1. Lawsuits between Christian believers, the Christian Church and government officials.
The apostle Paul's stern rebuke in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 provides the clearest instruction against lawsuits within the church. However, much of the Corinthian Church likened to our Western culture were cult practitioners of Pagan Gods within. (Likened to our own society, a culture of corruption and an enemy of Christ within).
- A "defeat" for believers: Paul writes that for Christ followers to sue one another before secular, "unrighteous" courts of the Roman Empire was an outright "defeat" for the community of Christ followers.
- The spectacle of Christ followers charging grievances in Pagan public courts discredits the Gospel in the eyes of Pagan unbelievers. Paul asks, "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?". Paul was not addressing a Nation under God as our Judeo Christian Western culture.
Paul writes to the Christ followers of a Pagan Nation, the Roman Empire - "Better to suffer injustice: He suggests it is better to suffer injustice and be cheated by a fellow believer than to harm the reputation of the church. This attitude mirrors the self-sacrificial posture of Christ in. Pagan culture but Jesus Christ in our Judeo Christian culture would in fact, chase the greedy money changers out of town.
The church's role: Paul shames the Corinthians for failing to find a wise person within the congregation to arbitrate their disputes. He reminds them that since Christians will one day judge the world and even angels, they should be more than capable of settling trivial matters among themselves. (Within our own Judeo Christian culture of government and church institutions, how much more is this speaking truth to power?
2. Specific principles of conflict resolution.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus provided foundational principles for how Christ followers should handle disputes.
- Matthew 5:38-42, "Turning the other cheek": Jesus writes the New Testament in contrast to the law of the Old Testament. The Old Testament "eye for an eye" law. He urges his followers not to retaliate against an evil (Pagan) person. In an example with legal connotations, he says, "If anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well". This would apply to outside U.S. Pagan cultures but not within the U.S. constitutionally protected Judeo Christian citizens.
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Jesus also advises, "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way" (Matthew 5:25). The adversary is not evil and Pagan. This applies to all personal Judeo Christian conflicts and encourages a mindset of peaceful resolution before a situation escalates to formal proceedings.
Matthew 18:15-17 provides a clear process for resolving conflict within a Judeo Christian Federal State, Local, Christian Church or Christ follower:
a. Go privately: Speak with the person or representative directly and alone, if no conflict resolution is reached.
b. Involve witnesses: Take one or two others with you. If still no conflict resolution is reached.
c. Bring the matter before the entire church congregation.
d. Trust in God's ultimate justice
The New Testament directs Christians to stop the desire for personal vengeance, trusting that God is the ultimate judge. However, our United States culture has elected representative for the people and questioning authority helps to maintain a healthy Republican democracy. These elected officials are instruments, ambassadors of God, no matter if they realize this or not and we are instructed to pray for them, preserve their integrity and positional authority if a Christ follower.
- Romans 12:19 says, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God as the "Avenger", for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord". This principle encourages believers to let go of bitterness and allow God to administer perfect justice in His perfect timing often through His instruments of justice and mercies, His people within institutions.
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The overall pattern of New Testament teaching points a Christian toward peacemaking, forgiveness, and endurance rather than toward using secular courts. However, exceptions and discernment exists over a body of believers (Church and governmental organizations of any size.) The Judeo Christian Church much like the Holy land of Israel is not real property owned for financial profit by a Capitalistiic system of real estate property owners. Thus creating a triangle of hirelings of individuals for development of personal wealth or cult Pastors with self serving interests of personal gain for expensive homes, car collections, aircraft and personal security forces to protect their illgotten gains.
While the New Testament strongly discourages lawsuits, between Christ followers, some Bible interpreters acknowledge that they are not outright forbidden when circumstantial evidence can, will and must promote freedom, liberty and justice for all. Paul himself appealed to the Roman legal system for his protection as a Roman citizen (Acts 25:11). Thus, the United States State and Federal courts can constitutionaly protect our rights as citizens in exactly the same Biblical mannor.
Most commentators would agree that the core principles apply to civil case matters between Christians. However, situations involving criminal acts, abuse, or the protection of the vulnerable such as our children in our corrupt public school system does require a legal stance of recourse, pursued with a Christ-like attitude and motive. The money changers must be chased out of the house of prayer, judgement comes fitst to the house of God.
Llawsuits, between Christians, centers on Judeo Christian (emphasis; WE ARE A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED JUDEO CHRISTIAN NATION AND THOSE WITHIN LOCAL FEDERAL AND CHURCH BODY LEADERSHIP BY DEFAULT ARE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO JUDEO CHRISTIAN CONSTITUTIONAL ESTABLISHED STANDARDS. Prioritizing reconciliation and communal resolution over public litigation has been attempted but failed.
