Arbitration

The Scandal of Litigating Christians

Scripture is explicit: for a Christian to take another Christian to court is “an utter failure” (1 Cor. 6:7). What, then, should we as believers do when we have disputes that normally call for litigation? Paul recommends that we take the matter before wise believers who can make a judgment (6:4–5). But suppose we can't arrange that? Then Paul says it would be better to “accept wrong” than to go before unbelievers for judgment.

Does that categorically rule out lawsuits between Christians today? Not necessarily. Modern Christians disagree over how to apply this passage. Our society is very different from the first-century Roman Empire. But we know that early churches took Paul's instructions literally. They forbade their members to resort to the pagan courts of the day. Instead, they appointed their own elders to judge civil disputes between members.

Those courts gained such a reputation for justice that they even attracted non-Christians, who found them preferable to the notoriously corrupt imperial courts. Eventually, church courts replaced secular courts and for some six centuries were the most important, if not the only, courts in Europe.

Some Christians today are trying to restore this judicial function of the church. In the United States, Christian attorneys are working with church leaders to arbitrate church members' disputes. The decisions can even be legally binding if the disputants agree to that in advance.

How do you settle legal problems when other believers are involved? Are you willing to try everything short of litigation first, before even considering going to court?

Third-Party Mediation

When a relationship has broken down, what can be done? When broken promises separate friends, how can the two people be reunited? It helps if a third party can be found to mediate a settlement. That was a function of the priests in ancient Israel. By favoring Aaron's rod over those of others, God made it clear who should stand between Him and the people (Num. 17:10–11).

God's relationship with Israel repeatedly broke down as a result of violated commandments and rebellious complaints on the part of the Israelites. Sometimes the offenses were so substantial that God immediately punished the offenders (14:40–45; 15:32–36; 16:31–35). Yet even when His character was violated and the people deserved judgment, God listened to Moses and Aaron as they intervened on the people's behalf (16:22, 46–48).

After Korah was taken away, the situation continued to deteriorate (16:41). Apparently the people had already forgotten whom God had made priests. So the Lord devised a plan to again make it clear that one group—the sons of Aaron—were to serve as intermediaries or priests between Him and the rebellious nation (17:1–11).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the intermediary between God and sinful people. All who depend on Christ's atoning work on their behalf have direct access to God (Heb. 10:19–25). Christ has become our High Priest (8:1–6; 9:11–15), a permanent third-party Advocate who is fully worthy to intercede for our sin.

Have you allowed Christ to act as your Advocate? Do you regularly enter into God's presence through the finished work of Christ on your behalf?

If so, how might you follow Christ's pattern and intervene between opposing parties? Are there situations in your family, community, or workplace where a reasoned and compassionate third party could help the adversaries hear each other and perhaps reconcile them? Would you consider acting as that go-between?