Taking Believers to court

[Natt]

When a believer take another believer to court biblically what are guidelines? What does trivial mean in this passage?

1 Corinthians 6:1-2

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?

[followerofjesus]

This means to settle disputes amongst your brethren. You shouldn't take the matter before an atheist judge. The saints will have some authority in the kingdom of God.

[Natt]

This means to settle disputes amongst your brethren. You shouldn't take the matter before an atheist judge. The saints will have some authority in the kingdom of God.

So if someone commits a serious crime (e.g. child abuse or rape) that should biblically stay within the church? This doesn't seem right to me.

[followerofjesus]

This is talking about civil suits & petty arguments. Your brethren (if they are sincerely brethren) shouldn't be committing these acts or you could not call them brother.

Its basically saying you should handle your disputes before going to a world court.

[Natt]

This is talking about civil suits & petty arguments. Your brethren (if they are sincerely brethren) shouldn't be committing these acts or you could not call them brother.

Its basically saying you should handle your disputes before going to a world court.

That is what I was thinking.

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

This is talking about civil suits & petty arguments. Your brethren (if they are sincerely brethren) shouldn't be committing these acts or you could not call them brother.

Its basically saying you should handle your disputes before going to a world court.

[Guest stevej]

Let's look at it from a different angle. Many years ago, several good friends in the Lord, needed help for various reasons. Without going into detail, the amounts were pretty hefty. Because they were Christians there was no need for a contract, their word was good enough for me. In my state, a verbal agreement is still valid.

In any case, bottom line is the money was never returned, even after a couple of contacts about it. I had 2 choices. I could take them to court or I could chalk it up to experience and let it go. I choose the later but at least initially did not forgive them. The Lord convicted me of this and in the meantime i have forgiven those involved.

A lot of folks would say that the money should never have been loaned. I have no regrets now related to that and have no ill feeling toward anyone involved. God has blessed me far beyond what any man or government could do to me.

[Guest Biblicist]

What if a Christian doctor [i use the term loosely] causes a person to have medical problems, and ultimately death, because of neglect or mal-practice? Do you just chalk it up to experience?

Forgiveness is one thing. Keeping that person from doing it to someone else is another.

There are human laws that need to be obeyed.

Sorry, I'm just speaking from experience here. I don't think that Christian professionals should be allowed to get away with things just because we are Christians and don't sue other Christians. It's a lame excuse. This is one of those issues that really upsets me. Can you tell?

[forrestkc]

Paul in his Epistle to the the Romans basically deals with the intersection of faith and law and government. Romans 13 more or less deals with issues like this. There is nothing at all wrong with using the laws and courts to mediate disputes amoung Christians. Lawsuits motivated by greed or revenge of course are not Christian, but there is nothing wrong with using the justice system to mediate legitimate disputes.

[freedfromsin]

Hello Nat,

the truth is that we are not take another believer to court for any reason. We are to take it before the church. The sad thing is that today the church is so dead and out of step with God's word that there are very few that follow or teach this principle. That leaves us with forgiveness and taking the loss. You asked about the term trivial in your post. Trivial is probably not the best tranlsation. It makes is sound like there are things you can sue about and things that are trivial and you take them to the church. The word is best translated smallest or least matters. The idea is that things of this world are least or small in comparrision to what we will be judging one day;

1Cr 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

So the command is not to take a believer to court, but before the church. If that is impossible then I suggest that you forgive the debt. Now one more thing. This is not speaking of criminal justice. We are to turn in or surrender any evidence that we may have torwards anyone who breaks our criminal laws. Then those in authority can do their jobs that God has ordained.

I can testafy to this. I once had a man who was my financial advisor who claimed to be a Christian. He worked for a large investment firm. Over a period of time not knowing too me he was buying and seeling my investments to make the commissions and lost nearly 100,000 dolors of my retirement. I had signed a document giving him the authority to do my investing, but he abused it for personal gain. I confronted him and he told me to sue him. I could not. i asked him if he would consent to taking to the church and he refused. We attended different churches. So i simply accepted the loss and moved my account. Sometimes following the Lord costs us. God bless.

When a believer take another believer to court biblically what are guidelines? What does trivial mean in this passage?

1 Corinthians 6:1-2

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?