Handling Conflict in Community

Introduction

A.

Conflict with other believers …

I. Should Not Be Resolved Outside the Church Because … (vv.1-8)

1. What do the Wicked Offer the Righteous? (v. 1)

There is a clear dividing line between those who have been saved and those who have not.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NASB95

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Finish this statement for me: I once was blind but now I _____.

Ephesians 2:1–3 NASB95

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Finish this statement for me: I once was dead but now I am _____.

Luke 15:21–24 NASB95

21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Finish this statement for me: I once was lost but now I am _____.

The unrighteous are blind, dead, and lost, so why would we go to them for direction?

Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ still struggle with the greatest conflict: the battle between my will and God’s will.

If someone has not surrendered to Jesus Christ to resolve their eternal conflict, why would we go to them to solve our earthly conflicts?

2. Will You Not Share in Christ’s Reign? (vv. 2-3)

The phrase “do you not know” would have been offensive to the Corinthian Christians.

We’ve already seen this a couple times, but Paul will use this phrase 6 times in 1 Corinthians 6.

God’s people — His children and His Church — will somehow participate in “judgment” or “reigning” in the millennial kingdom.

What are the Corinthians missing?

They are missing the new identity and standing they have been given as God’s people.

The word for judgment can mean “to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong”, or it can mean “to rule or govern.”

Revelation gives a glimpse of what this will look like in the Millennial Kingdom:

Revelation 20:4 NASB95

4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

No matter what the word “judgment” means here, Scripture is clear Christians will share in it, reigning with Christ.

This judgment will also be over angels

We do not know if this means fallen angels or the angelic host as a whole.

What you need to see here is that God created humanity, male and female, in His own image, and that humanity is the crown of God’s creation.

We view angels as powerful beings, and they are, but in the spiritual hierarchy of this world God has created, you are higher than the angels.

That anyone who repents and trusts in Jesus Christ has been brought out of death and blindness into new life and life.

What is Paul’s point in addressing this?

Notice the question that follows these two statements in verses 2 & 3:

Verse 2: If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?

Verse 3: How much more the matters of this life?

In other words, “Hey! Don’t you think if one day you will judge the world with Christ, that you could handle these trivial disputes now?”

Recognize who you are in Christ, recognize your identity, and start living like it.

3. Is Not the Fear of the Lord the Beginning of Wisdom? (vv. 4-5)

What is wrong with you?

You seek out “the experts”, the judges who settle disputes in the courts, but would you appoint those unbelieving experts as pastors, or elders, or teachers within the church?

I say this to shame you.

Earlier in this letter we saw harsh words from the apostle Paul that he says he didn’t write to shame but instead as a warning.

Here Paul says, “I hope you feel ashamed. I want you to feel ashamed.”

He sarcastically mocks them saying, “You think you’re so wise, but you can’t even find one Godly individual in the church to speak insight into this conflict and resolve it?”

Why is Paul so direct here?

Because as the church — as a temple of the Holy Spirit — they have all the wisdom they could ever need.

This does not mean only pastors or elders or teachers in the church has wisdom.

Paul is saying, you are surrounded by people who have taken on the name of Christ, and if they are pursuing the Lord, any one of them could speak into this matter!

Proverbs 9:10 NASB95

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Well, I’m not qualified to speak into that person’s situation. I didn’t go to school for it, I didn’t get my degree in counseling. I’m just a farmer, or I’m just a teacher, or I’m just a stay-at-home mom, or …

All of those are excuses.

James 1:5 NASB95

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Does that verse say when you ask God for wisdom He begrudgingly gives it away?

No, He gives to all who ask generously and without reproach.

If you need wisdom, a great place to start is with God.

And if you don’t feel comfortable speaking into a situation alone, gather other Christians and ask for their help.

Proverbs 11:14 NASB95

14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Go to people in your sphere of influence who are Christians — you parents, your friends, your small group — and seek their advice!

Why is this so bad?

Because every time Christians seek outside help from non-Christians, here’s what they are effectively saying:

“I worship the God of the universe. He knows everything and He sees everything … but He can’t help me.”

“Our church serves the God of the universe, and Jesus Christ established His Church for the good of all people … but our church is good for nothing.”

4. What Does This Say About Your Christian Witness? (v. 6)

If you remember all the way back to 1 Corinthians 1, what was “the lynchpin” that Paul said was necessary for the local church to function?

Unity!

The church is not uniform in that we all look the same, sound the same, come from the same background, have the same job, have the same skillsets.

The church is unified by the one thing we all share in common — that we are sinners saved by the blood of Jesus; that we are called to love, support, and encourage one another in our Christian walk; that we are called to be salt and light to the world; that in all things we should give all glory and honor and praise to our Father in heaven.

When Christians go outside the church to solve their problems in the church, it presents a very poor message to those who are not part of the church.

Why would they ever want to be part of a community like this?

How would you now share the Gospel with that person and invite them to be part of the fellowship?

Is Paul saying we should hide our problems from the world to trick them into coming to church?

No!

Our hope would be there’s less conflict in the church than there is in the world, but unfortunately that’s not often the case.

Conflict is going to happen, and one way or another people will hear about it.

Have you ever heard the phrase “hurt people, hurt people”?

I despise that phrase, because it’s just a victim mentality with an excuse for poor behavior.

A better phrase would be “sinful people hurt people,” because sin is your choice, and choosing to sin hurts you and those around you.

Guess what? The church is full of sinful people, and the natural result is that at some point conflict will arise, even among Christians.

If it hasn’t happened to you yet, just keep breathing for about 3 minutes.

