Read 1 Corinthians 6:1–8

Today’s Scripture: The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. 1 Corinthians 6:7

The church at Corinth was rapidly losing its testimony in the city. Not only

did the unsaved know about the immorality in the assembly, but they were also aware of the lawsuits involving members of the church.

Paul detected three tragedies in this situation. First, the believers were

presenting a poor testimony to the lost. Even the unbelieving Jews dealt

with their civil cases in their own synagogue courts. To take the problems of Christians and discuss them before the “unjust” (1 Cor. 6:1 KJV) and

“unbelievers” (v. 6) was to weaken the testimony of the gospel.

Second, the congregation had failed to live up to its full position in

Christ. Since the saints will one day participate in the judgment of the world and even of fallen angels (vv. 2–3), they ought to be able to settle their differences here on earth.

There was a third tragedy: The members suing each other had already lost (v. 7). Even if some of them won their cases, they had incurred a far greater loss in their disobedience to the Word of God. Better to lose money or possessions than to lose a brother and lose their testimony as well.

Something to Ponder

How do you feel when someone takes advantage of you? What would be a biblical approach to this sort of circumstance?