It’s A Shame!
How Dare You!
Have you ever been wrongly
accused? Have you ever been cheated on in a business venture? Have
you ever been taken advantaged of and suffered a great loss of income as a
result of it? Perhaps you have. Matters like these and similar are
handled in a Court of Law. But where do you go when these types of things
happen to you by someone who claims to be a Brother or Sister in Christ?
Should there be any difference in how you handle your situation? Someone said, “If they do the crime then let them pay the time.” Someone else said, “Payback is a dog.” And yet someone else said “I want justice!” Surely, the world does not have the answer. Take a look at Hollywood – Take a look at the Family Court and you will discover family members suing each other on a regular basis. Since this is the case with the world, why do so many Christians turn to the world? What should be the posture of the Church in this matter?
Paul addresses this issue in his letter to the church of Corinth. I know that this is not going to be pleasant to many of your ears but if you truly desire to please God – you will adhere to His word.
Issue At Hand:
I Corinthians 6:1-8
1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Say, you got a problem that exists between you and a fellow Believer? How DARE YOU take your brother or sister in Christ to the heathens (unsaved – unregenerate – lost – blind – wicked – destitute) 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?
Paul says, you must not know who you are. If no one has ever told you before, God is going to use you in the process of judging the world. Now, since this will be the case, do you not have enough word and wisdom of God in you to judge such small and minute issues?
3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
And another thing – You’re also going to judge angels! Keep in mind that in the book of Hebrews chapter one verse 14 it’s been made clear that angels work for you. Paul is saying in other words “since you are qualified to judge such great matters (spiritual) – the small ones (natural) shouldn’t be an issue.”
4. If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
Here it appears that after Paul again reconfirms the Believer’s ability to judge things pertaining to this life – he assumes that if you walk in love, bearing and forbearing one another, and in forgiveness the person who is least esteemed (less skilled in the word) would be able to discern who’s right and who’s wrong.
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?
It’s a SHAME! You mean to tell me that there is no one in your church or that you fellowship with that has enough Godly wisdom to resolve this matter of dispute you have with your brother?
6. But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
If it sounds like Paul is fussing, I believe you’re right! I feel the same way right now while I’m typing. You should see how hard I’m pecking the keyboard!
The nerve of you taking your family member(s) to court and that before an unbeliever to judge a problem in the family!
Definition: Family Member = Fellow Believers in the Body of Christ
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?
Paul says, you got a problem because of what you’ve done. Why couldn’t you just suffer the wrong? For the sake of peace, although you know that you are not the guilty party, demonstrate the love of Christ. In Matthew chapter 18 verses 21 & 22, Peter asked Jesus a question:
21. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (490 times)
In the process of showing forth the love of Christ, you may have gained a sister or brother.
Let God Handle it! I remember when I was a little boy growing up in a family with 9 siblings. Sometimes there are arguments and sometimes there are fights – and most of the time there were whippings :o)
We were always taught that if a brother or sister hit you - you didn’t hit them back. We were to tell an adult and not try to fix it ourselves! If I took matters into my own hands, both of us would pay the consequences for our actions regardless of who was initially wrong. I believe you got the point.
Remember that there is nothing
that you can lose that God can’t restore unto.
Although the below is a prophetic word to Judah in their repentance, I do believe that it’s also applicable to every believer that has gone through great losses.
For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
8. Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
But no, you rather do wrong for wrong when Jesus said in Matthew 5 verses 38 through 41:
38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Nay Sayers may still be saying BUT that individual deserves to pay for what they’ve done to me!
Ø Feast on the following passage and come to your own conclusion:
Matthew 18:23-35
23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Nowhere in the text does the lord of the servant ask, “What did you do with my money? Did you waste it? Did you gamble it away? NO! Simply, freed him of all his debt through the compassion he had in his heart.
28. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34. And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Here’s one I believe you are very familiar with….
Matt 6:14-15
14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
If you fail to forgive, trust me when I say God will fail to forgive you.
The Ball is in your court and you must make a decision. My final word to you is “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
Remember to pray before entering into any kind of covenant or agreement with anyone – even those who name themselves “Christians”.
Philippians 4:6-7
6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.