But a great testimony of Christian unity is members of a local church who, despite being wrong in some way, choose to forgive and continue to fellowship together for the sake of Christ.

5. What Does This Say About Christ’s Example? (v. 7)

We want to prove we are right. We want to be vindicated.

Paul says, “Why not, for the sake of Christ, allow yourself to be wronged? Why not, for the sake of Christ, allow yourself to be defrauded?”

Was Jesus ever treated unjustly? Were Paul, or Peter, or any of the other apostles ever wronged?

1 Peter 2:21–25 NASB95

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Of course they were!

And Scripture tells us that one day all those wrongs will be made right, but not necessarily here in this life.

Why not allow yourself to be wronged for the sake of the Gospel? Why not allow yourself to be wronged and have God use it as a powerful testimony?

We would all have a list of reasons as to why, and they would all begin with “but”

But, you don’t understand the situation

But, you don’t know what they did to me

But, you don’t know what I’ve done for them

No matter the reason, no matter if they win the lawsuit, Paul says they have already lost.

As I was studying this week, all I could think of was the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie where Willie Wonka yells,

“You lose! Good day, sir!”

Truly winning would be enduring personal loss.

Truly winning would be gaining a glimpse of what taking up your cross means.

Truly winning would be allowing yourself to be wronged so that God can use it as a testimony of who He is, and who you have become through Him.

“Smile with your teeth

Your bruises make a lovely accessory

Have some guts, kid, this is ministry.”

I Need You, Gable Price and Friends

6. Should’t You Be Living Differently Anyways? (v. 8)

Paul finishes by addressing the one who did the wronging.

Even more than the specific individual, the word you is plural, meaning Paul is addressing the whole community.

In other words, “Hey, did y’all know if each of you loved your brother, or if each of you loved your sister, the way that each of you loves yourself, none of this would have happened in the first place?”

In all things, Paul continues to encourage the Corinthians to be in the world, not of the world.

Conflict with other believers …

II. Should Cause You to Examine the Fruit of Your Life (vv. 9-10)

A. Do Not Be Deceived

Following on the heels of the blatant sin in chapter 5, and the fraud and scheming in chapter 6, the Holy Spirit through Paul warns Christians about their behavior.

The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The conflict currently experienced in Corinth is the result of sinful Christians.

If Christians continue to engage in sinful behavior, especially if they think they have gotten away with it, the result is a hardened heart — a heart hardened to guilt and remorse for actions, and therefore a heart that sees no need for repentance.

The conflict at hand is trivial. The sin that caused that conflict is not.

Paul would agree with John who writes this in 1 John 3:

1 John 3:7–10 NASB95

7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

The key word is practice. It is obvious who is a Christian and who is not, because of their fruit.

When we find ourselves in conflict with other Christians, we should examine our actions.

Forget about the other person, does your lifestyle — your thoughts, your words, your actions — line up with how you are called to live as a Christian?

In case the Corinthians think Paul is only concerned about these particular sins, he lays out a list of unrighteous behavior:

Fornicators - sexual activity outside the marriage relationship

Idolaters - those who place something or someone above God

Effeminate & Homosexuals - the giver and the receiver in a practicing homosexual relationship

Thieves - those who take what someone else has

Covetous - those who desire what someone else has

Drunkards - consuming alcohol to the point of impairment

Revilers - character assassins

Swindlers - cheat people for personal gain

B. Will Not Inherit the Kingdom

I want you to notice how Paul brings his argument full circle.

Paul begins this section by contrasting the unrighteous with the saint.

He then reminds the Corinthians Christians that as saints, they share in the inheritance of Christ, and will rule and reign in the Millennial Kingdom.

That sounds pretty awesome, and it is awesome, and it is true.

The problem is Christianity isn’t a head religion, it’s a heart religion, and Jesus said “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

There can only be one person on the throne in your life, and make no mistake, someone sits on the throne.

Either you sit on the throne of your life and you practice, meaning you continually act on and follow, your sinful desires.

OR

Jesus Christ sits on the throne of your life and you practice, meaning you continually seek to act on and follow, His desires for your life.

There is no middle ground. There is no grey area.

Conflict with other believers …

III. Should Cause You to Remember How Christ Treated You When You Offended Him (v. 11)

A. Such Were Some of You. But …

The church in Corinth is full of every manner of people who committed every manner of sin on this list and more.

Notice the past tense, and notice the contrasting word. You were this, BUT now you are this.

What are they?

Washed

Meaning that they have been completely cleansed of their sin. There is no spot or blemish. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Sanctified

Meaning they have been set apart. Where they once lived for themselves, they have now been set apart to live for God and follow His desires for their lives.

Justified

Meaning they have been given right standing before God. In other words, it’s just as if they’d never sinned, but even more, it’s just as if they’d always done right.

The past tense were precedes all three of these characteristics.

They were unrighteous, but by the blood of Jesus they have been washed, sanctified, and justified, and by His authority they are new.

So no one on that list is in heaven?

Every person in heaven was on that list.

There’s repentant fornicators in heaven

There’s repentant homosexuals in heaven

There’s repentant drunkards in heaven

There’s repentant swindlers in heaven

Any sinner, whether that sin is specifically mentioned here or not, is in heaven for one reason and one reason only:

Romans 5:8–9 NASB95

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

While humanity — while you and I — were sinning against and offending God, He sent His own Son to die for us in our place.

And by His shed blood, we have the ability to be declared righteous in His sight if only repent — meaning to turn 180 degrees and flee from our sin — and run right back into the arms of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is saying, “You were dead, you were lost, you were blind, but by the blood of Jesus you have been made new, and you have been given the power to overcome any struggle, or desire, or temptation. You are made new! So act like it.”