Eph 1369ff 3/3/91
A. Introduction.
1. Definitions.
a. Juris prudence refers to the body or system or laws, or the science of law.
b. A court is defined as a place where justice is administered; a place where the function of juris prudence is designed to determine innocence or guilt.
c. Under the concept of freedom, a person should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
2. The American system of juris prudence.
a. Juris prudence in America is based on the juris prudence in Israel developed by Moses under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit and Anglo-Saxon law.
b. In the American system of juris prudence, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond all shadow of a doubt. The appointment of an independent prosecutor attacks the Constitution with its system of checks and balances by blurring the distinction between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of our government.
c. Under the American system of juris prudence, both judge and jury are responsible for determining guilt or innocence on the basis of the laws of evidence. This means that no one should ever be found guilty on the basis of hearsay, the public lie, sociology, social activism, racial prejudice, crusader arrogance, power lust, or any form of self-righteous arrogance.
(1) In civil cases, juries have been known to redress grievances on the basis of the principle of redistribution of wealth, which is a terrible evil. This is a prejudice contributing to the economic destruction of the country.
(2) Many judges are so influenced by their own thinking of social activism that they have contributed to the rise of crime.
d. Men and women guilty of criminality have forfeited their freedom and have no rights whatever. This is why the Bible advocates capital punishment for capital crimes. This is why criminals must be isolated from society rather than released to continue their life of crime. Without capital punishment and a strict system of punishments, there is no control over crime and criminals.
e. Civil law has existed since the time of Abraham, Gen 23. The juris prudence of Israel since the time of Moses distinguished between criminal and civil law. Ex 21 describes both criminal and civil punishment. Tort laws are found in Ex 21:22 regarding men who performed a negligent act that demanded the payment of damages. Ex 21:23-24 describes criminal and civil punishment.
3. The laws of evidence, Ex 23:1ff.
a. Ex 23:1, “You shall not carry a false rumor [into a court]; do not join your hand with an evil person to be a malicious witness.” Do not join yourself to a conspiracy. This is hearsay. Hearsay is testimony given by a witness based on what he has heard from someone else. Anyone can say anything about another person and someone will always believe it. Hearsay is never evidence. Hearsay is often evil slander, vicious gossip, or the creation of the public lie. Example, the case of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, who falsely accused Joseph of rape.
b. Ex 23:2, “Do not follow the crowd in doing evil when you give testimony in a law suit. Do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.” Do not follow legalistic bullies. People can become very weak before legalistic bullies. This occurs in church conspiracies or business conspiracies.
c. Ex 23:3, “Do not show favoritism to a poor man in a law suit.”
d. Ex 23:7, “Have nothing to do with a false charge, and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.” The supreme court of heaven does not let anyone get away with anything. Gen 50:20, “As for you [Joseph’s brothers], you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to accomplish what is now being done to preserve many people alive.” The supreme court of heaven overrules evil against believers.
e. The Word of God specifies that legal procedure and law suits be based on a strict system of evidence.
(1) Evidence must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the defendant is guilty under the principle that the person is innocent until proven guilty.
(2) Power lust and conspiracy rejects evidence as in the case of an arrogant, legalistic believer who rejects the laws of evidence and believes hearsay. In so doing, that believer enters into a conspiracy of character assassination.
(3) The laws of evidence demand investigation of each accusation. Legitimate evidence is based on two or three witnesses being interrogated independently and agreeing to their testimony.
f. The laws of evidence are also found in Deut 19:15-21, “A single witness shall not rise up against a person on account of any iniquity or sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.
If a malicious witness shall rise up against a person and accuse him of wrongdoing, then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. And the judges shall investigate thoroughly; and if a witness is a false witness and if he accuses his brother [fellow-believer] falsely, then you shall do to him just as he intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. And the rest will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do such an evil among you. Thus you shall not show pity: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.”
B. There are five categories of courts in which a believer might be involved.
1. Military courts. This is a court of military personnel appointed to try offenses against military law by members of the armed forces. Both believers and unbelievers can be involved in these courts.
