February 20, 2014
Central Truth
As believers in Christ, we are called to deny ourselves rather than demand our rights. We need to lean into conflict, see it as an opportunity, and resolve it in obedience to Scripture, for our own sake, and for those around us who are watching.
To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. (1 Corinthians 6:7a)
1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! 1 6:8 Or brothers and sisters
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous 2 6:9 Or wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 3 6:9 The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Before joining the Watermark staff, I spent my days helping clients navigate the litigation process. Usually, by the time I got involved, reasonable dialogue had ended, and the parties were either in the midst of or contemplating litigation. This might come as a shock, but litigation rarely looks like an episode of Matlock, neatly resolved in an hour by a comedic and affable sage. Many times, even if my client prevailed in court, there were significant losses financially, emotionally, and physically.
In this passage, it's even worse, and Paul is hopping mad! These Christians had forgotten who they were in Christ -- undeserving sinful beneficiaries of God's grace and mercy through Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross. They had become vindictive courtroom combatants, bringing their claims in secular courts, taking each other to the cleaners, and all in front of the very people to whom they were supposed to be demonstrating the gospel and offering a different way to live. This was bad for the litigants, for the church, and for the watching world.
While there are certainly times we need to access our legal system, Scripture gives us a clear and better way of resolving disputes between each other (Matthew 18:15-17). The attitude of demanding our rights is diametrically opposed to Christ's teaching (Matthew 5:39-42) and example (1 Peter 2:19-23). As believers, we should view conflict as an opportunity to deny ourselves, to model Christ, to sharpen each other, to obey Scripture, and allow room for God to work. For a great series on this and some handy downloadable tools, click http://www.watermark.org/media/pseudo-christianity-the-result-of-dealing-with-conflict-without-god-in-our-corner/1211/. Whether in war-torn Africa or right here in Dallas, one of the best ways we can demonstrate the gospel is the way in which we respond when we've been wronged.
Today, you will have opportunities to resolve conflict, respond to a hurtful comment from a family member, share your opinion with a co-worker, or give advice to a neighbor. God calls us to model Christ in all of these.
1. Can you think of a specific opportunity you have to respond to conflict in a biblical and loving way?
2. What have you learned when you have handled conflict biblically? How has God used that obedience?
3. How might you act differently if you start reminding yourself that others are watching you?