Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: April 6, 2008
BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER – GOING TO LAW AGAINST
A BROTHER
Ben Justice
The church at Corinth was riddled with problem after problem. Their problems are summed
up in a number of passages, but one passage that really pinpoints their problems is I Cor.
3:3 — “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions,
are ye not carnal, and walk as men.” One such problem is seen in I Cor. 6:1-8, where they
were dragging each other into pagan courts instead of settling their differences among
themselves.
Paul issued a rebuke in verse 1 and 8. He opened up with this stinging rebuke — “Dare
any of you.” As verse 1 indicates, when a brother had a matter against another brother,
they were taking them to law before the unjust and not before the saints. These matters
are things that pertained to this life (v. 3), but they were “small matters” (v. 2). The term
“unjust” (v. 1) is from a word also translated “unrighteous” in the NT. Paul does not mean
to say that the courts of the world would never render a righteous or correct verdict, but he
was drawing a contrast between those of the world, characterized as “unjust,” with those
who are Christians, characterized as “saints” (v. 1).
In verse 8, we see another rebuke by Paul — “Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your
brethren.” We must address this question at this point: Are the statements made by Paul
absolute or relative? In other words, is there ever a situation in which the Christian has
authority to take another brother to court? If this is an absolute precedent, then there is
never any occasion when a Christian could utilize the legal process to deal with a kinsman
in Christ? In Matt. 19:9, Jesus authorized the granting of a divorce on the basis of a
fornicating mate. This is a legal procedure. A Christian wife could take her adulterous
husband to law for the obtaining of a divorce if she met the provisions of Matt. 19:9. Thus,
here is an exception.
In Rom. 13, Paul taught that God has ordained civil powers for society’s protection. It is
right, therefore, to use this tool in the pursuit of justice. What if you sold your house to a
brother and he refused to pay? Could you not go to law to settle the matter? As one writer
put it,
A person is not exempt from the demands of civil law simply because he or she is a Christian. No Christian has
the right to break the law, or to abuse the rights of others, and then claim immunity from prosecution on the
ground: “You can’t touch me; I’m a member of the church.” Any view of I Corinthians 6, therefore, that opens
such a floodgate, and accommodates the abuse of Christians, is wrong — very wrong.
The writer then sets forth some questions in this regard:
Is the wrong I have suffered relatively petty, or is it significant, i.e., disruptive to my life, damaging to my family,
etc.? Is there any way to settle the matter without displaying the discord between Christians before an
unbelieving world? Is the controversy a matter of mere personal loss, or does it involve lawbreaking that could
injure others indefinitely, and permit a continued abuse at the hands of unspiritual people?
(“First Corinthians 6 — No Shield for Lawbreakers,”
www.christiancourier.com).
In verses 2-4 & 6, Paul set forth the reasons. First, it was unreasonable (v. 2-3). In
verses 2-3, Paul spoke of saints judging the world and angels. Although there are several
views regarding what this means, it is my conviction that saints judge the world and angels
through the righteous standards they have valued and obeyed. Because it is the case that
saints judge the world and angels, then why can’t they judge or settle these “small
matters.”
The second reason given is because it was before the unrighteous (v. 4, 6). In verse 4, the
KJV has “least esteemed” while the ASV has “no account.” This phrase is equivalent with
“unbelievers” (v. 6). and “the unjust” (v. 1). For the most part, unjust and worldly judges
don’t care about the church’s affairs. They don’t hold to the highest ethical and moral
standards that the church does. So why do Christians want to carry their matters before
them? It is a real shame and tragedy that some Christians want to air and vent the
problems of the church before those of the world. The late Bill Jackson summed it up as
follows:
The courts are operated by unbelievers! Again, the shame of two of God’s children, proposing to follow God
and to treat His will as the supreme rule of life, and now, when a difference occurs, these cannot settle it by
the will of the Lord! Rather, they go into a foreign, hostile, and non-spiritual environment, and have the right-
and-wrong determined by those who don’t even believe in God! (Commentary on I Corinthians, Pg. 50).
In verses 5 & 7, Paul set forth the remedy. First, according to verse 5, the matter can be
settled (cf. Matt. 18:15-17; Acts 6:1-3).
Second, one can suffer the wrong (v. 7). Sometimes, it is better to be wronged that to
bring scandal and hurt upon the church. One might win a lawsuit, but is it worth it at the
expense of the church’s character? Several years ago a lady in Oklahoma sued the church
because they had withdrawn fellowship from her. This made national attention, with the
result of Garland Elkins going on the Phil Donahue Show to defend what the Bible teaches
about corrective church discipline. Similarly, I have known of many members of the church
to vent and air the church’s problems before an unbelieving world that is just looking for
an excuse to ridicule the Lord’s church. If brethren have no more love for the Lord and for
their brethren than this, then they are in a pitifully weakened spiritual state.