Dealing With Disputes

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? ⁵ 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. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men  nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were. 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. I Corinthians 6:1-11

A Christian brother has swindled you. How do you deal with it? Do you take it to civil court? And further humiliate the Body of Christ before the world? Really? We, the Church, will judge the world. Surely we are competent to judge trivial disputes between the brethren. Let’s not embarrass ourselves by airing our personal or business disagreements in the courts of the worldlings. These things should not happen, but if they do, we should find a way to work it out together.

The Corinthians were suing each other in public court! Not good. It would be better to accept a wrong, to be cheated, practicing the humility our Lord practiced and taught. Why would a Christian cheat his Christian brother, or anyone else for that matter? That behavior belongs in the category of natural human lusts: fornication, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, thievery, greed, drunkenness, slander and swindling. Characteristics of unrighteousness. Those natural human lusts are not going to make it into heaven. The Greeks and Romans actually incorporated much of this lasciviousness into their pagan worship practices. Many came out of that kind of culture, but are now New Creations IN CHRIST. They were cleansed by the blood atonement of Jesus. They were set apart unto Him. They were declared righteous in God’s eyes. These worldly attitudes and behaviors do not define the Body of Christ! Stop it! Walk away from it and let the Holy Spirit control your life. There are no material things as important as the gospel of Jesus Christ, which we are called to declare to the world.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.  You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!  Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. I Corinthians 6:12-17

The act of sex as designed by God joins two bodies in perfect unity. The parts were fashioned and formed to connect in that way, in the physical act of coitus as an expression of love and belonging. The natural result of such unions brings forth children, conceived by the act of coitus, and literally blending the flesh of the two partners. Male and female. It cannot fulfill God’s design any by any other combination. There is great spiritual symbolism in this design. Mankind, in his all-consuming lust, has distorted and corrupted this wonderful illustration of Christ and His Church; but human and demonic distortion of it does not change the glory of God’s original creation. The cultists and antagonists and atheists and worldlings of all categories who are in constant rebellion against God’s perfect order have perverted this characteristic of humanity for their own salacious lusts, and try to justify themselves by citing the love of Christ.

We who are born again belong to Jesus Christ. We are part of His Body. To fornicate with a prostitute or any other besides one’s legitimate spouse is to defile the Body of Christ. Our sexual behavior is very serious business. There is much more to it than simply satisfying an appetite.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. I Corinthians 6:18-20

Where the Holy Spirit indwells is a temple. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are purchased by the Blood of Christ, and are not our own. Sexual sins bring specific consequences which can be quite dreadful, in the physical sense, and also very shameful when publicly known. Sexual sins are against our own bodies, to be sure, but they also involve others, and defile their bodies, too.

The people of God are expected to honor Him with our whole being. Our bodies communicate who and what we are. Our bodies as well as our souls and spirits belong to Jesus Christ for eternity.