unity in the church

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today's reading again stresses how important community and trust is in the church. Christians are expected to be so transformed by Christ's love that disputes should be minor and easily solved. The way the community treats each other should be part of our witness to the world. So if Christians have a dispute, Paul advises them to appoint another member of the church to help them solve it and never to take a dispute between Christians to secular court. We have a new guideline that discusses this idea, which we will talk about at the annual meeting on Sunday after worship. We see this principle in action in the wider church as well. When the world sees denominations filled with controversy and arguing bitterly, who is going to believe that the good news of Jesus can transform their lives? Everything we do individually and collectively should show the world a glimpse of Christ's love. That's our calling today and always.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we are to judge angels—to say nothing of ordinary matters? 4If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? 5I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to decide between one believer and another, 6but a believer goes to court against a believer—and before unbelievers at that? 7In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8But you yourselves wrong and defraud—and believers at that.


9Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, 10thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.