against another [brother], to go to law before unrighteous men [men neither upright nor right with God, laying it before them] instead of before the saints (the people of God)? Do you not know that the saints (the believers) will [one day] judge and govern the world? And if the world [itself] is to be judged and ruled by you, are you unworthy and incompetent to try [such petty matters] of the smallest courts of justice? Do you not know also that we [Christians] are to judge the [very] angels and pronounce opinion between right and wrong [for them]? How much more then [as to] matters pertaining to this world and of this life only! If then you do have such cases of everyday life to decide, why do you appoint [as judges to lay them before] those who [from the standpoint] of the church count for least and are without standing?” 1 Corinthians 6v1-4 (AMP)

“Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?” 1 Corinthians 1v4 (NIV)

Imagine you have a quarrel against a fellow believer, who has wronged you. Paul here is saying, why would you take the matter outside of the church? Why would you take the case to people who on a normal basis the church doesn’t approve of their way of living? In a way, it asks us what sort of testimony are we putting forth if indeed as John 13v35 (AMP) says “By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].” It’s the same way you might react when you see members of the same family fighting over something in court or perhaps putting it before people who are not familiar with their family, lifestyle, background and history. It doesn’t speak very well. The same way with believers, we are brothers and sisters, and if we do have disputes among each other, we should be able to settle it among ourselves.

Supplementary Text

“If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? But instead, one believer sues another – right in front of unbelievers! Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.” 1 Corinthians 6v4-8 (NLT)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We bless You for it. We ask that indeed the church will walk in love and that all men will know we are Your disciples because of the love we have one for another in Jesus name, amen.