When someone in your assembly has a legal case against another member, do they dare to take it to court to be judged by people who aren’t just, instead of by God’s people? Or don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to judge trivial cases? Don’t you know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary things? So then if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint people as judges who aren’t respected by the church? I’m saying this because you should be ashamed of yourselves! Isn’t there one person among you who is wise enough to pass judgment between believers? But instead, does a brother or sister have a lawsuit against another brother or sister, and do they do this in front of unbelievers? The fact that you have lawsuits against each other means that you’ve already lost your case. Why not be wronged instead? Why not be cheated? But instead you are doing wrong and cheating—and you’re doing it to your own brothers and sisters. Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom. That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:1-11, CEB)
I have to say this is an interesting passage to read and write about.
Do you have a legal case with a member of the community of believers?
And if so who should be judged, someone in the community or outside the community? Of course, Paul says inside, but Paul also says that if you have a legal case against a member of the community of believers you are both already losers.
Because as fellow believers in Christ, we should be looking out for others, not ourselves, and legal cases normally come from us looking out for our own best interests. I “love” seeing all of the commercials about car accidents where people made hundreds of thousands of dollars from an injury. All well and good I guess, but really? What we need is to have the injuries taken care of, not rip off someone so that we can live an easy life.
God is calling us to love others. Not set ourselves up for a cushy life.
Settle. and live in love.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 