Something I’ve Never Seen Done in the Church
Pastor Ed Riddick - Sunday, January 30th, 2005Download MP3
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Introduction:
1. Story of house purchase in Waupaca
Have you ever had a dispute that was so strong that
a. you needed to hire an attorney?
b. you were dragged into court by someone else?
You need an attorney to purchase land.
You need an attorney to write a will.
You might need an attorney to set up a business.
Here he’s talking about how Christians handle disputes between each other. Paul’s B.I. is that we are not to look to the world to solve our problems.
We are to pursue righteousness in the community of believers.
I. The First Problem: Public Lawsuits, 6:1-6
The bottom line: Paul is saying, Be wise!
1 Corinthians 6:1 ” When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?” ESV
Suing each other in pagan courts over such things as
Legal possessions
breach of contract, damages, fraud and minor injuries
Matters civil rather than criminal.
to Paul this was shocking.
They weren’t bringing these before the saints
But before unjust judges
Litigious culture. Common practice used by everyone.
But now there is evidence of widespread corruption in legal proceedings throughout the Roman empire.
Common for there to be inequities in the judicial system that favored those with money.
The poor were not able to challenge the wealthy in the courts.
The upper class were essentially immune from being summoned into court.
Principle: Cases that arise among the people of God ought to stay there. Christians ought to be able to settle their own disputes.
Remember: What is the “Christ way?” Matthew 18:15-20
A. 1st argument against: 6:2-4
1 Corinthians 6:2-4 ” 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?” ESV
“Do you not know” – Paul assumes they know this!
There will be a future judgment of the world: Rom 2:2-12; Rev 20
That judgment will in some way involve us.
Daniel 7:22, 27 ” until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom….And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’” ESV
Luke 22:30 ” that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ” ESV
Revelation 20:4 ” Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” ESV
The judgment of angels
Jude 6 ” And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—” ESV
This is a theological argument
Good theology is needed for right behavior –.
But good theology is not enough.
It takes moral courage to act on the knowledge we have.
So where are we going to get this moral courage?
First, by having a passion to follow Christ.
Second, by imitating other believers.
An argument from the greater to the lesser
Christians will judge the world. Everything else is trivial.
Christians will judge angels. No where in OT or NT. Only here.
So why would you view yourselves as incompetent to judge
relatively trivial matters and the ordinary things of life?
If you are competent to assess angels in the last day
Then, for sure you are competent to make decisions in the
present
If you are going to have such trivial disputes (sarcastically) go ahead, appoint ‘men of little account’ in the church!. (pagan judges)
They have no importance in God’s kingdom.
They have a non-status.
He is shaming them for taking their relatively trivial disputes
into pagan courts.
When we step into a civil court to settle disputes among believers do we realize we’ve stepped into a lower court?
The church before the watching world.
John 13:34-35 ” A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ” ESV
Acts 2:42-47 ” And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. ” ESV
Romans 2:21-24 ” you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”” ESV
By my actions do I bring honor or discredit to my master?
Principle: We need to deal with problems God’s way because the world is watching!
B. 2nd argument against: 6:5-6
1 Corinthians 6:5-6 “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?” ESV
Is it possible there is no one wise enough to judge between you?
Why do we Christians resist the possibility that we can actually appointing the wise among us to decide matters of import to us?
~ Control! No one is going to tell me what to do!
We would even reject the voice of the court if we could.
But there is no way on God’s green earth that another
believer is going to tell me what to do.
~ What business is it of theirs?
We don’t want anyone else knowing our business!
But, we’ll go it alone; we’ll keep it to ourselves, all the while
the sense of ‘family’ and ‘fellowship’ is shattered among us.
~ Maybe we don’t trust them.
Principle: Be wise. Settle the dispute among yourselves.
Story: Conversion; conflict; Separation! Called in to help!
This really works!
