1 Corinthians 6:1-11 (NRSV)
When believers disagree
When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? 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 -- to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to decide between one believer and another, but a believer goes to court against a believer -- and before unbelievers at that?
In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud and believers at that.
Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers -- none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Reflection
When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? 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 -- to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to decide between one believer and another, but a believer goes to court against a believer -- and before unbelievers at that?
In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud and believers at that.
Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers -- none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Reflection
This passage always seems a little harsh to me. But I come from a society based around judicial systems making those decisions involving disputes between all sorts of people. Disputes handled in court seem to be the norm. But what if the dispute is between brothers and sisters of Christ within a small community of faith?
We do tend to attempt to handle those disputes within the group inside of the congregation or even within the congregation. Some disputes become larger in nature and involve several congregations or even a portion of the denomination.
These disputes seem best handled with open and honest conversation. By turning to the Word in it's various forms, but especially the Word given to us through the Bible. We listen to one another and wrangle with the issues and make a judgment on the call in faith. We trust that God will guide all parties and individuals through their own hearts to carry out the call of God through the teachings of the Spirit and the actions of God's plan in this world and his Church.
I think the shame comes when we don't turn to one another face to face with the issue at hand, but turn and walk, looking for someone else to judge the matter between us. We are all God's children and we will dispute. We dispute because we love one another and are looking out for each other.
Some day our arguments and disputes will vanish into our common love of Christ and we will clearly see that our differences were minuscule compared to what we have in common with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. We will behold Love in Love's perfect form. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, teach me to see your love in those I meet today. Show me how to open my mind to one that thinks differently than myself. Give me the voice and the words I need to express my stand, but the heart and the compassion I need to listen to another Christian with a different viewpoint. May we see you as our source of life and not let our differences alienate us one from another, but work together in your gracious love, and with you as our sole source of love, to lift high your name in this fallen world... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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