2. Criminal Courts.
a. Criminal courts are designed to administer justice in criminal cases. Criminal cases include murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, embezzlement, burglary, pimping, prostitution, drug dealing, blackmail, fraud, counterfeiting, pederasty, and shoplifting.
b. Criminal courts are responsible to examine evidence to determine innocence or guilt of the arraigned person and to make judicial determination of punishment, which means sentencing the guilty. Arraignment means to bring a person before a court to answer an indictment. Arraignment should also be a function of a church court.
c. Both believers or unbelievers may be arraigned before a criminal court. Many believers involved in immoral degeneracy are criminals and come under the jurisdiction of criminal courts.
3. Civil Courts.
a. Civil courts are designed for litigation or law suits. These law suits are related to the private rights of individuals and legal proceedings connected with them. There are areas where believers should and should not be involved according to the Scripture.
b. Civil law is defined as a body of laws of a state of a nation regulating private matters as distinct from laws regulating criminal, political, or military matters.
c. Civil law includes five categories: tort, contracts, property, domestic court, and commercial courts.
d. Three categories of litigants are found in civil law: corporation versus corporation, corporation versus state, and a person engaged in law suits. There are three types of litigants: unbeliever versus unbeliever (which is not a part of this subject), unbeliever versus believer (a believer has a right to defend himself in a civil court), and believer versus believer (which in some cases is prohibited).
e. Civil court cases involve tort.
(1) Tort is defined as a civil wrong in which an injured party is entitled to reasonable compensation. The word “tort” is derived from the Latin and means wrong or injustice.
(2) The concept of tort does not include breech of contract. Tort usually deals with negligence and injury. This means that Christians have a right to go to civil courts where negligence, injury, and breech of contract is concerned.
(3) While litigation is not carnal or sinful in principle, many tort cases manifest greed, avarice, cupidity, and other motivating sins. You have a right to sue for redress of grievances but you do not have the right to greed, avarice, and cupidity. You should not sue for compensation for your pain. You should be able to handle the pain with the problem solving devices.
f. 1 Cor 6:1-7 prohibits the litigation of a believer against a believer under at least two questions found at the end of 1 Cor 6:7. “Why not rather be wronged?” is a reference to defamation of character. It is far better and right to put it in the hands of the supreme court of heaven. “Why not rather be defrauded?” refers to a believer being commercially cheated by another believer in a business deal. You do not go to court against a church or another believer in the case of defamation of character or being cheated financially.
4. The Church court.
a. The church court is generally composed of the following: a pastor and the board of deacons. Generally, most complaints are handled by church officers and deacons without ever coming to the point of having a church court. This frees the pastor to fulfill his function of studying and teaching. Church courts are famous for their failures. Qualification for the function of a church court is based on the proper spiritual gifts including spiritual growth and maturity and resultant wisdom.
b. Qualification for the function of a church court is based on having the proper spiritual gifts, spiritual growth through cognition and inculcation of doctrine, the attainment of spiritual maturity, the filling of the Spirit, and wisdom from maximum metabolized doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness. Church courts are no stronger than the spiritual life of those who are involved. Objectivity is necessary.
c. Church courts are mentioned in 1 Cor 6:1, 4-5.
d. The function of church courts does not include jurisdiction over criminals, military matters, corporate or civil court cases, but is restricted to spiritual matters involving believers. The problem with church courts is that they do not assign any discipline and they make the problems of people public matters. All they can do is invite someone to leave that church.
e. Church courts can deal with defamation of character and disputes among believers. When church courts fail, the believer still has recourse to the supreme court of heaven. However, ignorance of Bible doctrine and lack of grace orientation can quickly destroy the function of a church court.
f. If judges have scar tissue in the stream of consciousness, garbage in the subconscious, power lust, arrogance and emotional complex of sins, or the lust pattern of the old sin nature, that court is not going to function properly. On the other hand, a church court can be effective in handling disputes of one kind or another.
g. If you have been cheated by another believer or are suffering as a victim of defamation of character, it is far better to go to the supreme court of heaven than to go before a civil court.
h. Principles.
(1) A church should not litigate against a believer.
(2) A believer should not sue a church.
(3) A believer who is a victim of defamation of character should not sue another believer.
(4) A believer cheated in a business or commercial deal should not sue the believer who defrauded him.
(5) In these situations, believers should appeal to the supreme court of heaven.
