The Function of the Church

I'm currently reading The Peace Maker by Ken Sande and came across some information that is quite interesting. I remember reading scripture that says believers are not to be suing one another and Sande explains it further. 1Cor. 6:1-8 tells us WHY we should not be suing each other and what we should do instead. Paul rebukes the Corinthians because they were suing each other in secular courts which means they were doing this in front of non-believers - certainly not showing the world the love of Christ! And he also states that since the saints will judge the world, we should be competent enough to judge trivial cases. We will judge angels one day - we should be able to judge disputes between each other. He also states that even men of little account in the church should be able to perform this function. He states that it would be better to be wronged and cheated than to bring a lawsuit among each other. Peace and unity among Christians is SO essential to our witness for Christ that God commands us to take unresolved legal issues to the church rather than to the civil courts. Yet how many churches deliberately ignore this passage and do nothing to help their members settle their legal disputes in a biblical manner. I laugh because most churches won't even step up to resolve simple disputes between brothers and sisters much less a legal matter. Instead their main concern is the entertainment planned for Sunday's service and/or the potluck dinner scheduled afterward.

 

But there is something even more interesting that I picked up on while reading this chapter. It seems Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made this observation:

"I think this passage (1 Cor. 6:1-8) has something to say about the proper Christian attitude toward civil litigation. Paul is making two points: first, he says that the mediation of a mutual friend, such as the parish priest, should be sought before parties run off to the courts . . . I think we are too ready today to seek vindication or vengeance through adversary proceedings rather than peace through mediation . . . Good Christians, just as they are slow to anger, should be slow to sue."

 

How important it is that our judges - especially a Supreme Court judge - are Bible reading Christians! When our leaders are well versed in the Bible, they know what God expects from His children and how to accomplish it. God has given us everything we need to run our lives, our churches, and our country right in His Word. The instructions are there if we spend the time to read and implement. Unfortunately, as Christians, we have become a "pick and choose" lot meaning we elevate the scriptures we prefer and ignore the rest. This is a dangerous practice and one that will bring not only unbalance but eventually unwanted consequences. Our enemy roams the earth looking to devour those who are not vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). 

 

This makes me wonder if our churches are performing the tasks and functions that God has commanded.  Do they even know what all their responsibilities are?  When they neglect their duties, the flock suffers.  Are our churches today so worried about numbers and dollars & cents that they are hesitant to keep their flock on the path of righteousness?