And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
-2 Corinthians 11:14-15
In Massachusetts, where I live, the highways are flanked by large, visually attractive billboards (the average size is 14’ x 48’). The most common advertiser is a local cop-turned-ambulance chaser lawyer who calls himself the “Heavy Hitter”. He is selling his personal injury litigation services to passersby. Like most lawyers of this sort, his ads insert the idea that “you deserve to be paid for your suffering”.
To be fair, the Bible does speak about retribution, particularly in the Old Testament (e.g., Exodus 21-22). However, the context of these passages is very different than, say, the context Paul dealt with regarding the Corinthian church. Since I am charitably assuming you are a believer, let’s focus our attention on what the Bible says about so-called “punitive damages” among members of the Body of Christ.
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?
I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?
I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
-1 Corinthians 6:1-8
Paul was asking the Corinthians, ‘Whose law do you want to go before to settle disputes among yourselves? Are you not equipped with God’s law (the law of love – Galatians 5:14) so that you may judge rightly against it?’ Paul was exhorting the Corinthian believers to stop and think about what their lawsuits implied. If they were suggesting the legitimacy of punitive damages, might they consider the injury they were causing to God’s Family name?
To take a fellow believer to court is to imply God’s law (the law of love) cannot solve the issue. How can God’s children go before an unrighteous court seeking righteous judgment? The proceedings are shameful and damaging to our Father’s reputation. Family matters are to be dealt with in-house.
Before any papers are even drafted by lawyers, a believer has failed God by abandoning the Word. They have disgraced the family, giving the devil his say in the matter.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
-Ephesians 4:26-32
Why do I never see this cop-turned-ambulance chaser lawyer’s billboards suggesting we forgive one another rather than sue? Is it because he represents the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), the accuser of old, Satan, himself, who “was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him” (John 8:44)? If that’s the manner in which unbelievers desire to settle their differences, then so be it. We believers are commanded by our Father to handle our issues within the family. To go to a worldly court is to disobey the command to forgive one another, as Paul so adamantly rebuked the initiators of litigation, “But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers” (1 Corinthians 6:8)! In other words, suing a brother or sister in Christ proves you are already at fault.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
-Luke 6:41
We don’t need Satan’s lawyers or his court system to solve our problems. We have the law of love.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
-John 13:35
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins
