Bible Questions
Answered:
“Ok here it is, I borrowed one of my
cars to a cousin, who trashed it over the weekend. He says he hasn't
got the money to repair or replace it. So I told him I am taking him
to small claims courts. But my wife is after me saying that church
people are not to put anyone to court---What?.....”
Randy/ New York, New York U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Yes, that is right!
I Corinthians 6:1-9 MSG (The Apostle Paul.)
1-4 And how dare you take each other
to court! When you think you have been wronged, does it make any
sense to go before a court that knows nothing of God’s ways instead
of a family of Christians? The day is coming when the world is going
to stand before a jury made up of followers of Jesus. If someday you
are going to rule on the world’s fate, wouldn’t it be a good idea
to practice on some of these smaller cases? Why, we’re even going
to judge angels! So why not these everyday affairs? As these
disagreements and wrongs surface, why would you ever entrust them to
the judgment of people you don’t trust in any other way?
5-6 I say this as bluntly as I can
to wake you up to the stupidity of what you’re doing. Is it
possible that there isn’t one levelheaded person among you who can
make fair decisions when disagreements and disputes come up? I don’t
believe it. And here you are taking each other to court before people
who don’t even believe in God! How can they render justice if they
don’t believe in the God of justice?
7-8 These court cases are an ugly
blot on your community. Wouldn’t it be far better to just take it,
to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? All you’re doing is
providing fuel for more wrong, more injustice, bringing more hurt to
the people of your own spiritual family.
9-11 Don’t you realize that this
is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will
not be joining in His kingdom..."
The Apostle Paul,
was upset with the Corinthian Christians. And the reason was,
Christians were taking other Christians to the Roman Courts.
Roman Courts, that
the Apostle called, heathen.
Heathen judges,
laughingly must have thought to themselves, “Why these Christ
loving Christians, cannot even tolerate each other!”
Romans 14:7,8
NLT
7 For we don’t live for ourselves
or die for ourselves.
8 If we live, it’s to honor The
Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor The Lord. So whether we live or
die, we belong to The Lord.
Christian, we don't
just live for ourselves! We are to be living for Christ. And what we
do, affects all those around us.
If we do as the
Corinthians do, what would other Christians say and do? Why they
would follow in suite!
And to do so, would
“not,” be the mind of Christ!
Philippians
2:3-8 KJV (The Apostle Paul.)
3 Let nothing be
done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every
man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself
of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found
in fashion as A Man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross.
The Apostle
recommends that Christians take their disputes to wise believers (Other Christians).
I Corinthians
6:4,5 MSG
As these disagreements and wrongs
surface, why would you ever entrust them to the judgment of people
you don’t trust in any other way?
I say this as bluntly as I can to
wake you up to the stupidity of what you’re doing. Is it possible
that there isn’t one levelheaded person among you who can make fair
decisions when disagreements and disputes come up? I don’t believe
it.
This is what we
have come to call....
Arbitration:
The process by which the parties to a dispute submit their
differences to the judgment of an impartial person or group appointed
by mutual consent or statutory provision.
The Free Dictionary
Apostle Paul, goes
on to say, if we will one day judge the world, and angels, aren't we
able to settle disputes among ourselves?
Christians
Judging The World:
Matthew 19:28 KJV
And Jesus said
unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed Me, in
the regeneration when The Son Of Man shall sit in the throne of His
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:30 KJV
That ye may eat
and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel.
Daniel 7:22 KJV
Until The
Ancient Of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of The
Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Revelation
2:26,27 KJV
26 And he that
over cometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give
power over the nations:
27 And he shall
rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they
be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.
Revelation 20:4-6 KJV
4 And I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:
and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for The Word Of God, and which had not worshiped the
beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ
a thousand years.
5 But the rest
of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and
holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the
second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
II Thessalonians
1:9,10 NLT
9 They will be
punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from The Lord
and from His glorious power.
10 When He
comes on that day, He will receive glory from His holy people—praise
from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we
told you about Him.
Jude 14,15 NLT
14 Enoch, who
lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these
people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless
thousands of His holy ones
15 to execute
judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of
all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that
ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Christians
Judging (evil) Angels:
II Corinthians
4:4 KJV
In whom the god
of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is The Image Of God,
should shine unto them.
II Corinthians
11:13-15 KJV
13 For such are
false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ.
14 And no
marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it
is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works.
Ephesians 6:12
KJV
For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against
the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.
Yes if this will be true one day of Christians, why can't we now,
settle disputes between ourselves?
The eyes of unbelievers are watching!
Luke 6:27-36 NLT (Enemies to be loved!- Jesus)
27 “But to
you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to
those who hate you.
28 Bless those
who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
29 If someone
slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone
demands your coat, offer your shirt also.
30 Give to
anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try
to get them back.
31 Do to others
as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you
love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that?
Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to
those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do
that much!
34 And if you
lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get
credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your
enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be
repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will
truly be acting as children of The Most High, for He is kind to those
who are unthankful and wicked.
36 You must be
compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
The Apostle Paul, closes this subject by saying, if Christian
arbitration, for some reason fails, …...
I Corinthians
6:7-11 MSG
7-8 These court cases are an ugly
blot on your community. Wouldn’t it be far better to just take
it, to let yourselves be wronged and
forget it? All you’re doing is providing fuel for more wrong,
more injustice, bringing more hurt to the people of your own
spiritual family.
9-11
Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people
who don’t care about God will not be joining in His kingdom..."
If the person called to Christian Arbitration, fails, or fails to
participate, Paul says the best option is just to forget it, let it pass. That
would be The Christ like thing to do.
When and if you do this, do not forget ….
“Unjust
people who don’t care about God will not be joining in His
kingdom..."
Romans 12:19 KJV
Dearly beloved,
avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is
written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith The Lord.
Christian
Retaliation- The Word:
Leviticus 19:18
KJV
Thou shalt not
avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am The Lord.
Proverbs 20:22
NLT
Don’t say, “I
will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the
matter.
Proverbs 24:29
KJV
Say not, I will
do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man
according to his work.
Matthew 5:39 KJV
But I say, do
not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek,
offer the other cheek also.
Romans 12:17 KJV
Never pay back
evil with more evil..."
Galatians
5:22,23 KJV
22 But The
Fruit Of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,
23 Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.
I Peter 3:9-12
NLT
9 Don’t repay
evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you.
Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called
you to do, and He will bless you for it.
10 For the
Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips
from telling lies.
11 Turn away
from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
12 The eyes of
The Lord watch over those who do right, and His ears are open to
their prayers. But The Lord turns His face against those who do
evil.”
The Apostle's
Closing Words.....
II Timothy
2:23-26 NLT
23 Again I say,
don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start
fights.
24 A servant of
The Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to
teach, and be patient with difficult people.
25 Gently
instruct those who oppose The Truth. Perhaps God will change those
people’s hearts, and they will learn The Truth.
26 Then they
will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For
they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