(6) 1 Cor 6:1, 5-6 indicates that the believer should not go to court in civil action against another believer.
i. Part of the faith-rest mechanics is Col 3:13, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, forgive them just as the Lord forgave you.”
5. The supreme court of heaven. This court is the most important court for the believer. The believer using the second stage of faith-rest mechanics approaches the supreme court of heaven by leaving matters in the Lord’s hands. It is always better to take your case to the supreme court of heaven where the evidence and justice is perfect.
C. When believers should not go to court, 1 Cor 6:1-7.
1. 1 Cor 6:1, “If any of you have a case against another believer, dare he presume to litigate in a civil court before the unjust [an unbeliever judge], and not before the saints?”
a. The Greek word ADIKOS in verse one refers to an unjust judge. It implies that many judges throughout history have been unjust, have not correctly interpret the law, and have been guilty of terrible prejudice. This means that unbeliever judges are not capable of judging a case involving two believers, because to do so the judge would have to be born- again and be at least in spiritual self-esteem. When there is a dispute between two believers, no judge is capable of handling it unless he is a master of the system of law in the Word of God.
b. 2 Tim 4:8 tells you where you can go for redress of grievances, “The Lord, the righteous judge.”
c. This verse indicates that there is a civil court system operational in the city of Corinth based on the Roman system of law. The Romans had the most highly developed system of civil law of the ancient world. This verse also indicates that church courts have existed since the beginning of the Church Age. A church court should be in a local church and not in a denomination. The church courts were originally composed of the apostles (until the Canon was completed), pastors, and church officers and deacons.
d. The question implies the existence of a supreme court of heaven. When no one in the local church is qualified to form a court or when justice is distorted into injustice, then the believer has the most magnificent appeal to the supreme court of heaven.
2. Modus operandi is based on understanding Bible doctrine. 1 Cor 6:2, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to establish courts for trivial cases?”
a. Paul advances his argument by using eschatology and sanctified sarcasm. The Greek phrase OUK OIDATE, translated “Do you not know,” indicates that knowledge is necessary with regard to this subject.
b. Church Age believers in resurrection bodies will be judges during the Millennium in perfect wisdom. Paul’s point is that you must almost be perfect in virtue and integrity to handle a court battle between two believers.
c. Paul is using sanctified sarcasm here. As was true with the Corinthians, most church are not competent to establish church courts for trivial cases. He is saying that disputes among believers should be handled in the church and not the civil court. And if they still cannot resolve the dispute, they should put it in the Lord’s hands.
3. 1 Cor 6:3, “Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more matters of this life?”
a. Again Paul is using sarcasm. This is the only statement in all of Scripture about the fact that we will judge angels.
b. In the future, the judgment of angels will be perfect because believers will be in resurrection bodies and have perfect wisdom. Paul’s point is, “How dare you take your disputes to unbeliever judges about trivial matters of this life, when you will be the judges of angels.”
4. 1 Cor 6:4, “If you have church courts dealing with matters of this life [maybe you will and maybe you will not], why do you appoint as judges in the church those who are incompetent?” a. This has always been the problem of church courts— incompetent deacons.
b. The phrase “who are of no account” is the Greek perfect passive participle from the verb EXZOUTHENEO, which means to be despised, to be treated with contempt, to be rejected as contemptible, to be incompetent. This refers to incompetence in those who judge. Usually, these judges permit hearsay and gossip. These judges are often filled with power lust and have never grown up spiritually. All believers will be held accountable by God, therefore, “incompetent” is a better translation than “of no account.”
c. If a board of deacons, functioning as a church court or acting as an investigating body, is composed of legalism, arrogance, and power lust, then inevitably it is incompetent. Such incompetence will result in members of the congregation and pastors being victims of injustice and defamation. In such cases, victims are not to go the civil courts, but appeal to the supreme court of heaven—stage two of the faith- rest mechanics. Anyone can say anything about anyone else and someone will always believe it. Under the second stage of the faith-rest mechanics, you put the person or persons involved in the hands of the Lord.
d. See the Doctrine of Reproach.
5. 1 Cor 6:5, “I say this to your shame. Is there not one wise person [mature believer with epignosis doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness] among you who is able to render a judicial decision between brethren,”
6. 1 Cor 6:6, “but believer litigates against believer, and this in front of unbelievers?”
