Lawsuits
Summary
Legal disputes; Paul rebuked the Corinthians for taking fellow Christians to court before unbelievers.
☩Paul's Rebuke
Paul sharply criticized the Corinthians: 'Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?' (1 Corinthians 6:1). He argued that believers, who will judge the world and angels, should be capable of judging matters among themselves (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). Taking lawsuits before unbelievers shamed the church and contradicted their calling.
☩Better to Suffer Wrong
Paul challenged their priorities: 'Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?' (1 Corinthians 6:7). This echoes Jesus' teaching about turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39-40). The willingness to suffer loss rather than damage the gospel witness reflects true Christian values.
Related Verses6 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Lawsuits," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Lawsuits," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).