II. The Second Problem, 6:7 - The lawsuits themselves are wrong. Be Warned!
You’ve lost the case morally and spiritually even before going to court.
A. There is a better way!
1st argument against: 6:7 Wouldn’t it be better to be wronged?
Better for whom? Christ, His kingdom family, and you.
1 Corinthians 6:7 ” To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” ESV
When you drag another Christian into court you’ve already lost!
Why? By its very nature litigation is adversarial!
But we say, I will not be wronged. I will not be cheated.
I have my rights.
Matthew 5:39-42 ” But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. ” ESV
Why not? Because we are clinging to what isn’t ours anyway.
Is there anything that is really ours.
Does anything really belong to us anyway?
Isn’t part of spiritual growth learning to let go of what we thought
was ours but isn’t?
In following the Lord we may actually need to suffer, be wronged or be cheated! For the sake of the gospel!
One thing you notice about Jesus is that he always had time for the person in true need.
1 Corinthians 4:7 “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?“
Does anything really belong to us?
Are we owners or stewards?
A startling awareness needs to grip us.
Hebrews 13:5-6 ” Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”” ESV
Luke 6:30 ” Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.” ESV
Jesus suffered wrong and did not seek to retaliate or receive compensation from those who treated him wrongly.
How far am I to let go?
Philippians 2:5-8 ” Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” ESV
1 Peter 2:21-23 ” For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” ESV
Radical, counter intuitive and counter cultural!
To honor Christ and for the sake of the gospel, have I given up my rights?
B. 2nd argument against: 6:8-11 – their cheating and wronging each other was incompatible with their new life in Christ.
They weren’t only not resisting evil by taking each other to court.
They were, instead, actually wronging and cheating each other.
These go together.
The court rules unjustly in our favor and we accept it!
“Do not be deceived” – It’s a warning meant to get their attention!
If you practice evil you will be excluded!
Those who profess to be part of the kingdom of God must not fool themselves into thinking they can cheat and wrong others and get away with it.
“There is no assurance that so-called Christians who continually behave like pagans are anything but pagans and the church must affirm this.”
When we act like our old way of living we need to go to the Lord for a check up.
Matthew 7:21 ” “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” NIV
A profession of faith is not necessarily to be received as proof of genuine faith.
1 Corinthians 15:33 ” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”” ESV
Galatians 6:7 ” Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” ESV
Examples: List of wrongs done: 6:9-10
Reminding them of the background of sin from which they came.
“The wicked” = unrighteous, unjust
Sexually immoral (pornea – fornication) = any sexual activity outside
of marriage. Cheating God. Cheating your partners. Cheating
yourself of satisfaction.
Idolaters = those who worship false gods. From money to metal.
Cheating God of what He is due.
Adulterers: those married having sex with others outside marriage.
Cheating your spouse.
Catamites – malakoi = soft, effeminate = those who take the passive role in homosexual relationships.
Sodomites (the active partners in homosexual relationships.)
Arsenokoitai = those who take the active role in homosexual
relationships.
Cheating each other out of their true identity.
Leviticus 18:22 ” You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” ESV
Leviticus 20:13 ” If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” ESV
Thieves – leptai = armed robbery
Cheating them out of money, physical and emotional wellbeing.
Swindlers – harpax – stealing in general.
Radical Transformation!
Washed – deep spiritual cleansing – God-given character
Sanctified – the act of God setting them apart from the world for Himself to be used exclusively to worship and serve Him.
God given status
Justified – God’s act of forgiving and accepting as righteous those who put their faith in Christ.
God given righteousness.
Be consistent!
The Spiritual Solution to disputes in the Body of Christ: remember our identity “in Christ” and live consistently with it.
Sin in our lives is a reality!
But sin in our lives is incompatible with the transformed life God has given us. There is a new reality in Christ that is meant to actually change our reactions to each other and how we hand disputes.
As we are in Christ
So we are to be in our lives.
It isn’t about merit! It is about letting God act freely in our lives.