Keep It in the Family

Keep It in the Family

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!

1 Corinthians 6:1 – 8 (ESV)

This is a rather interesting passage in Scripture, at least to me it is.  In this church that has been influenced by the libertine society around them, they took on the practice of taking each other to court.  I am not exactly why they were doing this or how often, but it was bad enough to make it in the Bible.  Although not as provoking as the guy sleeping with his step-mother, this is an issue that should raise eyebrows as well.  How do we deal with other believers that have wronged us?

I will give you the straight answer; the church should handle these situations, not Judge Judy.  The problem is that when Christians have an issue with each other, bringing non-Christians into the discussion does not make it better.  In fact, I am willing to wager that it would make it worse.  Even though in verse one Paul seems to reject the notion of court, that is not the case.  Remember, this is the guy who stated, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Rom 13:1 ESV).  Rather, Paul is steering the Corinthian church back to what Jesus said.  If you have an issue with another Christian, the process is in Scripture.

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matt 18:15-17 ESV)

This works if you go to church with the Christian that you have an issue with, but what about a Christian from another church?  You might have to present your case to the elders at their church, you might have to take it on the chin and mark it as a loss.  The process is simple, but not easy.  It may be easier to get a lawyer and dehumanize the person you have an issue with, but if they are really Christian, then it should be kept in the family.

I love you all,

Justin