Should Christians sue each other? What's a person to do if they find themselves at an impasse with another believer? Paul gives us some very practical advice to go along with the spiritual principles of conflict within the Body of Christ

1. Suing Saints
1 Corinthians 6:1-11

2. 1 Corinthians 6:1–11
1 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his
neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and
not before the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the
saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by
you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest
law courts? 3 Do you not know that we will judge
angels? How much more matters of this life? 4 So if you
have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you
appoint them as judges who are of no account

3. in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that
there is not among you one wise man who will be able
to decide between his brethren, 6 but brother goes to
law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 7
Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you
have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be
wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 On the
contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do
this even to your brethren. 9 Or do you not know that
the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,

4. 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but
you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

5. Suing Saints
1 Corinthians 6:1-11

6. Our Outline
I. Suing Saints
A. The facts (6:1, 6)
B. The folly (6:2–5, 7–11)
1. It is illogical (6:2–5):
2. It is illegal (6:7–8)
3. It is inexcusable (6:9–11).
a. Don’t go back
b. God has forgiven

7. The Facts
1 Corinthians 6:1, 6

8. Just the facts ma’am
Does any one of you, when he has a case against his
neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and
not before the saints?
…but brother goes to law with brother, and that before
unbelievers?
1 Corinthians 6:1;6

9. Lawsuits in Corinth
 Could only be filed against citizens of equal or lessor
status.
 Orators served as counsel; primary job was to
disparage opponent
 Corruption and bribery possible
 Social status used to sway court
 Little protection for non citizens

10. The sin
Litigation
between
believers
Going to
public court
against
believers

11. The Folly
1 Corinthians 6:2–5, 7–11

12. It’s Illogical
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If
the world is judged by you, are you not competent to
constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we
will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if
you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you
appoint them as judges who are of no account in the
church? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not
among you one wise man who will be able to decide
between his brethren,
1 Corinthians 6:2–5

13. Think about it
Saints in the future
Will judge the world
Will judge angles
Saints here and now
You can judge small things
Matters of this life

14. Shame of you
Why have secular judges dealing with church problems?
Isn’t there someone in the church with wisdom?
Paul was using a cultural practice
Today’s arbitration

15. Arbitration
Recommended
Disputes will arise
We should mediate or
conciliate
Both parties agree to
binding arbitration
Arbitrators must be born-
again, Spirit-filled believers
Submit to their authority

16. It’s Illegal
Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you
have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be
wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the
contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do
this even to your brethren.
1 Corinthians 6:7–8

17. Not just frivolous but
criminal
Defrauding-to cause another to
suffer loss by taking away
through illicit means
Wrong-to act in an unjust
manner. No justice

18. Lawsuits=Defeat
Christlike solution:
Why not rather be wronged?
Why not rather be defrauded?
Matthew 5:38–41…‘AN EYE
FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A
TOOTH.’ “But I say to you, do
not resist an evil person; but
whoever slaps you on your
right cheek, turn the other to
him also. If anyone wants to
sue you and take your shirt,
let him have your coat also.
“Whoever forces you to go
one mile, go with him two.

19. CS Lewis
Ephesians 4:32…Be kind to one another, tender-
hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also
has forgiven you.

20. It’s
Inexcusable
Or do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God? Do not be deceived;
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor swindlers, will inherit the
kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9–10

21. The unrighteous won’t inherit the
kingdom
Fornicators
Idolaters
Adulterers
Effeminate
Homosexuals
Thieves
Covetous
Drunkards
Revilers

22. The unrighteous
won’t inherit the
kingdom of God
Swindlers
one who carries off
the possessions of
another by force

23. You practice what you are
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness;
and sin is lawlessness…the one who practices sin is of
the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy
the works of the devil…No one who is born of God
practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1 John 3:4, 8-9

24. It’s Inexcusable to return to what you were
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you
were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11

25. What God has done for you
Washed-purified, to wash something away
Sanctified-imparted with God’s holy nature
Justified-set free

26. He Set Us Free
For by these He has granted
to us His precious and
magnificent promises, so
that by them you may
become partakers of the
divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that
is in the world by lust.
2 Peter 1:4

27. Our take away
Offences will occur
Reconciliation is our first choice
Mediation not litigation
Why not forgive?

28. Suing Saints
1 Corinthians 6:1-11