Read 1 Corinthians 6:1–8
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?