1^st Corinthians 6:4, “Therefore if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!”

I love Paul’s high regard for the church. Even people in the church who he describes as being of “little account” should be better at judging disputes among believers than non believers. Why is that? Because our entire attitude towards life should be different than that of the non believer. Two Christians who have a dispute should be able to settle things differently than non believers.

In fact he goes on to say that in the church it would be better to be wronged or cheated than to cause division or disputes. But what do we do? Well—Paul’s words to the Corinthians is still pretty good stuff for us today—we ourselves cheat and do wrong and we do this to our brothers!!!!

But our high ideals for the church should not be cast aside. We don’t have to be this way.

I know people who will not do business with other people in the church. Why? Because they are afraid that their might be some kind of a disagreement and they would have a falling out and they don’t want that to hinder the church. That almost sounds reasonable—if it wasn’t Christians that we are talking about in the first place. Our faith, and our God is not big enough for us to work things out in a manner that brings honor to our faith, our God and the church? Come on—where are our high ideals?

Our old way of life has been washed away, we have been set apart through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we have been justified through the name of our Lord and by the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to live in that kind of bondage anymore.

Will there be disagreements among believers? You bet—as long as we’re still breathing. But when we have those disagreements why do we so often revert back to our fleshly way of thinking and behave like the degenerates that we USED TO BE? Hasn’t our faith walk with God changed all that?

We need to return to a higher ideal for the church. We need to live with that ideal clearly in focus. God is able to help us through whatever conflict may arise. We need to stop acting worldly and start acting spiritually.

I’m frankly weary of hearing about all the nonsense going on in the church—over supposedly spiritual stuff. People refuse to work together, won’t speak to each other, have hard feelings for one another, and the list could go on. I say, in my most compassionate spirit—GET OVER IT! The kingdom of God is more important than junk like that. First of all we need to talk to each other. Truthfully that would end 99% of all misunderstanding and disputes. If you can’t work it out between the offended parties then go to some trusted Christian friends that have the same Christian values that you have and let them arbitrate between you. Hey imagine that—that’s Biblical.

Sometimes we just won’t to say-God save us from ourselves. Forgive us when the church gives the world a reason to sit back and laugh at us.