The Church in a Messy World
Take them to Church rather than Court
1 Corinthians 6:1-11
May 28, 2017
Communion Sunday
Introduction:
This morning we are going to turn our attention to the first 8 verses of 1st Corinthians 6.
Let’s read them. READ versus 1 thru 8
BTW, I want you to know I am leaning heavily in to Ken Sande, the founder of Peacemaker Ministries for his insights. Peacemakers is a great organization.
Ken Sande, founder of Peacemaker Ministries states:
“America has become the most litigious society on the face of the earth. In the last 2 decades, civil caseloads have increased 33%, which is five times faster than the increase in our population. As a result, new case filings in state courts now exceed 100 million per year. This amounts to one court case for every two adults in the United States!”
Ken Sande, Peacemaker Ministries
Guess when he said this? He actually wrote these words in 1995! The “lawsuit train” has been picking up steam and is now running full out in 2017.
Taking people to court has actually become a national pastime, like watching baseball.
I went to Wikipedia Wednesday and counted 46, yes 46, “court-type” television shows currently aired in the United States and that’s not counting ones in Spanish!
Judge Judy tops the list with 10.9 viewers EACH day.
She currently makes 47 million a year for her show…the highest paid personality on T.V. By comparison Barbara Walters made approximately 12 million as a host on The View in 2014.
Balif- 1 Million per year and he does nothing other than say, “All rise” etc. He’s sort of like the Vanna White of court T.V.
America is lawsuit happy.
It’s sad, but this same mentality is even seen among many Christians today, which brings us to our text, the city of Corinth and the church Paul planted there.
The problem of lawsuits among Christians is what the Apostle Paul is concerned about in 1st Corinthians 6.
Eugene Peterson paraphrases verse one in this manner…
“And how dare you take each other to court! When you think you have been wronged, does it make any sense to go before a court that knows nothing of God’s ways instead of a family of Christians?”
1 Corinthians 6:1 The Message
As I’ve already stated many times, this letter is very practical and issue-oriented. It has 2017 written all over it! Who says the Bible isn’t relevant! And the problem of lawsuits is only going to get worse as we see the final days approaching. In 2nd Timothy 3 Paul lists a litany of problems that we plague us as we see the last days approaching. One is that people will become unappeasable. They’d rather fight than be at peace.
The Background of Corinth’s Legal System
In order to understand what is going on in this passage it’s helpful to know how normal it was to be involved in the legal system in Corinth. Law-courts were in fact one of their primary amusements…better than going to the movies. It was reality T.V. in ultra-high definition!
Everyone was more a less a lawyer and spent a good deal of their time either listening to or deciding law cases. If a matter could not be settled between two people, they could end up before a jury with several hundred to some three thousand jurors! (Source MacArthur and William Barclay)
Like American’s the Greeks were famous for their love of dragging each other to court.
Let me give you
Today’s sermon in one sentence: If you have an unresolved legal dispute with another Christian take them to church, rather than court.
This is the point Paul is driving at in this passage. The Corinthian believers were guilty of carrying over the selfish attitudes and practices of their culture into their new lives as Christians. God through the Apostle Paul is not only stating that it’s wrong to sue another believer in court, but unnecessary as well!
Before we look at why it’s wrong, I must highlight an…
Important Distinction: Personal lawsuits versus breaking the law.
The phrase “a grievance against” in verse one, translates three Greek words (a noun, a verb, and a preposition) that were commonly used to indicate a personal lawsuit.
At the end of verse 2 Paul calls them “trivial cases” which also indicates personal lawsuits. Paul calls them “trivial” which means “small or insignificant” which is what the vast majority of lawsuits are, once pride is set to the side. They may not seem trivial to you, but they are in light of eternity.
So Paul is talking about lawsuits rather than breaking the law. When a law is broken, such as the molestation of minors, that person should be reported to the police. The issue is jurisdiction. Jurisdictional boundaries may overlap. For example, someone accused of embezzlement has broken both God’s laws and man’s. The church must help the person guilty of this crime, but he or she must also be brought before the courts.
Paul is not condemning civil authorities in this passage. He appealed to them himself. What He is condemning is believers taking each other to court for matters such as…
1. Disagreements in how to divide up an estate.
2. Slander.
3. Buying a used car that is a lemon.
4. Shoddy workmanship or someone not willing to pay the bill of work done.
5. Etc. the list is endless.
That’s what’s in mind here.
Pause…
Paul then turns our attention toward why we must take personal matters to the church and not the courts…out-of-this-world reasons, for they come from God, not man.
Why should we take each other to church rather than court?
Reason #1: The church can do a better job than the courts.
Paul makes this blatantly obvious in this passage. You ask, how can this be?
First, we have the Word and the Holy Spirit which makes us better equipped to judge matters than unrighteous sinners.
“…does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?”
1 Corinthians 6:1b
This makes perfect sense since we see life in a fuller, richer way. It’s not that courts are necessarily bad. God set up civil government, but unrighteous judges AND juries can’t see 20/20. Actually, some are REALLY BLIND! Our legal system in Illinois is a mess!
