LET IT GO
DAY 169: In the last chapter we read in 1 Corinthians, Paul called on believers to be harsh in dealing with persistent sin among other believers in the church. He told us not to tolerate those who live lives persistently characterized by sinfulness, but to apply that standard only to other believers. This idea of "tough love" did not apply to those outside faith in Christ. As Paul put it, "You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that."
Until someone has the spirit of God residing in his or her life, it is pointless to make behavior the issue. However, for Christians, behavior is expected to line up with faith. That was tough teaching, since we have a tendency to go the other way. We want to show grace to the believer and judgment to the unbeliever. Tough or not, it says what is says; there is a higher standard for those who claim Christ as Savior. It's not a salvation issue anymore; its a submission issue. I'll confess, that teaching collides with my personal inclination to accept all believers and wag my finger at the lost who act lost.
Even as I wrestle with where I need to adjust to the Biblical teaching, Paul tosses another hard ball in today's passage. Here it comes:
Wow, Paul; how do you really feel about this? There might have been a day when this kind of teaching didn't apply to the majority in the church, but now we live in a very litigious society. Every one sues every one over just about anything. Last year alone a man sued a couple that he kidnapped for not helping him evade police. A woman's adult children sued her for sending cards to them without gifts included. One mother sued a famous pizza place for having games that she claimed encourage kids to gamble. We are Americans; its our right to sue the socks off others - literally. One family sued their daughter's school over the right to wear Tigger socks. The likelihood that believers will be involved in legal disputes, has risen exponentially. So, as usual, the Bible speaks to another relevant issue of the day.
Paul's conclusion, however, is hardly what you would call mainstream. "Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you," he says. That one sentence makes it clear that Paul is not concerned with who wins or loses such disputes, because even having them he declares to be "a defeat." Paul changes the argument from the content of a court case to the context of the dispute, "having it right in front of unbelievers." To Paul, the greater damage is not loosing or being cheated, it's shaming the name of Christ in the public arena as the bonds of unity get shattered between believers. Perhaps he was thinking of Jesus' words, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35
So here is his advice, if you can't work it out using the wisdom and guidance from other believers, LET IT GO!
7 Why not
just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves
be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.
He puts the narrow issue in a much broader context for those of us who get caught up in our right to be right, by reminding us the the most important judgment we will ever deal with has already been decided.
11 ...you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
It comes full circle back to his beginning argument and plea: 2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.
This is hard stuff. Already most of us read that and think of exceptions that surely apply, myself included. The implications are so much bigger than "court cases". So I am working not to miss the forest for the trees. The principal Paul is urging the Corinthians and us to embrace is UNITY. The unity of believers is the witness to the world that the saving work of Christ is true. Disunity among believers gives the world one more reason to dismiss the truth of Jesus Christ as the peacemaker between God and man.
So, am I willing to seek unity, even at a cost to myself - not just in court, but in everyday life and relationships. Paul's question rings loud: v7 Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that?
In other words, can't we all just get along as a way to light the path for those who are lost? That's what I think Paul would call a win/win situation even if it means taking a loss now.
Ezra 10
1 Corinthians 6
Psalm 31:9-18
Proverbs 21:3
Until someone has the spirit of God residing in his or her life, it is pointless to make behavior the issue. However, for Christians, behavior is expected to line up with faith. That was tough teaching, since we have a tendency to go the other way. We want to show grace to the believer and judgment to the unbeliever. Tough or not, it says what is says; there is a higher standard for those who claim Christ as Savior. It's not a salvation issue anymore; its a submission issue. I'll confess, that teaching collides with my personal inclination to accept all believers and wag my finger at the lost who act lost.
Even as I wrestle with where I need to adjust to the Biblical teaching, Paul tosses another hard ball in today's passage. Here it comes:
1 Corinthians 6: 1 When
one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a
lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking
it to other believers! 2 Don’t
you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since
you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little
things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 6 But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!
7 Even
to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Wow, Paul; how do you really feel about this? There might have been a day when this kind of teaching didn't apply to the majority in the church, but now we live in a very litigious society. Every one sues every one over just about anything. Last year alone a man sued a couple that he kidnapped for not helping him evade police. A woman's adult children sued her for sending cards to them without gifts included. One mother sued a famous pizza place for having games that she claimed encourage kids to gamble. We are Americans; its our right to sue the socks off others - literally. One family sued their daughter's school over the right to wear Tigger socks. The likelihood that believers will be involved in legal disputes, has risen exponentially. So, as usual, the Bible speaks to another relevant issue of the day.
Paul's conclusion, however, is hardly what you would call mainstream. "Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you," he says. That one sentence makes it clear that Paul is not concerned with who wins or loses such disputes, because even having them he declares to be "a defeat." Paul changes the argument from the content of a court case to the context of the dispute, "having it right in front of unbelievers." To Paul, the greater damage is not loosing or being cheated, it's shaming the name of Christ in the public arena as the bonds of unity get shattered between believers. Perhaps he was thinking of Jesus' words, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35
So here is his advice, if you can't work it out using the wisdom and guidance from other believers, LET IT GO!
7 Why not
just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves
be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.He puts the narrow issue in a much broader context for those of us who get caught up in our right to be right, by reminding us the the most important judgment we will ever deal with has already been decided.
11 ...you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
It comes full circle back to his beginning argument and plea: 2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.
This is hard stuff. Already most of us read that and think of exceptions that surely apply, myself included. The implications are so much bigger than "court cases". So I am working not to miss the forest for the trees. The principal Paul is urging the Corinthians and us to embrace is UNITY. The unity of believers is the witness to the world that the saving work of Christ is true. Disunity among believers gives the world one more reason to dismiss the truth of Jesus Christ as the peacemaker between God and man.
So, am I willing to seek unity, even at a cost to myself - not just in court, but in everyday life and relationships. Paul's question rings loud: v7 Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that?
In other words, can't we all just get along as a way to light the path for those who are lost? That's what I think Paul would call a win/win situation even if it means taking a loss now.
Ezra 10
1 Corinthians 6
Psalm 31:9-18
Proverbs 21:3
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