⁷ To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? ⁸ But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! 1 Corinthians 6:7-8

The Christians at Corinth struggled with pride and as a result, were a divided body of believers.  They were so concerned with their own reputations and with winning an argument that they went as far as taking one another to court.  They were also guilty of defrauding one another in the secular courts before the unbelieving world.

Paul gives a great word to them in 1 Corinthians 6:7-8.  He says, “No matter what happens in court—no matter how much money you make off of another and no matter who wins, in God’s eyes you lose.”  Paul explains that taking a believer to court before the unbelieving world is a “no-win” situation—a total defeat because it destroys relationships, ruins the reputation of the church and displeases God.  He says, “Why not rather suffer wrong?”  In other words, “Better to take one on the chin than to take down another believer and the church.” 

Jesus says something similar in Matthew 5:39-40.
³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

Now for some this is extreme, but is straight from the mouth of Christ and Paul.  Also, both are talking about something deeper than petty issues or trivial court cases.  They are calling for God’s people not to lose sight of what is truly important.   You see the Corinthians were going to court because they valued their reputation more than God’s, and valued earthly possessions more than heavenly treasures.  Paul is calling for them to get their priorities straight.

Examine your own life.  What do you most value?  What is truly most important to you:  Your reputation or the church’s, earthly possessions or heavenly treasures, your rights or your testimony, public opinion or God’s approval, personal victory or God’s glory?

It is vital that we keep our values in check because one day we are all going to have our day in court.  And in that day the details of our life will be laid out for all to see.  And there will be only one ruling that will concern us on that day and that’s God’s.  I want more than anything in that day for Him to look at the life I lived and see that I lived it for Him and His glory.