EX: I sat in on a jury trial of a woman convicted of drunk driving. This was the second time. During jury deliberations some members of the jury bragged about driving drunk! Others talked openly of their disdain for the police. The vote was 10 to 2 in favor of letting her off…me and a teacher from Quintin Road Baptist voted the other way.
EX: You don’t want the pastor! (Jury selection for malpractice case) When I stated I was a pastor, he whispered to his client, “We don’t want the pastor.” She asked, “Why not the Pastor?” I wanted to say, “I can hear you,” but I kept my mouth shut. Maybe he knew Christians see things in a fuller, more robust manner and maybe his case wasn’t that good.
Second, the courts can’t deal with heart issues that reside at the core of many lawsuits.
The church can. The court process usually fails to deal with the underlying causes of conflict. In contrast, the church can point people to Christ and help them deal with the root causes of their problems. Once issues of sin and personal offense are resolved, the legal issues can often be settled with little additional effort.
Third, the church can offer more complete and effective remedies than a court.
A judge is usually limited to awarding money damages, transferring property, or enforcing a contract. When a dispute is resolved within the church, the parties are encouraged to work together to develop creative solutions that resolve both material and relational issues.”
Ken Sande, Founder of Peacemakers
Ken then gives an example of a farming dispute between three brothers. The church settled the matter and then encouraged the families to get together for a meal once a month and talk about anything but farming. The brothers took their advice, which strengthened their bond.
No civil judge could have ordered these gatherings.
Paul goes on to bolster his case even more:
“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?
1 Corinthians 6:2
This is unbelievable news!
Paul is saying, “Since you will one day sit upon God’s supreme court over the world, aren’t you qualified to judge the small, everyday matters that come up among you?”
Answer: Of course you are!
And please remember Paul is saying this to a bunch of selfish, immature Christians! I can only imagine the implications for those who are mature.
Millennial Reign
I believe Paul is referring to the millennial kingdom that Christ sets up when He returns to earth. The millennial kingdom will not only be comprised of redeemed believers but people born of those who put their trust in Christ during the Tribulation period. Those born during this time period will ultimately need to decide if they will put their full trust in Christ. Sin will be dealt with swiftly because Christ and members of His church will rule over the nations with justice. (Revelation 2:26-27, 3:21; Daniel 7:22)
The Apostles will be granted special authority, ruling from “twelve thrones, judging the tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28), but every believer will participate in some way.
If you don’t want to be ruling over Siberia, rule well now. ?
Just kidding…maybe not.
Paul goes even further! We will not only rule over the inhabitants of earth but that we will…
“…judge the angels”
1 Corinthians 6:3a
We really don’t know what this means. It could mean that we will take part in condemning fallen angels to hell or that we will govern over the affairs of angels.
Like a great lawyer Paul then states that since we see life differently, are going to rule with Christ and also rule over the angels…
“How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases (personal lawsuits) why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?”
1 Corinthians 6:3b-4
Of course the church can do it!
“I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between brothers?”
1 Corinthians 6:5
Paul is being sarcastic! I love it! The Corinthian church was known for boasting about the wisdom, so Paul sarcastically jabs them where it hurts…their pride!
The point is that if two Christian parties can’t agree between themselves, they ought to ask fellow Christians to help settle the matter for them, and then be willing to live by their decision.
He’s saying that even the most uneducated, poorest believer has more resources to speak truth into a dispute than the most trained mediator, lawyer or judge that a secular court can provide.
APP: You can begin by asking the leaders of your community group to assign a few people to mediate or you can approach the elders.
I’ve actually seen cases between members of different churches do this, with each church providing two or three elders to hear the case.
Peacemaker Ministries has trained Christian mediators too.
So, the first reason we should take another believer to church rather than the courts is because we are actually better equipped to settle matters.
Pause
There is another reason…
Reason #2: The reputation of Christ is at stake.
I think this is implied in verse 6…
“but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers.”
1 Corinthians 6:6
The primary benefit of resolving disputes through the church is that it preserves our witness for Christ, which is huge! We must be about the business of glorifying Christ. For this reason alone we should make every effort to resolve disputes outside the courtroom.
When considering a lawsuit in public court, here is a question you must ask yourself…
Would my Master be pleased and honored if I use my time and resources to pursue this matter in court rather than my church?
I’m going to give an awkward pause right now to le that question sink in. (Pause)
T.S. Let me give you one more reason why we should take them to church, not to court…
Reason #3: The church can help you see that everyone loses in a lawsuit.
“To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!”
1 Corinthians 6:7-8
Not only is our witness for Christ defeated but you personally are defeated. No one wins.
Defeated ?tt?µa a deterioration, i.e. failure or loss
You lose before you begin. Even when we are in the legal right, we do not have the freedom to insist upon our legal rights in a public court.
