The Church house in the Courthouse

A father overheard a commotion outside the window. He looked out the window and saw that it was his little girl playing with some friends. Their voices got louder and louder and more heated and argumentative. The dad pushed the window open and said, "You girls stop that fighting." His little girl looked up and said, "But, Daddy, we were just playing Church."

Tragically, in some Churches, you would get the impression that fighting is what Church is all about. You would have got that impression from the Church at Corinth. We have already seen in chapter one there was division and factions in the Corinthian Church. Now in chapter 6, Paul addresses another form of Church division and dissension. There were those in the Church of Corinth that were not getting along with each other and they were actually taking each to court over the matter. In verse 6 he spoke of "brother goeth to law with brother."

Paul said in verse 1, "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?" The word "matter" used in verse 1 speaks of a matter for litigation. The Church-house was ending up in the courthouse. Christians were suing one another.

What was so disturbing to Paul was that they were settling their disputes "before the unjust" (Vs.1). The word "unjust" speaks of those that were unsaved. They were taking the problems of the Church-house down to the courthouse for pagan judges to settle. They were airing out their dirty laundry before a lost world. In verse 6 he says they were going before "unbelievers."

Paul was shocked at what they were doing. He says in verse 1, "Dare any of you." It is like Paul is saying, "How dare you do such a thing?" He couldn't believe that they had stooped so low to take a brother to court, and on top of that, let people who were unsaved settle their disputes.

When Paul considered what they were taking each over to court over, it made it even more shocking. In verse 2 he uses the phrase "smallest matters." The words that he used are a superlative degree of small. The things they were fighting over were trivial matters. They were fighting over insignificant things. The issues were minor, not major. Yet these believers were taking each other to court over such petty matters.

In essence, in chapter 6, Paul told these Corinthians believers the Church-house had no business being in the courthouse. They had no business settling the problems they were having in the Church before a lost world.

Now many have misunderstood Paul's words and taken them to mean that a Christian should never go to court. That is not what he was teaching. There are certain matters that can only be settled in court. A landlord may have to take a person to court to collect what is owed him; a businessman may have to go to court to protect himself from a lawsuit; a property owner may have to go to court to protect what is his or his rights, etc.

Several years ago a drunk hit my car. He had no insurance or license. To top it off, he fled from the scene of the accident. My insurance covered everything but eventually I had to go to court and testify about what happened.

Paul is not saying that a Christian should never hire a lawyer, go to court, and have a matter settled by the courts of the land. We read in Acts 25:11 that Paul himself appealed to the court of the land over his personal rights. What Paul is talking about is taking Church problems to court and letting the courts settle those issues. Church problems are not to be solved legally but spiritually.

Let's notice our text and learn more about what Paul was saying. First, we see:

1. AN IMPROPER BEHAVIOR!

As you read the passage it very obvious that Paul condemns what they are doing. He condemns their behavior in light to two things. In the first we see:

A. THE SOLUTIONS THEY SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED.

Again notice verse 1, "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?" Paul declares that such matters should have been handled by the "saints" and not by the "unjust." Legal matters are to be handle legally, but spiritual matters are to be handled spiritually. Their problems were not to be solved by the laws of the land but by the law of the Lord. Their problems were a matter for the "saints" to settle.

In verse 2 & 3, Paul reminded these believers of a future role they will serve. He says in verse 2, "Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?" Then in verse 3, "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" Now I confess to you that I don't understand all that is implied by Paul, but one day in the future all those that are saved will serve as a judge over this world and even angels. As believers in Christ we have a lofty destiny. One of the roles in which we will serve during the millennial reign of Christ on this earth is that of a judge. I am not only "Saint Trivette," but one day I will be "Judge Trivette."

This is the point Paul was making. If one day the saints are going to judge the world and angels, they ought to be able to judge the petty problems that often come up between believers. He says in verse 2, "…if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" He adds in verse 3 that since we will one day judge angels, "how much more things that pertain to this life?" If we are to going to handle the things that pertain to the future, we ought to be able to handle the things that pertain to this life.

Notice carefully verse 4: "If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church." In simple words Paul was saying, "Let the Church, not the courts, take care of your problems." The word "judge" speaks of giving a decision. If there are those in the Church that are not getting along, the Church is to make a decision about the matter and those involved are to accept that decision.

Paul speaks of those who are "least esteemed in the Church." The word translated "least esteemed" means "to make light of, despise, to be contemptible." He was saying that those who are insignificant in the Church can be a better judge and render a better decision concerning such matters than the courts of the land. Paul was saying, "You don't need legal qualifications. You need spiritual qualifications." Secondly, we see:

B. WE SEE THE SHAME THEY SHOULD HAVE FELT.

Paul says in verse 5, "I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? No, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" Paul was saying, "You ought to be ashamed at how you have been behaving." There were several reasons they should have been ashamed.

They should have been ashamed at the fact they could not get along with one another. They also should have been ashamed that they were taking one another to court. And most of all, they have been ashamed that there was no one mature enough, spiritual enough to be able to pass judgment on their problems and come to a wise decision about such thing.

They were strutting around, "puffed up," so full of pride and Paul says, "I can't believe there is no one in the Church that can't help you settle such petty matters." It was a rebuke to their pride, their carnality, and to the leadership of the Church. It was a sad indictment on the Corinthian Church as well as any Church when members can't get along and no one has the spiritual discernment to help them get along. Such behavior ought to be an embarrassment to any Church.

Lawyers Lynn R. Buzzard and Laurence Eck estimate that in one medium-size metropolitan area, 8,000 cases each year involve persons on both sides of legal disputes who call themselves Christians, with legal fees reaching perhaps $12 million.

Leslie B. Flynn in his book, "When the Saints Come Storming In" writes: "Suing has become a way of life for Americans. Twenty times as many lawyers practice in the U.S.A. as in Japan. America has over ten times as many civil complaints as many European nations. This practice has not escaped the Christian community. Churches are entangled in legal battles with other churches. Prominent Christian musicians and composers have brought suit against thirty Christian radio stations. Churches and denominational headquarters have gone to court over church property. A couple brought suit against the Southern Baptist Convention, the nations largest Protestant group, alleging that the denomination's president violated its bylaws by refusing to permit nominations from the floor for an important committee."

How sad! How tragic! How unscriptural! Paul says, "Disputes between believers are not for the courthouse but the Church-house. Furthermore, notice that in their actions not only an improper behavior, but also we see:

2. AN INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR!

In verse 7 Paul says, "Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another." The word "fault" was a word used to speak of a defeat in court. Paul was speaking of more than a defeat in court or losing a case. There was much more they were losing.

As Paul dealt with this loss, we see:

A. THE LOSS PAUL REBUKED.

Notice verse 6, "But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers." Now in our day it is not unusual to have lawyers and judges that are Christians. It is not unusual to have Christians that are members of a jury. But in Paul's day, at Corinth, that was an unheard of thing. It was for that very reason that Paul was so disturbed about their behavior. They were going before unsaved people with their church problems. In those days, a jury could have been composed of from several hundred to several thousand jurors.

They were not only airing their dirty laundry before an unsaved judge, argued by unsaved lawyers, but possibly before hundreds of unsaved jurors. Paul was declaring that they were losing their testimony before those that were unsaved.

Imagine two of the Corinthians members going before a judge to settled a dispute they were having. Then on visitation night one of the party went by the judges home. Do you think that church member or church would have much of a testimony?

Oftentimes when there is a dispute among believers the last thing they think of is their testimony. When we fuss, fume, and fight among ourselves it is detrimental to our testimony. When it comes to our testimony, it is one of the most valuable commodities a Christian has. If our testimony is lost, we have lost our edge on our sword. We have lost the most effective means of winning others to Christ.

Will Rogers said: "Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."

Paul rebuked them for the terrible testimony they were leaving before the world. Because their testimony was so important, we see:

B. THE LOSS PAUL RECOMMENDED.

In verse 7 Paul recommended a course of action that would not be popular among many believers. He says, "Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?" Paul was saying that regardless of who won in court, both sides actually lost or were defeated. For that reason, Paul said it was better to suffer ill treatment and injustice than to ruin their testimony. The word "defrauded" means "to rob." Paul was saying that it would be better to suffer the loss of financial and materials things than the loss of spiritual things.

For some that would be a hard pill to swallow. You say, "Preacher, you mean I should just accept what happened and let it go?" That is exactly what Paul was saying. The underlying conclusion was to let the Lord take care of it.

I read about a man who lent another Christian some money. He was having trouble getting the man to pay the money back. He talked to him about the matter and still he would not pay the money back. He went to the deacons and they talked to the man, but still he wouldn't pay. Finally one day, the man who had borrowed the money received a receipt in the mail for the money he had borrowed. Surprised, he called the lender and asked why he had sent him a receipt since he had not paid the money back?" The lender said, "I did everything I could to get you to pay the money back. So I talked the Lord about it, told Him about the situation, and He said He would pay me back and collect from you."

You say, "I don't know if I can do that?" I ask you, "What do you value the most? Your testimony or getting even?"

Finally, we see:

3. AN INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR!

Their behavior was improper and injurious, but it was also inappropriate considering who they were. First, Paul explains that they were the:

A. BODY OF CHRIST.

Paul says in verse 8, "Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren." Paul said, "This is your brother you are taking to court." They were members of the family of God and Body of Christ.

Someone has written:

To dwell above
With saints we love
That will be glory.
But to dwell below
With saints we know,
That is a different story.

All who have been saved are a spiritual family. As brothers and sisters we should love one another instead of hurting one another.

Secondly, Paul explains that they are:

B. BELIEVERS IN CHRIST.

Notice verses 9-11, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor coveteous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Paul describes the lifestyles from which many of the Corinthian believers had been saved. He says to them, "You are not the person you used to be. You have a new life with a different set of values and convictions. You are not acting like who you are."

Why should we get along with one another? Why should we be willing to suffer loss? It is because we are children of God. We have been washed, sanctified, and justified.

Should the Church-house end up in the courthouse? Absolutely not! There is too much at stake and it is not reflective of who we are in Jesus Christ.