1 Corinthians 6:7

Fault. Gr. hettema, “defeat.” The course the Corinthian Christians were following was a defeat for them. Personal differences are frequently prompted by the old, carnal nature that was supposedly crucified with Christ when the sinner was converted (see Gal. 2:20; 3:27). These promptings should be instantly repressed. Unfortunately they are frequently not immediately dismissed, but are allowed to develop into resentment, injured pride, and ungodly desire for revenge and recompense. The relationship with God is interrupted and the soul is alienated from Him, its source of peace. By bringing lawsuits against each other Christians show that they have lost the mutual forbearance, patience, and love that are the guiding motives in the hearts of true followers of the Master. The prayer of Christ for perfect unity among His followers (John 17:11, 21-23) positively forbids them to allow their selfish feelings to develop into quarrels that call for settlement by courts of law.

Rather take wrong. Paul has been presenting the Christian way whereby a member of the church should seek equity when the one who he believes has wronged him is also a church member. There is no sin in seeking to secure that which rightfully belongs to one; for example, for a laborer to seek to secure the wages he has lawfully earned from an employer. But, as Paul has declared, there is a wrong in going before secular tribunals to secure adjudication of differences between brethren. Members of the church are answerable to its authority, and should look to it to adjudicate their differences.

If a member brings a matter to the church and the church gives its judgment, he should be willing to abide by that judgment, even though he is not satisfied with it. For him to come before the church for adjudication of a matter, with a mental reservation that he will abide by the judgment only if it is in his favor, is to be guilty of failing to act in harmony with the obvious intent of Paul’s counsel.

If a member has brought a matter to the church, and the church declines to exercise its judicial duty, then he has exhausted the possibilities of the procedure that Paul here outlines. What he shall do beyond that point is a matter for his individual conscience. Christian leadership through the centuries has never felt clear to declare that a member is a sinner before God, because, under these circumstances, he seeks adjudication of his case before a secular tribunal.

However, the whole tenor of Christian teaching suggests that it would be much better for a church member, patiently and quietly, to suffer insult, injury, or loss from another member than to seek satisfaction by going to law about the matter. The example of Jesus Himself is sufficient for every truly consecrated Christian. The Saviour was wronged more than any man, but the record says, “he opened not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7; cf. Matt. 27:12). The spirit of retaliation and self-justification is a direct denial of Christ, and all who adopt it place themselves in that class of whom Jesus said, “him will I also deny before my Father” (Matt. 10:33; cf. Mark 8:38; 2 Tim. 2:12). The Lord teaches His children to be willing to suffer wrong with patience and without complaint (see Prov. 20:22; Matt. 5:39-41; Rom. 12:17, 19-21; 1 Thess. 5:15). The inconvenience and suffering of an individual member would be a lesser evil than the injury that the church would suffer by lawsuits between Christian brethren before civil courts. Christians should love the cause of their Saviour more than their own personal interests. They ought to be more anxious that the cause of Christ be not injured or hindered than that they themselves be spared loss.

Defrauded. Gr. apostered, “to rob,” “to deprive,” “to despoil.” Whether it be a matter of personal insult or loss of material possessions, Paul counsels that it is better for a church member to permit himself to be unjustly deprived of property or to suffer falsely than to expose his trouble with another member before unbelievers (see on Matt. 5:10-12; cf. 1 Peter 4:14).