This touched my heart

[bj127]

Read this this evening and felt it was worth sharing a portion.  It comes from a reflection on the works of A. E. Knoch http://www.concordant.org/expohtml/FaithfulLaborers/aek6.html :

The whole spirit of the times is against unity. Every where freedom, independence, self-determination, are held up as the greatest of goals for humanity. There is a revolt against authority. Children no longer need to be subject to parents, nor wives to their husbands, nor slaves to their masters, nor the younger to the elder, nor the citizen to the authorities, nor the saints to one another, nor the ecclesia to Christ. One would suppose that, at the consummation, all are to become all in themselves, self-centered self-sufficient, independent, free instead of being utterly subject to God (1 Cor.15:27-28). That such a spirit leads to discord and strife is evident all about us. But it should not lead us astray. We should not strive to be independent of one another. Rather, we should seek to stem this tide by practicing the opposite. Let us not insist on our rights but rather forego them when this will serve the saints. It may be humiliating, but that is just what we should covet. Let us remember that our Lord was vested with all authority, yet He chose the path of bitterest humiliation and shame.   

[jabcat]

Yes.

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. vWhy not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?  1 Cor. 6:6,7

[sheila]

the other side of the coin......religious authorities that   abuse the people.    maybe the children of the flock were wrong

going to law before unbeleivers when they were molested by the preists?  maybe they should have suffered in silence

  and not exericized this right?

    or was the defeat already there when such behaved unlawfully[without love].

   let none of you ssuffer aas an evildoer....government authorities do not bear the rod for nothing..if you do nothing wrong

  you have nothing to fear.

    subjecting to Christ and God..if the spirit of Christ be in aa brother...I subject and honour such ones.But if another spirit

  be in them,I do not...I cntinue to be subject to Christ and God....and will not bow down to such.

   in relationship to Christ and the church aand headship...as presented as husbaand and wife...the wife des not submit to

any other man but her husband alne.

     if a brother sin aginst you..go to that brother alone..if he will not listen..take two or three others with you............

     if he repents..you have your brother back..if not......the church disciplines....

    if the church doesn't discipline such one..due to those in authority over the flock failing to properly exercize

  their gifts/positions in the body[let them be defrauded]   then the flck becomes as ssheep skinned and thrown about

  without a shepherd.

   Paul and Jude spke of what would occurr in the future to the flock...'certain men..have secretly slipped in

' not treating the flock tenderly........

godless men who change the grace oof God into a license fr immrality..deny Jesus....angels who did not keep their

positions of authority...clouds without rain...'godless men'...........etc...thus Babylon religins...and the beast that rises up

  and exposes her nakedness'for God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by qagreeing to give the beast their

pwer to rule...........thus the lawsuits in the Governments taking such religius bodies to task.....

   the kingdoms of the world did become the kingdoms of our Lord..and He shall rule the nations with aa rod of iron....

     Rmaans 13  submit to governing  authorities...have been established by God...He is God's servnt..and agent of wrath to bring

punishment on evildoers...............now we also know...the rod does not lift himself above He that weilds it..for when it does

it is brought down.

  there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven....a time to scatter stones........and a

time to gather them.

   

[jabcat]

Maybe the I Cor. 6 scrip is talking to/about people who are truly brothers and sisters in Christ (spiritually reborn), not  any particular harlot system and/or wolves in sheep's clothing within any system.

Per the OP, I guess my main point was the spirit of the last line, when possible within us to live at peace;  "Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" - likening it to turning the other cheek.  I agree there are times outside the true ecclesia to "buy a sword" or when a sword needs yielded by the authorities.   :2c:    Blessings.

[jabcat]

Paul just prior also said "isn't there anyone among you [the true ecclesia] who can judge such matters?"     Also, he told the unrepentant [open/uncaring?] sinners in the church that when he came, if they were still doing the same things, he would not "spare" them.   :punish: