1 Corinthians 6:1–8—Lawsuits Before Unbelievers

Raef Chenery

1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

1 Corinthians 6:1–8

Court

Lawsuit

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Introduction

Opening Illustration: Feud Online

Every interaction we have in public represents your King. Recently I was scrolling through Twitter and I saw something that surprised me. Two young Christian men that I deeply admire (well known). One of them had said something pretty hurtful about the other one on Twitter. The other one, who usually is the more aggressive guy, said, “Whoah! What did I do to you.” It soon erupted into this comment after comment by other users. Then some nonbelievers came into the thread, and I’m sitting back going, “what a terrible witness this is.” I think these men saw that taking place, and one of them typed in, “Hey, I’m going to call you so we can talk this through.” The next day, a new tweet with the two of them on it, “We were able to talk last night. I said I was sorry, and we encouraged one another in the Lord.”

Personal

Family, Friends, in the church… Handling conflict as Christians is a vital skill to learn. The way we handle conflict ought to be a direct reflection of who we are in Christ, and what our ultimate aim is. Our conflict resolution ought to be radically different than our nonbelieving friends. How do you handle conflict? What do you do when you are wronged? Are you able to see the faults in yourself before seeing the faults in others? When was the last time you said, “I’m sorry” even when the other person was more at fault than you?”

Context

If you recall from our Sermon Series through 1 Corinthians so far, one of the primary themes that Paul has been working through this book has been what we have called Counter Formation. Counter-Formation applies to us as much as it applies to our 1st century counterparts. Throughout this book Paul is reaching into the life and practice of the Church in Corinth and exposing areas where they have become a bit too friendly with the practices of the pagan world around them. And he’s challenged them to live according to their true identity. They are saints of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, filled by the Holy Spirit. Therefore don’t drag the ways of the world into the Church with you, but rather establish entirely new ways of doing things, built upon Christ and His Word. In today’s passage Paul specifically works this idea of Counter-Formation out in light of disagreements, arguments, and lawsuits that might come up among Christians. How are we to behave when these things take place?

Context & Setup of Verse 1

1 Corinthians 6:1 “1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?”

The Situation

Paul is appauled to discover that two Christians from the Church have gotten into such a disagreement with each other that one is suing the other in a public court. The language is quite extreme in this verse when he says, “does he dare to go to law before the unrighteous.” It’s almost as if he is saying, “How dare you think of such an action! The main problem he has is not that disagreements have arisen in the Church. But the problem is that they’re going to nonbelieving courts to get their issues settled.

Biotikos “Matters Pertaining to this Life”

What issues is Paul talking about. In verse 3 he uses a very specific Greek term for the word that is translated “matters” in “matters pertaining to this life.” That term is not referring to criminal cases but to matteres of daily life, the more common, civil cases.

Context of the Corinthian Courts

In order to have the best understanding of this passage, we need a bit of additional background context of Corinth. When Paul gives advice to this Church of how to handle lawsuits, he is not speaking into a vaccuum. The courst and taking others to courts over any number of daily issues were a part of Corinthians culture.

Corinthian Court Was a Public Theatre

Remember that Corinth was in Greece but culturally it was a Roman city. While Roman criminal law was fairly well developed, their civil law was a bit of the wild west. The Corinthian culture was one that celebrated lawsuits as a public theatre. Litigation was a part of everyday life, so much so that public trials had become a form of entertainment in the city that would often draw crowds of up to a thousand spectators. The culture of litigation in Corinth had developed in such a way that going to court was the first response anybody had for any issue with another person. The city had a quite well developed set of rules for who could serve as jurors to help with all the cases.

Corinthians Court Was a Chance to Gain Prestige

Further, it was a way to get prestige in culture. So the wealthy class of the Corinthians would look for excuses to sue others, so as to gain higher standing and higher applauses among the people. It was a popularity contest.

Corinthian Court Was Highly Unjust

Secondly, the courts in Corinth were highly unjust. They favored the wealth and those with prestige. Depending on who you were, who you knew, and how much money you were able to give for a bribe, you could almost get away with anything in these courts. Essentially, the poor almost always had the cards stacked against them. Here are a few examples of writings from that day.

Dio Chrysostom said that the Corinthian courts had, “lawyers innumerable perverting justice.”

Cicero said, “The courts will never convict any man, however guilty, if only he has money.”

Petronius, an author of the time, writes into one of his plays, “Of what avail are laws to be where money rules alone, and the poor suitor can never succeed?… So a lawsuit is nothing more than a public auction, and the knightly juror who sits listening to the case approves, with the record of his vote, something bought.”

In light of all of this, consider with fresh eyes the situation. Within this Church in Corinth, one Christian man is dragging another Christian man to a court. All sorts of questions begin to get asked. What is the motivation for going? Is he intending on using a bribe? Is he seeking justice? Is justice possible?

Into that context Paul gives three reasons why Christians ought to keep minor issues out of public courts. And all three are connected in this fascinating trail of wisdom from Paul.

