1 Corinthians 6:7, commentary and pictures

For a believer to take a fellow believer to law before unbelievers in worldly courts is utterly a fault and disloyalty to God and to one another. Disputes between brethren over matters of this life are to be settled privately among themselves before the saints in the church, with even the least esteemed set to judge, and it is a shame if not even one wise man can be found to decide between them. This is because the saints shall judge the world and shall judge angels, so they are not unworthy but able to judge the smallest matters. Rather than sue one another, believers are to rather take wrong and rather suffer themselves to be defrauded, willing to bear loss even when treated unjustly. Such lawsuits disgrace the cause of truth before unbelievers and dishonor God, while giving the enemy advantage to work through the plaintiff against God's people and keep souls from the truth.

No Lawsuits Before Unbelievers

For brother to go to law with brother before the unjust, before unbelievers, before civil tribunals and worldly courts is utterly a fault among believers. To take fellow believers to law in that way is disloyalty to God and to one another. God has given decided instruction that His people must not do it.

Matters that one has against another pertaining to this life are to be settled among themselves before the saints in the church rather than before unbelievers and not before the saints. Differences, including church disputes, should be resolved privately or within the church in the spirit of Christ according to Christ's instruction, rather than exposing a fellow Christian and the church to the world. Even those least esteemed in the church are to be set to judge between brethren, and a wise man able to judge is to be found for that work. To dare to go before unbelievers instead is shameful, and it is to shame and a fault if not even one able judge can be found.

The reason is that the saints shall judge the world and shall judge angels, so they are not unworthy but able to judge the smallest matters and the things pertaining to this life.

This forbids making worldly lawyers disloyal to God a right arm and appealing to them for help with plans and matters relating to the cause of God. The whole sixth chapter is a lesson ministers and medical missionaries especially should study, calling the watchmen to wake up and give the warning message, to be healed of sin and unbelief, to refuse the teachings of the prince of darkness, to have Satan cast out of the heart, and to come humbly to the Lord for help. Cases must be taken out of lawyers' hands, a suit already begun must be withdrawn, and another must never be brought into worldly courts against God's commandment-keeping people, for to do so is to go directly contrary to the plain word of God and to backslide. Guidance is to be sought in God's word rather than in counsel unconnected with heaven, since relying on such counsel for plans is not inspired by God's Spirit and dishonors God and His name.

Rather Suffer Being Wronged

Rather than sue one another, believers are to take wrong and suffer themselves to be defrauded or cheated, willingly accepting wrong and bearing loss even when treated unjustly and even when wronged or suffering financial loss. To pursue a claim against a brother instead of accepting being wronged and accepting being cheated is itself the fault condemned. Such going to law comes from pride, self-love and self-exaltation.

Disputes that can be avoided are not to be taken to court, and it is better to settle the matter even at some loss than to give the enemy an advantage through litigation, since a legal dispute gives the enemy an advantage to entangle and perplex. It is better to suffer a wrong than to do wrong by pressing a claim that lacks strong evidence or by expecting God to settle the matter in one's favor. Pursuing such vindication can cause others to doubt a testimony from God and give occasion for harmful talk.

A wronged Christian is not to defend personal interests or seek revenge, but is to seek reconciliation and try to save the brother who did the wrong, entrusting the case to God who judges righteously. Disputes are to be resolved privately in the spirit of Christ rather than defended through lawsuits, and pride and self-interest that make people feel injured when there is no real cause and keep them from speaking and praying together are to be put away. When provoked by unpleasant words, charges and censure, the follower of Christ must bridle anger, control the tongue and remain silent rather than speak words that stir up strife, accepting being wronged and defrauded rather than doing wrong in return. This is living peaceably with all as far as possible, wearing Christ's yoke and learning His meekness and lowliness of heart by the work of the Holy Spirit, remembering that angels of God are companions to be respected.

To do wrong and defraud, and that the brethren, is condemned as unrighteousness, and the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. To sue a brother is itself to do wrong and defraud brethren. Those who have the higher knowledge of Christ will show it by a well-ordered life and godly conversation that reveals Christ, with no lawsuits between neighbors or brothers.

Reproach, Rebellion, and Character

Lawsuits and strife between believers disgrace the cause of truth and bring reproach, ridicule, shame and division on the church by exposing their disputes before unbelievers instead of settling them privately and within the church in the spirit of Christ. Even when injustice has been done by some believers, a public suit does not tell only against them but arouses prejudice against God's people as a body, bruises and wounds Christ in the person of His saints, dishonors God and His name, and shows contempt for the authority given to the church, as in legal quarreling between the church and the Sanitarium. To take disputes with one another to lawyers instead of accepting wrong or loss is therefore utter fault, and differences should be resolved before the saints according to Christ's instruction rather than defended as personal interests.

A legal dispute gives the enemy an advantage to entangle and perplex believers, so it is better to settle the matter even at some loss than to give that advantage through litigation when the dispute can be avoided. It lets Satan exult because through the plaintiff he can work against God's people and His institutions and do them great harm, and it keeps souls from being convinced of the truth. The danger is greater because lawyers for gain will deal unjustly and those departing from the faith will link with men ready to help oppress God's people and harm His institution.

Justifying and defending going to law with brethren acts out the spirit that developed in rebellion in heaven and misrepresents God's character by a life practice against the truth while claiming loyalty. It proves they have not made the Lord their leader and have forsaken the true God, carries out schemes instigated by Satan that cannot prosper, makes a bad showing before the world, and shows loyalty to the enemy of righteousness and not to the God of truth.

Such going to law comes from pride, self-love, self-exaltation and self-interest that can make people feel injured without real cause and keep them from speaking and praying together, making them unlike the children of God. The verse requires putting away malice and wickedness and criticism, faultfinding, accusation and railing, living in sincerity and truth, and becoming kind, pure and unselfish with a Christlike example that helps souls and counterworks past wrong influence in order to enter the narrow way to eternal life. It is to be obeyed in Battle Creek and every place as by those working for eternity with no divisions but perfectly joined in mind and judgment, bringing it into life-practice as spiritual food. Refusing legal action follows the law of God with strength from the Spirit, while leaning on the arm of the law for years hinders the warning message and should have led to relief from responsibilities, every act is kept in the record of heaven and the Lord will treat each according to the stand taken, and healing of discord needs prayer and working in Christ's way with watchmen awake to give warning.