themselves. Paul was rightly dis turbed that the "dirty linen" of the believer should be hung out to wash on the front lawn as it were. "Why advertise your disagree ments? Why not rather reveal to others the strong things that are found in the Christian life?" Paul wanted the Christians to be differ ent. He desired that they should have a powerful and effective tes timony, without offense in the world. There was no reason to be so materially oriented so that cov- eteousness permeated the life in a quest for material things. If one professed to know Christ and could exhibit no more self-control than what was displayed in open dis putes then how could any positive witness be given? A more desirable pattern to fol low could be the second of the three options available to those at Corinth. Paul suggested that they might have a Christian citizen, rath er than a Roman arbitrator, handle the matter. This is carefully marked in verse 5. This is a possible course for us to follow today, too. In ev ery fellowship of believers there are wise and discerning individ uals. This is, in fact, one of the gifts Cod gives to certain people. They know how to administer and to make proper decisions. It might be today that two Christians who have a disagreement decide they will go together in retaining a Christian attorney who can handle the mat ter without appearing in a court of law. There is no necessity of spreading out the difficulties be fore the unsaved. This has nothing to do with the criminal laws of so ciety. They would not be affected. There is generally little choice in a situation of this type.
There is this word of caution. If the believers go to an individual for counsel they must be perfectly settled in the agreement to let the matter stand with the final deci sion. To do differently would only make matters worse, and would reveal the complaining party to be selfish and even vindictive. The final course of action, and the most desirable approach, is to simply forget the situation entirely (vrs. 7, 8). How great is the loss in the light of the inheritance which God has for us. Paul points this out as certainly the right thing. There is always the possibility present of defrauding one another. In the fin al analysis, what does it matter if you have to give up a little mate rial goods in order for both of you to be able to get on with some of the spiritual duties that are neces sary. To go to law means the pos sibility of defrauding the whole Christian community. The average unsaved person gladly sits at the side lines trium phantly pointing out, "I told you these Christians were no different. Why should they try to tell me how to live? All they know how to do is to fight among themselves." This is why we as believers need to recognize our priorities. Above all we must recognize that our al legiance cannot be to self but rath er to the Lord Jesus Christ. Read with care I Corinthians 6:1-8 be fore any legal matter of public rec ord is considered. Only in this manner can we make certain of our testimony in a world of unbe lief and disdain. We are to be a savor of Christ to both the saved and the unsaved, until that blessed hour when the Lord calls us to be with Himself. Page 25
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