Another Consequence of Divisions: Wrongs and Lawsuits Among Us

Our disunity also leads to the multiplication of wrongs and injustices between us, often motivated by our greed. These wrongs lead to lawsuits among us. To our shame, we look just like the world in this matter!

Another consequence of our disunity is the occurrence of wrongs between us, and of lawsuits resulting from those wrongs. As Paul wrote,

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (NIV)

            Just as in the Corinthian church in Paul’s day, today fraud among Christians is common—so common that the secular world notices it and scoffs at us. For all too many, the church has become a place to find sales prospects or marks to fleece. The secular media, both in news articles and in fiction, is full of the image of the greedy minister who deceives his flock to fleece them. This is not a new problem–Peter described false teachers who had secretly entered the Church in his day, and said of them “in their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories… they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed–an accursed brood.” 2 Peter 2:3 & 14. Lawsuits among believers are also a major problem in the Church today—Christians going to law against each other before unbelievers, like cancer cells, seeking their own rights. As Paul pointed out, none of this would happen if we had proper regard for the Body of which we are a part. We would instead refrain from wronging each other, and would bear the wrongs done us that cannot be settled by the exercise of wisdom inside the Church. But, because we are so divided, that wisdom cannot operate well, and wrongs and lawsuits among us increase, to our great shame. We look just like the world in this matter!

See, also, God Says: Keep it Out of Court.