Settling problems. 1Corinthians 6:1-11 It is not the usual thing, but there are times when those who are Christians seem to think they are either not being treated fairly or they think they deserve what another believer has. Unfortunately, the testimony of Christian love is not always there to be seen. "By this shall all men know ye are My disciples indeed if ye have love one to another." Disagreements among Christians should be handled privately, "If thy brother trespasses against thee, go tell him his fault between thee and him alone," or those of the Lord's people can pass appropriate decisions by hearing and judging a matter. Believers have an advantage that the court system of the land does not have. We have the Word of God, the Holy Spirit of God, and the mind of Christ to guide us in spiritual as well as moral ways.
The dispute in Corinth between some believers was apparently some kind of civil case. Criminal cases would be tried by the state or local government of a province. Qualified believers in an assembly who have had experience in living and who also have a spiritual perspective toward life and living as a Christian in an ungodly world, are those who should deal with such matters between fellow believers.
There has been given God-delegated authority by which the headship of Christ can govern our actions. Because of the God-given authority we have, we will judge the world and angels. How much more then, should we be able to make wise judgments among ourselves? The system society has set up to make judgments, is a court of law where there are rules established by man's wisdom. Those who take the place of judges are supposed to be those, who by experience, are able to properly define what the laws of the land say about an issue between opposing parties. There are a number of reasons why this is not really applicable in the Christian context.
In a secular court or in the variety of courts in the legal system of a country, those who adjudicate a matter and ultimately make a decision, have no commitment to, and maybe no understanding of, Christian values. The decisions made are usually based on what one has learned from other people who live by a secular set of values. Often the basis for court work that finds its way into the public domain is the desire for some kind of revenge on the part of the litigant. This is not consistent with the life of a Christian.
Our motive for settling a problem is to maintain or recover peace and fellowship between saints. In order for this to actually be attained we will have to "esteem each better than ourselves." A third reason is that lawsuits between Christians make unbelievers focus on what is wrong in the Christian life and testimony rather than on what is right. A disagreement between two believers in an assembly of God's people makes the whole assembly to be disapproved of and legitimately criticized by the public looking on.
So the three reasons for not suing a fellow believer in a civil court: Christians will judge the world and angels in the future. How much more should wise men in the church judge between believers? Second, it will appear to on-lookers that there are no wise people in the assembly of believers and there would be no reason for them to want to be a part of that fellowship. Third, it spoils the testimony of the church and the personal witness of those who are a part of it. It is a spiritual defeat.
A unified happy Christian fellowship between saints is a powerful testimony for God and for good in any locality. The assembly at Corinth with all their gifts, and a good number saved and gathered to the name and Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, could have been and should have been a place of great power and blessing. But with the sexual immorality that is addressed in chapter 5, and their unwillingness to deal with small matters in chapter 6, division and disorder in the assembly were a serious threat to their public testimony. The testimony was being undermined by immorality and spiritual immaturity. Some of the saints were failing the test of living by faith.
A godly vantage point is what is important when we are called upon to consider, “What would Jesus do?” By comparison, some of what believers will do in the future world system should make judging things of living in peace in society, let alone among believers, seem insignificant when we apply scriptural principles to a dispute. Even now, we are all to “try the spirits (teachings)” of those who claim to have a message from God.
A lawsuit against another believer indicates one has already been spiritually defeated. Retaliation, selfishness, greed, and hatred are evidence of spiritual defeat. Grace, forgiveness, love, mercy, compassion, and willingness to suffer loss to settle a difference are evidence of God in control in the life of His son or daughter. Victory over conflict is assured when one is willing to yield graciously to the working of the Holy Spirit in God’s people.
A form of church discipline to deal with issues between believers is to have problems settled by wise, discerning elders who know the people involved and know how to judge matters in the fear of God and based on scriptural intentions. The God-given right of those wise counselors who make their decisions based on "the whole counsel of God" has authority we are to bow to. We need to reject the tendency to blend in with the world and accept its values and lifestyles.
Paul described different kinds of sexually immoral people and makes the point that those who engage in those practices are not Christians – they are not in the kingdom of God. Confession of sin has no value if a person does not forsake the practice of sin which is opposed to the new nature God gave us when we believed in Him. A child of God may fall into sin but does not return to it nor continue to walk in the spiritual darkness of the world.
By God’s grace, people who are saved from their sins are sanctified in Christ Jesus. They want to walk in the light as He is in the light. Even more, believers in Christ have been justified from all things by the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf. We have been given a clean slate when we begin our new life in Christ.
When we are committed to living Christ-centered, blameless lives that demonstrate the love of God to our fellow believers and the people around us, we do make a difference as to how people view Christianity. We need to make sure the values we live by and the practices of our lives are consistent with what the Bible teaches and what is expected of those who are followers and learners of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we take a brother to court, we are already defeated whatever the outcome or the verdict may be. Disobedience to God and His Word, the loss of testimony among unbelievers, bitterness against each other, and an uneasy sense of guilt defeat any advantage we might think we have gained. Take the loss! Lose what you think is yours! You will win a sense of peace that comes when one knows he has done what is right before God.
We may not always understand that the things we do in life have a measure of impact on those who only walk by sight. If we compromise our values, those who are looking on will think that Christians are just like them with no sense of right or wrong. The way I treat my Christian family is very easy to observe and so what a disappointment to the testimony of an assembly when a court-work summons is served. People around me have a right to expect much better from me than to demand my questionable rights. Even those who don't know much spiritually, expect me to walk by faith, not by sight.
When problems come between me and another brother or sister, grace is expected of me. Not every issue between people can be solved only by what we hear, see, and do. There is a sense of spiritual love that enables one to bear the blame, and the problem is solved by what we do not do. By taking the low path and suffering loss, in order to bring honor to Jesus' name the manifold grace of God is seen. When one believer yields to another rather than claim what is rightfully his and he gives it to his brother, the case is over and a victory is won. The reality is that what we think we have gained is very easy to lose. What one may think is a victory, comes at a high cost of the action we choose.
God in His grace has forgiven me and the cost of that was very great. I live daily in the blessings that come because of my sins the Savior took when He assumed the guilt and punishment of my wrongdoing. So why should it be considered a strange response if my rights are forfeited? I do not win if my demands are met but my brother is offended. I have won nothing if my Christian testimony is forever tainted with a sense of covetousness that will never go away. Any little loss I might have to sustain is nothing compared to what I cost Him.