I’ll see you in court!

1Corinthians 6: Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate.

One of the bones Paul has to pick with the Corinthians is that some of them have taken fellow Christians to court. He’s shocked, disgusted, and angered that Christians would drag their disagreements to court to be judged by non-believers. For one thing, it undermines the influence of the gospel. For another, it surrenders God’s way in favor of man’s way. Paul labels this action as “stupid.” This, he declares, isn’t the way Christians are to behave. Someone might respond that it’s the only way they can get justice. The Apostle says that being wronged is better than wounding the cause of Christ. It’s on this point that he makes his most powerful argument on this topic: an action might be legal but that doesn’t make it appropriate for God’s people. Out in the world filing a lawsuit might be considered business as usual, but among God’s people doing such a thing is inappropriate. I think it’s sad that Christians ever part ways. We’re supposed to be branded by our love for one another. If it happens though, we aren’t to handle things the world’s way. As Paul points out, surely there’s someone in the body of Christ that both sides respect. Surely they can turn to them for help in straightening things out. If not, sometimes it’s better to take the short end of the stick and trust God with the long term results. I feel compelled to add here that there are times when Christians are dragged into court against their will, or must seek justice in their dealings with non-believers. At such times we have every right to defend ourselves and seek justice in every legal way possible. In fact, Paul does that in the book of Acts. Even then, though, he concludes that his current legal problems are being used of God to advance his Kingdom. Again, though, just because something’s legal that doesn’t mean that, for the believer, its right.

Take Away: God’s people follow a higher way.