7. 1 Cor 6:7, “Therefore, the fact that you have litigation among yourselves in a civil court means that you are already defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?”
a. The two rhetorical questions imply that the believer who is the victim of injustice should take his case to the supreme court of heaven. The believer who does so has taken his case to the highest court in the universe. Provided the believer is in the right and does not complain to others or malign the one who has wronged him, he or she will receive ultimate justice from God.
b. “Why not rather be wronged?” refers to defamation of character. “Why not rather be defrauded?” refers to being cheated in a financial deal of some kind. Remember, the cattle on a those hills are His. God can always restore your finances.
D. The Warning to Deacons who Function on a Church Court.
1. When the board of deacons of a local church function as a church court, they must proceed with wisdom (the application of doctrine) and with caution (caution to never take sides). To proceed with caution means that while you are gathering facts you remain without prejudice.
2. A church court should be composed of mature believers who have executed the protocol plan of God or at least are in spiritual adulthood. They have spiritual self-esteem which constructs wisdom out of cognitive self-confidence, or they are in spiritual autonomy which constructs wisdom out of cognitive independence, or they are in spiritual maturity which constructs wisdom on cognitive invincibility. Such wisdom is objective, observing protocol procedures which protect the privacy of those involved.
3. This means that deacons are beyond reproach in hearing cases. They are in a state of grace orientation and objectivity, recognizing their liability to the supreme court of heaven.
4. Gal 6:1, “Brethren, even if a believer is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in the spirit of humility, lest you also be tempted.” You would also be tempted by the arrogance complex of sins. You might become self-righteous, thinking you would never commit that kind of sin.
5. Procedure is important when a board of deacons receives a complaint or investigates an accusation. It must separate fact from fiction, truth from the false, innocence from guilt. Investigation means that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Where there is prejudice and no evidence, such cases must be passed on to the supreme court of heaven by the deacons. If there is only hearsay and no evidence, then the matter must be passed on to the supreme court of heaven. Never be intimidated by legalistic bullying or allow a legalistic bully to influence the court. The accuser must be an eyewitness to the content of the accusation and not just a believer expressing his hatred, vindictiveness, bitterness, prejudice, implacability; hence, a revenge ploy.
6. Many accusations are based on hallucination or delusional activity, mental and personality disorders. Many accusations are either malicious rumors or deliberate manufacture of the public lie to assuage jealousy and express power or approbation lust. The one manufactures the public lie and those who believes the public lie have together created liability before the supreme court of heaven. The public lie can also create liability for the local church whose leadership make public statements of guilt on the basis of hearsay, and such a church can become liable and guilty before the supreme court of heaven.
7. If there is neither sufficient evidence or admission of guilt, the charges must be dismissed and the matter left to the supreme court of heaven. Under no circumstances should accusations received by a board of deacons ever be made public. This is tantamount to slander, judging, and maligning.
8. The highest form of integrity is to use the second stage of the faith-rest mechanics to turn a matter over to the supreme court of heaven and avoid all reactions of sin from the arrogance complex or all irrationality from the emotional complex of sins. Part of the faith-rest mechanics must include Col 3:13, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, forgive them just as the Lord forgave you.”
9. Do not approach the supreme court of heaven with any bitterness, hatred, vindictiveness, implacability, revenge motivation, self-righteous arrogance, or seeking self-justification. When the supreme court of heaven renders a decision in your favor, it should increase your grace orientation rather than legalism in your soul. Self-righteous arrogance does not glorify God. Therefore, the judgments handed down from the supreme court of heaven are never designed for gloating or any form of legalism. It is not you who are right but God who is right! The supreme court of heaven glorifies God, not the believer.
10. Every believer has the right to freedom and privacy, Gal 5:1; Ps 119:45; Jn 8:32. Every believer has the right of privacy in his priesthood, which is the basis for spiritual freedom to learn Bible doctrine. When some believer or believers in the local church intrude into the privacy of another believer, by whatever means, that person should be warned privately by the church officers. If the warning is rejected, then the believer may be asked to cease attendance. If it goes beyond this, you must go to the supreme court of heaven.
