When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do 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? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 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. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
Comment: Paul’s argument here is pretty clear. It sounds the perfect answer, but not everyone fits easily into a category. As Christians we are citizens of two worlds. We belong in Christ’s kingdom but I, for instance, am an Australian citizen. Obviously an Australian citizen wishing to accuse me would chose an Australian legal system rather than a church authority. But Paul is talking about Christian against Christian. Sadly many Christian organizations are ruled by worldly principles. Thus when a congregation for various reasons wishes to sever its connection with the over-riding body (for example over considered heresy, eg same sex marriage) things often become complicated. Although the congregation has paid for and built their own church building the governing group will not allow that congregation to have their own building. Maybe they are legally correct but morally wrong. Paul says, “stand for truth, prefer to be defrauded than rather go to a ‘worldly’ court!”
Prayer: Help me to accept losing honourably, rather than winning falsely. please.
As I read it! 
There is so much more that could be said here as Christians can have real grievances with other Christians. Paul’s comment – leave it, it is better to be defrauded is an unnatural reaction. But God has told us to leave these things. He will deal with it. We need to remember that He knows and cares. We are worth more than ‘a sparrow’.
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Thank God that in His sight we are! The issue isn’t always easy to work out. Going the second mile isn’t equal to being a doormat. And Paul doesn’t say what to do if a believer is being ‘ripped off’ by a non-believer not because the one being ripped off is a Christian but because the person is ‘rotten’ to everyone? The grey areas aren’t always easy! Thank you for writing.
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