And lawsuits have a way of making us bitter and miserable. Do you see the word, “already” before the word “defeated”? Not only are you defeated before you begin, lawsuits put you in negative territory before you begin! The word “already” in the Greek gives the idea of being in a hole.
You’ve heard the phrase, “digging a hole for yourself,” right? When digging yourself in a hole the best thing you can do is to quit digging.
Abraham Lincoln gave this advice to a class of law students over a century ago:
“Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often the real loser in fees, expenses, and waste of time.”
Abraham Lincoln
And if that’s true for neighbors, how much more between brothers and sisters in Christ!
God tells us here that it’s better to be cheated than to go to court against a believing brother or sister in Christ. When we are wrongfully deprived we need to cast ourselves on the care of God, who is able to work things for His glory.
I know this is difficult to do. You will need to lean into the wisdom of fellow believers to help you see correctly.
Pause
T.S. With these things in mind, let’s look at some contemporary challenges as it relates to applying this passage in 2017.
Exceptions: Contemporary Challenges
So, we’re never to sue a professing brother or sister in Christ? (Repeat)
That is the million dollar question.
Now what I am going to say may sound like I am backtracking a bit but I don’t think that is what Paul is saying…at least it is not the expressed language of the passage. The key operative word in this question is “professing” believer.
Challenge #1: Suits between a member in good standing and one who is not.
Ken Sande says we should not sue persons who are in good standing of a Christian church that is faithful to Scripture. I think that is what Paul is saying.
Listen carefully: Paul was upset because they were suing one another in secular court rather than resolving their disputes with the help of the church. To this he says it would be better to be wronged or cheated than to sue a person who is part of your church—that is someone who is “among you” (verse 5).
Do you see the phrase “among you” in verse 5?
Now think back to chapter 5 and church discipline, which we just covered.
We learned there that a person under church discipline should be excommunicated and treated as unbeliever, until they repent. This takes them out of the church, which means they no longer can receive the privileges that belong to believers (5:9-11). Among other things, this means they no longer qualify as a “brother” who is “among you.” Therefore, I do not think that 1 Corinthians 6 applies to that person, and other Christians are not necessarily forbidden from going to court against him or her.
You can choose to suffer the loss or proceed.
Challenge #2: Getting a settlement from an insurance company.
Now I may not be right but I don’t think they had insurance companies in Corinth.
Since insurance companies will not submit to a decision made by a church, you will need to turn to the courts for a remedy.
Unfortunately, we are often forced to not only sue the insurance company but the brother or sister in Christ, in order to get the insurance company to pay up.
And we need to be careful to not seek excess damages that exceed the coverage of the policy without involving the church.
Challenge #3: Legal requirements for divorce, etc.
Since divorce requires court action, it unfortunately means that the court will have to enter into the picture, but this should be done under the spiritual guidance of the church.
Other issues…
There are too many contemporary challenges to talk through in this sermon. Each case is different. The key thing is to work and submit to the wisdom of your church.
Here’s a final question:
If I sue them will it violate the spirit of 1st Corinthians 6? If so, don’t do it.
Conclusion: Application
Resolving Every Day Conflict…
The best thing you can do is become skilled in resolving everyday conflict. And we just so happen to have a class by that very title taking place in all three of our Community Groups this summer. ?
Remember this: The first price you pay in conflict is usually the cheapest. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Don’t let little things become big things.
Closing story (note to those preaching: I made some minor changes to the wording of this story)
I want to end with a story Harry Ironside, revered pastor of Moody Church, experienced as a boy. Here is the story in his words…
Many years ago as a little fellow I attended a meeting in Toronto where some difficulty had come up between brethren and they did as the apostle suggests. My dear mother took me along . . . and I well remember how horrified I was to see men I esteemed and had been taught to respect apparently so indignant with each other.
I can remember one man springing to his feet and with clenched fists saying,
“I will put up with a good deal, but one thing I will not put up with, I will not allow you to put anything over on me; I will have my rights!”
An old Scotchish brother, who was rather hard of hearing, leaned forward holding his ear and said,
“What was that, brother? I did not get that!”
“I said, I will have my rights,” said the man.
The old man responded:
“You don’t mean that; do you? Your rights? If you had your rights, you would be in hell; wouldn’t you? And you are forgetting - aren’t you? - that Jesus did not come to get His rights, He came to get His wrongs, and He got them.”
I can still see the man standing there for a moment like one transfixed, and then the tears broke from his eyes and he said, “Brethren, I have been all wrong. Handle this case as you think best,” and he sat down, put his face in his hands and sobbed before the Lord, and everything was settled in three minutes.
When in this spirit it is so easy to clear things up; when we bow before the Lord, He straightens them out.
(Stedman: First Epistle to the Corinthians, pp. 184-185)
Communion
The only thing I’d change is that Jesus didn’t come to take His wrongs. He came to take “our wrongs” upon Himself so that we could be right with God. As we move into communion, I implore you to see what Christ has done and is still doing today. And if you have a problem with another believer I actually encourage you to not take communion today. Go to them. Be reconciled and then eat and drink of the table.
