1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (New International Version)
6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.
I. Judge but stay in your lane (vv. 1-2)
• Christians should expect
• Christians are
• Christians are prohibited from taking our disputes to
• Gossip is the sin of sharing
• Christians will have a role in the judgement of
• Humility is to take up
II. Judge but stay on mission (vv. 3-6)
• Christians are called to be
• Any immature Christian should be
• Christians will have a role in the judgment of
• Failure to confront a fellow Christian is a sin of
• Airing our “
• People earn the right to your private business and struggles through relational
III. Judge but stay undefeated (vv. 7-8)
• Judgment or correction that is righteous maintains or restores the confronted person’s
• Christian reconciliation begins with “me” asking what I did to
• Jesus was 100% right and 100% wronged by our sin, but he
• Compassion always means to enter into the
TAKE OFF
1. Have you ever wronged someone who chose to overlook the offense? Share your story.
TEXT
1. What thoughts or feelings did you have during this week’s sermon?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. What distinction does the apostle Paul make between unbelievers and believers with handling disputes (v. 1)? Discuss examples of “trivial cases” (v. 2).
3. How do you feel knowing that Christians will help judge non-believers and angels on Judgment Day? What makes Christians “wise enough” to judge other believers (v. 5)? Does this change your perspective on why disputes between believers should be brought to believers?
4. Why does no one win when Christians have “lawsuits” against one another? How can Christians win by choosing to not focus on righting wrongs (v. 7)?
TAKE AWAY
What is one thing you can change in your life to improve how you manage/respond to conflict? What steps can you take to accomplish this?