11. The function of a church court is to protect the privacy of the believer from such distractions as legalism, vilification, and other intrusions which either discourage or distract him or her from their perception of Bible doctrine.
E. Epilogue.
1. Whenever you are in doubt about any procedure regarding doctrine, always follow the grace principle.
a. 1 Jn 1:8 makes it very clear that none of us are perfect, so that the exercise of any legitimate system of divine discipline is accomplished through the right spiritual gift, the right grace attitude— humility above all else, lest you be tempted as well. Therefore, using the laws of evidence, where such a case may be necessary, is extremely important.
b. 1 Jn 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
c. Legalism either forgets or ignores this principle in a drive for power lust, domination, and getting rid of people unjustly.
d. 1 Jn 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” There are always believers who think they have reached sinless perfection or have not sinned since salvation.
e. The moment we believe in Jesus Christ every past sin is blotted out and is not held against us by the supreme court of heaven. The post-salvation solution to sin is the rebound technique in which we name our sins from the privacy of our priesthood, 1 Jn 1:9.
2. Our Lord taught three options for Jewish believers during the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union when someone sinned against them, Matt 18:15-17.
a. Matt 18:15, “And if your brother sins against you, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”
(1) “Brother” here refers, not to believers, but to a Jew who sins against another Jew.
(2) Your first option is to go to the person face to face and find out what is really going on, what the problem is all about. You should discuss the problem privately and personally with the one who sinned against you. If he listens to you, you have won him over for reconciliation.
b. Matt 18:16, “But if he will not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that `By the mouth of two or three witnesses all the conversation may be established.’” When confrontation does not settle the matter, the next step requires the function of the laws of evidence which eliminates hearsay. The meeting takes place so that you have witnesses who will establish the facts. They are not there to condemn but to clarify matters. Jesus confirms the fact that the laws of evidence still apply to the Jews even while under Roman laws.
c. Matt 18:17, “And if he refuses to listen to them, then go to the assembly [EKKLESIA]; and if he refuses to listen even to the assembly, then treat him as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.” The third step is to take the matter privately before the court of the synagogue.
(1) The EKKLESIA was not the people of the congregation but the assembled court in the synagogue. There was no church prior to the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, so “church” is not a good translation. The assembly refers to the leaders of the synagogue as a local court.
(2) We are not commanded in the mystery doctrine of the Church Age to treat people in the local church ostracize other believers (treat them as Gentiles or tax-gatherers). Jewish tax-collectors were considered traitors to their own people because they often cheated the people. This passage, which has been used by legalism to punish, bully, or control believers, cannot be directly applied to the Church Age.
(3) By interpretation, Matt 18:15-17 cannot be directly applied to the function of the Church Age. What can be correctly applied by principle is that there are certain procedures that have carried over into the Church Age.
(a) The laws of evidence are evidence are part of juris prudence in a church court. There must never be any indictments without two or three witnesses. Investigation must always precede indictment.
(b) The laws of evidence and proper procedure are a part of the function of church courts.
d. Our Lord was arraigned before the Sanhedrin on the charge of blasphemy. Matt 26:59-66, “Now the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put Him to death; and they did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, `This man stated, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days."’ Then the high priest stood up and said to Him, `Do You make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?’ But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, `I charge You under oath by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, `You said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, from now on you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his robes, saying, `He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?’ They answered and said, `He is deserving of death!’”
e. Jn 19:7, “The Jews answered him, `We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He claimed to be the Son of God.’” The Jews clearly understood His testimony that He was and is the Son of God.
f. Our Lord was tried twice by Roman law and both times found innocent. But Pilate made a political deal with the Jews and gave them a choice between a known criminal and Jesus. Pilate permitted an innocent man to be sent to His death.
g. Jesus perpetuated the laws of Moses regarding evidence and rejected hearsay, Matt 18:16. Paul perpetuated the laws of evidence of the Mosaic Law into the Church Age, 1 Tim 5:19.
3. 1 Tim 5:19-22, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin are to be reprimanded before all, so that others may take warning. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, that you guard these principles [of a church court] without prejudgment, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself pure.”
a. The “elder” (in the Greek PRESBUTEROS) refers to the highest authority in an organization, i.e., a pastor-teacher. This word emphasizes his leadership. You do not receive an accusation against the leader of a local church without two or three witnesses. The witnesses must be interrogated separately, individually and their testimony must agree without being hearsay. If the witnesses all agree, then there must be an arraignment. Since the pastor is the highest authority in a local church, great care, caution, and wisdom must be used to protect the pastor from conspiracy and those who seek to destroy his ministry. The laws of evidence carry over into every dispensation.
b. “Those who continue in sin” refers to members of the congregation, not to the pastor. The mandate to pastors is given in the next verse, indicating that the pastor is not in view in 1 Tim 5:20. The pastor is commanded to reprimand, expose, convince, reprove, correct, discipline before all. The pastor produces the action during the teaching of the Word of God, so that the privacy of the priesthood is maintained. You do not stand a person before the congregation and accuse them of sin. The intent of the Word of God is that you handle your own failures in the privacy of your priesthood. You teach the principles of sin and let each person in the congregation apply the doctrine to themselves individually. You do this so that others may have respect for doctrine.
c. If a pastor fails in the area of prejudice, bias, partiality, and injustice, he is liable to the supreme court of heaven—"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God [the Father] and of Christ Jesus.”
d. The pastor “guards these principles” by teaching the principles that warn, that convince, that get people on track with the teaching of the Word of God regarding the laws of evidence and the handling of church courts.
e. Prejudgment means to judge a case on the basis of hearsay with no evidence.
f. “Do not lay hands on anyone too hastily” means that you must not rush into a case because you dislike someone. You are allowing your personal feelings to be a judge and jury. Do not drag them into court too hastily without any evidence or else the supreme court of heaven may judge against you. When you prejudge others you participate in their sins, Mt 7:1-3.
g. You “keep yourself pure” by no prejudgment, by no partiality, and by not being too hasty to indict someone.
h. 1 Tim 5:24. Sins that are obvious should be handled by the use of the rebound technique. Other sins are not obvious and may or not be a problem to others. If they are a problem to others, then they must be dealt with through the proper laws of evidence. Often, these sins must be handled by the supreme court of heaven.
4. The case of the incestuous Corinthian. 1 Cor 5:1-5.
a. The matter was investigated and Paul himself pronounced the discipline. Paul said that when they were assembled together, he would turn this person over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh.
b. Pastors today must be careful not to exclude the grace rights and privileges of the believer. Every sin was judged on the Cross.
c. The safest thing to do is to put the matter in the hands of the supreme court of heaven.
d. Paul turned this believer over to Satan for a slow and painful sin unto death and the church excommunicated him. However, both the mother and the son rebounded and were under such terrible pressure that they became very discouraged.
e. In 2 Cor 2:5-11, Paul had to deal with this case again and asked the congregation to forgive them and restore them to fellowship.
5. The grace procedure.
a. A strong pulpit results in a grace oriented congregation. A weak pulpit (where doctrine takes second place to Christian service and fellowship) results in a legalistic congregation producing dead works. b. If you have been wronged, go to the supreme court of heaven. Do not talk about it to anyone else. If you are responsible for the things which have happened to you because of the law of volitional responsibility, then you will be judged as the guilty party. If you are truly innocent and say nothing, then those who have sinned against you will be judged.
c. You must forgive as Christ forgave. You forget the wrong done to you and never hold it against the person again.
d. Respect the privacy of others and let the Word of God, communicated from the pulpit, deal with each soul, including your own. If you have a weak pulpit, then there will be the rise of legalism and no respect for the privacy of others. If a pastor is short of doctrine, he will be long on morality. Morality too often leads to legalism. Christianity is far greater than morality.
e. Grow in grace yourself from post-salvation epistemological rehabilitation. Each of us must grow in grace. Deal with your own sins on the basis of rebound. Respect the privacy of others and let the Word of God deal with others.
f. Gal 6:1, “Brethren, even if a believer is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in the spirit of humility, lest you also be tempted.” Part of the function of the believer is the humility mentioned in this verse. The other part of the function of the believer is professionalism and integrity. Professionalism is understanding mechanics, integrity is the spiritual strength to execute those mechanics. An example of this integrity is found in Col 3:13, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you so also you should do.”
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© 1989, by R. B. Thieme, Jr. All rights reserved.
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