Reason #1: The Wisdom to Settle the Matter Ought to Be Within the Church Already

The first reason Paul gives is that ‘The wisdom to settle the matter ought to be within the Church already.

1 Corinthians 6:1-3 “1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 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!”

Paul’s First Concern Is Their Low View for Church Authority

Paul makes a case here that is so compelling. His first move here is less about the public court’s ability to discern the issue and come to the right conclusion. His first move is to look inwardly and ask how it is that they have such low regard for the Church’s authority and ability to settle disputes.

We Will Judge the Angels

Verse 2 says that believers are going to judge the world, and verse 3 says that we will judge the angels. What does this mean? The truth is we don’t know the fine tuned details. But what we do know is that after we die, we humans will have the most exalted role in heaven. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, became a man, not an angel. And in the final days we will rule and reign alongside Him. Perhaps we will be involved in the judgment that takes place over fallen angels. The book of Jude speaks a bit about that particular judgment

Jude 6 “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—”

Or perhaps there is some kind of judgment or governance that we will have at the final days over the angels who obeyed and have served him faithfully throughout the millenia. We know that in the end, when God merges heaven with Earth, humans will reign over everything alongside Christ.

His Point: Raise Their Eyes

Paul’s point is not to try to give us all the details of what role we will have in judging the angels. That will remain a bit of a mystery. His point however is to radically raise their sights to their true identity, to what God has called them to. If we will be involved in the judgment of the angels, a task that is so wonderfully bigger than all of us, can we not find the wisdom among us to settle minor disagreements in house? Paul here is not only saying, “There has to be at least one person among you who can settle disagreements.” But he is saying, “Every person among you is capable of this because of what Christ has done and who you are in Him.” Or to look at that same idea from a different perspective, “If we can’t even settle minor disputes in house, do we really think we’re qualified to judge the angels.” When you trusted in Jesus Christ you were given the Holy Spirit to lead you in truth and godliness. He has given you all the wisdom you will ever need to handle any conflict you will ever find yourself in.

Two Questions

Before I give some practical things here let me say a few things about this.

Does this Mean Christians Should Not Be Attorneys

Does this mean that Christians should not be Attorneys? I think the answer is no, not at all. I have repeatedly and regularly made the case that we need strong men and women of character at all levels of society, influencing systems, making systems more just, bringing the personal biblical virtues of a man or woman following after Christ into those spaces.

Does this Mean Crimes Should Not Be Reported

Does this mean Christians should not report crimes to the proper places? Of course we should. The Church is a government unto themselves and as a government has the right to handle internal cases of conflict and disagreement. But when a person claiming to be a Christian commits a crime, that crime must be given over to the correct institutions to handle. I would go even further and say that this text has been used by the church in history to give them permission to cover up crimes and abuse that should have been reported on. Further, Romans 13:1-5 specifically grants the government the responsibility to carry the sword, that is the sword of justice towards the evildoer. What this is saying is that when it comes to minor or civil lawsuits, everything we need to solve those interpersonal problems is in the Church.

Get to the Heart

Allow me to get after our heart for a moment. This passage is talking about law suits, but there is a bigger principle at play here, and that is how a Biblical disagrees with each other. And this passage begs us to remember who we are in Christ when we handle conflict and when we engage in disagreement. We don’t handle conflict the same way that we used to, because we’re not the same people we once were. You are going to judge the angels, so live like it. Here’s a few Biblical principles.

Be a Peacemaker, not just a Peacekeeper: Jesus teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:9 “9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Peacemakers, are not content to let issues bubble and bubble away. When they see a problem, or overhear gossip, or notice something brewing in their marriage, they address it, in love and grace and tenderness. We are not peacekeepers who brush issues under the rug. We make peace where peace is being threatened.

Seek Wisdom From Scripture & from Godly Counsel: Secondly, our wisdom for handling conflict must always be rooted in the Scriptures. And the Scriptures have a lot to say about all the different types of conflict we might find ourselves in. And what the Scriptures have to say is not the same thing you think its going to say. If you don’t know where to turn in Scripture or what wisdom might look like, seek out godly men and women to help you.

Reason #2: Public Lawsuits Among Believers Shatters Our Testimony

Now this actually flows well into his second reason not to go to court. That is that public lawsuits & disagreements among believers shatters our testimony to the watching world.

1 Corinthians 6:4-6 “4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 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?”

Our ESV Translation

I believe verse 4 could be the linchpin of this entire section, and what’s fascinating is that our ESV translations do not do justice to the wording. In fact, I think its a poor translation. Our ESV translation sounds like the Apostle is simply saying, “Why do you bring matters between two Christian to secular law courts to work out?” Well, the problem is that, as many scholars have noted, that’s not really what it says. There are a few ways to interpret this text that gets you close to that idea, but I think they have problems. I think there is a better and more accurate translation that will deeply effect our understanding of this passage.

Verse 4 - A Better Interpretation

Alternatively, you could read this sentence as an Imperative. It would sound like this, “If you have minor cases, those who are disdained in the Church, set them on the bench!” Now that’s interesting. Grammatically from the Greek, this translation actually is more compelling. What that translation would mean is that if there is a minor case, take the lowliest Christians from your community, those who are perhaps would naturally pick to the be the person to arbitrate civil matters, and have them decide the issue. And show the world around you the wisdom of the Church by having the lowliest Christian among you judge your cases.

