1 Corinthians 6:1-11
-Our lives has been public
-We desire to be recognized
-We are being discipled by culture
-Injustices has been public!
-We post things publicly
-Our life is in social media that we forget that we are Christians
-That doesn't mean that we should deal with social cases.
Lawsuits Against Believers
Observation-Interpretation-Application
Prayer:
Observation:
Who: Apostle Paul
What: First letter to the Corinth Church
When: AD 55
Where: Ephesus
Why: to address the issues that are going on during that time and the questions of the Christians/believers of the church that he planted there
Interpretation
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?
• “dare” – he could not understand why the Christians are seeking help from the unrighteous
• Unrighteous – not justified before God – not saved – not Christians
Greece – thinkers – culture of public trial because they find it entertaining
• Saints – believers of God – people who follows the teachings of Christ
2 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? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?
• “His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:23)
• If we are to judge the Lord and the Angels, why do we have to seek the help of the unrighteous/unbelievers? (And I saw great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them – Revelation 20:11) Imagine, you would sit on the throne with Jesus and judge the world? What a great promise! But the question is, are we certain that we can handle that? I mean, how can we handle a big responsibility if we are overwhelmed with the simple matters here on Earth?
• Trivial cases – if we cannot judge trivial cases then how can we judge the world or the fallen angels? If one cannot resolve a dispute with a brother, then how will he be able to deal with something more complex?
5 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, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
• The Corinthians are proud of their great ideas, philosophies, and logical reasoning (Greek culture). So, Paul could not understand why they couldn’t appoint a mediator (among the church) to settle whatever conflict it is that they have. And since the elders are known to be wise for they have endured and experienced a lot overtime, why can’t they seek for their help?
• Why do they have to put their brothers to trial under the judgement of an unrighteous?
• It does not mean that we should not follow the law because in the book of Acts 22:25 and 25:10-11, Paul appealed to the Roman court for his rights. But it is a reminder for everyone that we have the ability to settle our own disputes according to God’s principles.
• Same thing when a Christian has a dispute with a non-believer. As Christians we follow the Word and we know that we must be faithful to the Word… we should be guided by God’s principles. Even if Paul did not say anything about it, it doesn’t mean that we will leave this unsettled because from the beginning, Paul is persuading us to settle it in a PROPER ARENA (in the RIGHT place with the RIGHT people).
7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
• Would you rather fight for your “rights” here on Earth in the expense of God’s glory?
• So what should we do? Arbitration>Church>God
• Matthew 18:15-17
If Your Brother Sins Against You
15 “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. 16 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. 17 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.
• Matthew 5:44-45
• 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
• Since Corinth is the center of Trade and Industry, most of the Corinthians (even those who were baptized by Paul/members of the church) commit these sins.
• You yourselves do wrong and cheat – You WERE a sinner as well.
• Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? – Have you not realize how serious your sins were?
• Can you really call yourselves Christians when you commit these sins? Because remember… WORDS without ACTIONS are simply VESSELS of NOTHINGNESS. It is like putting a string on a can and dragging it down the road. It makes noise but it is empty.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
• It simply shows how great God’s love is for us.
• We were washed because Jesus died for us in the Cross
• We were sanctified by our faith in the father’s Word, through the death of his Son and the intercession of the Holy Spirit
• We were justified, not by our own actions but by faith
Application
• Two reasons why Christians will be in court: 1) They broke the law (weren’t able to pay debt) 2) when they are persecuted because of spreading the Word (Acts 18:12 -17 – the Jews tried to persecute Paul and claimed that he is teaching the people to go against the law and simply Worship God … but before he could even speak, the proconsul of Achaia (Gallio) denied that it was a wrongdoing or vicious crime
• In the present time, people tend to value themselves so much
• Ex: Social media bashing – because for them, their opinions matter… their ideas are correct… they know everything. They will say things that hurt each other. Bottomline, they will file a case against each other. (Cybercrime Law/ Libel)
• Is it good to see a Pastor sue another Pastor? Or devoted Christians sue each other?
• WHY? BECAUSE WE ARE BLINDED AND DRIVEN BY PRIDE.
• INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST
(Conclusion)
• If we may try to avoid conflict with our brothers in Christ if not… settle it with the help of the church … If you did your best to settle it but to no avail… PAUSE and reflect before you act again
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.
• As a Christian, we should be guided by God’s principle in our daily lives… Apply the WORD do not just READ THE WORD.