Scripture teaches that Christ follower disputes should be settled internally, as bringing them before nonbelievers undermines the church's witness and reveals a spiritual failure, this would only apply to the United States of we were a Nation of any other Pagan God. WE ARE A JUDEO CHRISTIAN NATION WITH JUDEO CHRISTIAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS.
Key biblical passages and teachings
1 Corinthians 6:1-8
In this passage, the Apostle Paul directly rebukes the Corinthian church for suing one another in secular courts. Focus on the fact Corinthians had a church as does the State of California or any other U.S. State.
- The rebuke: Paul asks, "How is it that anyone of you, having a dispute against another, would dare to be judged before the iniquitous, and not before the saints?". He argues that fellow Christians, who will one day "judge the world," are more than competent to resolve "trivial cases".
- A "defeat": Paul declares, indeed if all peoples in government were obedient Christians. Those not obedient in any Judeo Christian U.S. Constitutionally protected local, State or Federal Government need calling out. Evil must be exposed and those unwilling to execute constitutional moral, ethical and Biblical standards of conduct must be eliminated from leadership roles.
1 Corinthians 6:7 "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you (Christ followers) means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?". This framing suggests that a lawsuit is a loss regardless of the verdict because it indicates a failure to live out Christian love and unity between what should be co-unity with God and each other as the body of Christ. HOWEVER, immorality in our Judeo Christian society must be rebuked, exposed and those in leadership who promote this bad behavior removed from leadership 1 Corinthians 5:5 "I have decided to deliver such one to Satan for the destruction of his/her flesh..."
• Damaged witness: By bringing internal disputes to outside United States courts, the U.S. citizen like the Corinthians of Paul's time were creating a public spectacle that damaged the church's reputation before non-believers. That is not true in our U.S. Federal, State, local and Cult Church leaders.
Matthew 5:38-42
As part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught a radical ethic of non-retaliation that includes lawsuits.
- Turn the other cheek: In contrast to the Old Testament law of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," Jesus commanded, "if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak as well". This instruction prioritizes mercy over retribution and calls believers to absorb wrongs rather than seek vengeance.
- Settle quickly: Jesus also advised, "Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court" (Matthew 5:25). This urges believers to seek reconciliation and a peaceful settlement before a dispute escalates.
Matthew 18:15-17
Jesus outlined a step-by-step process for resolving disputes within the church community.
- Go privately: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone".
- Take witnesses: If the person will not listen, take "one or two others along" to mediate.
- Tell the church: If the person still refuses to listen, the matter should be brought before the church body.
- Final step: If the offender refuses to listen to the church, they are to be regarded as a non-believer.
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Christian alternatives to lawsuits
"A tooth for a tooth," Jesus commanded, "if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak as well". This instruction prioritizes mercy over retribution and calls believers to absorb wrongs rather than seek vengeance.
• Settle quickly: Jesus also advised, "Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court" (Matthew 5:25). This urges believers to seek reconciliation and a peaceful settlement before a dispute escalates.
Matthew 18:15-17
Jesus outlined a step-by-step process for resolving disputes within the church community. a
- Go privately: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone".
- Take witnesses: If the person will not listen, take "one or two others along" to mediate.
- Tell the church: If the person still refuses to listen, the matter should be brought before the church body.
- Final step: If the offender refuses to listen to the church, they are to be regarded as a non-believer. e
Christian alternatives to lawsuits
Based on these principles, Christian communities are encouraged to use specific methods for conflict resolution that prioritize reconciliation and healing.
- Conciliation: An initial, private conversation between the individuals involved to seek peace.
- Mediation: If conciliation fails, a neutral third party (often a mature believer) can be brought in to help facilitate an amicable resolution.
- Arbitration: As a last resort, Christian arbitration involves appointing a neutral third party to hear the case and render a binding decision, keeping the dispute out of secular court.
Exceptions and considerations
While Scripture discourages lawsuits, especially between believers, some limited exceptions and factors are often considered by Christians and biblical scholars: •
- Protecting the vulnerable: Some argue that legal action may be necessary to protect the weak, innocent, or vulnerable from severe injustice.
- Defending oneself: When a Christian is sued, they have the right to defend themselves. Paul, a Roman citizen, used the legal system to his advantage for protection, demonstrating that all legal recourse is notinherently forbidden.
- Disputes with non-believers: While the focus is on internal church conflicts, some interpretations extend the principle of non-retaliation to disputes with non-believers, arguing it is a powerful Christian witness to prioritize forgiveness and peace.