1 Cor 6:1-7 Going to Law Against the Brethern

[sister christian]

I am actually Baptist, but have been relegated to only being allowed to post here, so this is the only place I can post this question.

1 Cor. 6:1-7 states that we cannot take another believer to court, but that legal matters must be dealt with among the body of believers. Either that, or just suffer and accept the wrong. How far is this to be taken? We do live in a fallen world, and the court system has been established to deal with such. Additionally, there is the additional issue of Family Court. Does 1 Cor. 6:1-7 also apply to Family Court? What about cases where a case was already established, and it appears that the only way to get anything accomplished is to work with the Family Court system (enforcing child support, having child support increases, custody and visitation modifications, etc) Must the one believer suffer wrong, even to the point of losing a child, not having the support they are due, not getting expanded visitation, or whatever the case may be?

 

[Link]

There are means of making legally binding settlements out of court. Jesus taught people to reconcile with their adversaries before being brought before a judge.

I think the strictest correspondence in our legal system to what Paul is talking about in I Corinthians 6 is if a believer files a lawsuit against another believer, requiring him to go to court and appear before a judge. We should settle these matters among ourselves. Churches should have men able to serve as judges who are able to settle such disputes. The churches that evolved into the RCC used to do this.

 

[NiteShift]

We should settle these matters among ourselves. Churches should have men able to serve as judges who are able to settle such disputes.

And if one of the parties refuses to abide by the Church's ruling? Or agrees, but later changes their mind?