9 Aug. Paul advises Christians not to take fellow believers to court
"When you have something against another Christian, how can you bring yourself to go before judges who are not right with God? Why do you not let God's people decide who is right?"
"Surely you know that God's people will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, are you not able to judge small cases as well?... If you have ordinary cases that must be judged, are you going to appoint people as judges who mean nothing to the church?"
"Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between believers? But now one believer goes to court against another believer - and you do this in front of unbelievers!"
"The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not let yourselves be wronged? Why not let yourselves be cheated? But you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do this to other believers!"
"Surely you know that the people who do wrong will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be fooled. Those who sin sexually, worship idols, take part in adultery, those who are male prostitutes or men who have sexual relations with other men, those who steal, are greedy, get drunk, lie about others or rob - these people will not inherit God's kingdom."
"In the past, some of you were like that, but you were washed clean. You were made holy, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."
(1 Corinthians 6:1-11)
Paul is shocked to hear that the new believers in Corinth are still being dishonest and that some even have legal disputes with their fellow Christians. He advises the believers to settle any disputes between themselves quickly and peaceably.
They should resolve differences amicably among themselves, not in the public law courts where non-believers would be called upon to judge Christians. If they can't resolve the problem personally, they should ask a Christian elder to decide the issue for them.
Paul points out that the very fact they have disputes with each other shows that they are still behaving badly and going against God's will. He reminds them that those who do wrong and cheat others, who are greedy, steal, lie, get drunk or live promiscuously are not living how God wishes and will not enter God's kingdom.
He reminds them that some of them may have been like that in the past, but now they have been made right with God, they should let the Holy Spirit living within them guide them in God's ways and keep them 'holy' and set apart from the standards of the world around.
The photo (by Bgabel) shows the Temple of Octavia in Corinth. You can read more from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/temples-of-the-holy-spir…/