Dare You?

1 Corinthians 6:1-6   
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

The Corinthians seemed to be a litigious bunch.  They would sooner take some fellow believer to civilian court than deal with the situations according to the Scriptures among the elders and each other.  We will sit with Christ to judge the world and fallen angels at the final judgment day, the ones who rebelled against God and who cannot be saved.  Therefore, we who have been saved in grace and mercy should show that reconciling mercy and grace in matters between each other before that time.  It is shameful before God and man to not seek wise elders to judge within the church, instead suing and seeking revenge among those who do not know reconciling grace.  True and loving church discipline can also bear witness to the world of God in and through us.