Can You Imagine The Testimony This Would Be

This fits in with what Paul just said, namely that every follower of Christ is one day going to judge the angels, even the weakest among us, thats our destiny. He’s saying, “imagine what kind of testimony that would be to the outside world, when they look in and they see solve our disputes by having our lowliest members sit as judges.” One commentator said it this way,

“His point is not that the church should hide its dirty linen from the eyes of outsiders, but that they should grasp the opporutnity to demonstrate the power of grace to non-believers by resolving such disputes themselves… The world needs to see grace at work.”

Transition: Some of you Might Be Thinking

Now, some of you might be thinking what I thought when I first read that interpretation. Maybe you’re thinking, that sounds nice but what if they get it wrong. What if its a big deal and I end up suffering wrong because we put somebody over the case that was not a great judge over the case.

Reason #3: Christians are Prepared to Suffer Wrong for the Glory of Christ

Third reason Paul gives. Christians are prepared to suffer wrong for the glory of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:7-8 “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!”

Every Person Has a Telos

Every person has a telos, an end and ultimate objective of their life. Whether you have written it down or not, that end purpose exists, it drives you. It informs your decision making, it informs the way you treat others, and it informs how you handle difficult circumstances. Most people have never taken the time to really think through what their ultimate end and purpose is.

To Succeed: For some people, their ultimate drive is to succeed. They want to be prosperous, create wealth, have some level of prestige in the eyes of others. If this is your ultimate objective, then when you get into conflict, you’ll be looking for any way possible to save face, to come out on top.

To Keep the Peace: Maybe some of you are peacekeepers. And the ultimate objective for you is to just get along and try to help others get along, not ruffle feathers. And for when conflict arises, you don’t want to deal with it, you want to bury it, pretend it will simply go away.

Carnal Pleasure: For some of you perhaps you take after the famous Epicurious, and your ultimate end is pleasure. You’re here to have as good a time as possible. And all your decisions, all your interactions ultimately serve that end. Of course we know, that those who simply follow the pleasure principle go down very dark and lonely places very quickly as did most of the Epicureans before us.

The Christian Telos: The Gospel

Paul says,

1 Corinthians 6:7 “7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you...

What does he mean that it is a “defeat for you?” That means that for a Christian having a lawsuit with another believer is already undermining the ultimate thing they’re supposed to be about. It’s conflicting with their telos, with their ultimate goal and aim. Your sabatoging yourself! What is the Christian Telos? A Christian has a wildly different perpective on what we are aiming to accomplish with our life. A Christian has decided to follow Jesus in every way. A Christian has died to themselves. That means that they have seen the level of depravity and sin in their own life, and they forefeited their own life, in order to gain a new life in Jesus. A Christian has believed by faith that Jesus is both Lord and Savior. Savior, because he died on the cross for our sin, He shed his blood that our sinful ways and sinful purposes for our could be forgiven in full. Lord, because he we confess that He truly is the one that we want to please. He calls the shots. We’re not aiming to please ourselves, but we’re aiming to please the one who loved us enough to die for us.

Why Not Be Defrauded

Well if that is our end game, if that’s our purpose? What better says to the world, look at God that I serve? Does it better serve the world to take a minor case as two Christians into the eyes of the public so they can see two Christians who can’t figure out how to solve their problems? Or, does it better serve the world to lose a minor case, lose some money, maybe prestige in the eyes of the world, but the world doesn’t get a weak or bad taste in their mouth about Christians.

Cultural Lie: We Want Justice

This passage I believe has sought to reveal the motivation with which we handle conflict. If we’re honest, a lot of the same motivations that plagued the Corinthians in the 1st century, can easily be found in our own heart. Prestige. In our own little ways, when we are wronged, we like to show it to the world. We like to speak of how someone wronged us for the purpose of gaining sympathy points. Some are driven by an eye for an eye. We want things set right. Jesus has something to say about this. And when Jesus said these words he was not speaking about criminal issues that were to be handled in the courts. He was looking at individuals, at how we live the law out. He said

Matthew 5:38-42 “38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 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. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

These principles that I am sharing are woven throughout the entire Bible, they are not new. We want individual justice, but Jesus calls us to something far greater. He calls us to Mercy. Jesus calls us to take our eyes off ourselves entirely. He calls us to have a new aim in life that wil radically change how you engage with each other, especially those of faith here in this Church. That new aim is that the name of Jesus would be exalted among you.

Closing

Permit me to close with an application. I want you to think about the Christians in your life that perhaps you are in some level of disagreement with, some level of frustration with. How are you handling that conflict? God has not called you to complacency in these areas. He’s given you the Holy Spirit. He’s equipped you with the Word of God. He’s given you a Church full of wisdom...

You can’t rub it in their face.

you can’t hold it against them.

you can’t keep score.

This is what Christ has done for you,

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