The Church’s Court Case

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 It is quite obvious to every observer that we live in an orderly universe. While there may be occasions of unusual circumstances like the weather, yet the universe is orderly. So too the human family is to be orderly. In the days of Noah, God established human government. He said man is responsible for man’s conduct. Government is intended by the Lord God to restrain the natural tendency of the human heart. The Bible tells us in Genesis 6:5 that the imagination of man’s heart is “only evil continually.” The Lord is holy and therefore He established human government to restrain the natural tendency of man. Government is required wherever there are people. Even in the primitive societies in the world, people have standards by which they operate. Interpersonal relations are next to God. You see, the Lord said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:37 39). So God expects that in the interpersonal relationships among us, we should be able to relate with decency. The legal profession has received much bashing in recent years because of its greed. If you are hurt, injured, or in some way mistreated, let a lawyer know and he will help you get your share. What actually happens is that the lawyers get their share. The apostle Paul approaches this from a different standpoint. He looks at it from the standpoint of the church. What should church members do in a legal situation? It is true that being a church member does not eradicate the depraved human nature. I know some people teach that you can be completely sanctified on this earth, but if you watch them closely, you will find that they themselves are not really completely sanctified. The depraved human nature expresses itself in various ways. Conflict is sure to come because we are individuals, and when individuals get together, there can be conflict. So notice how Paul deals with this situation in I Corinthians 6:1-11: 1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life. 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 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? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren. 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. In such a controversy Paul lays out several essential DIRECTIONS for the solution of the...