Mean Time

Asking For a Friend

By Dean Fulks, August 28, 2022

We believe that God offers us answers to life’s toughest questions


The Gospel actually provides a way that we can have unity without requiring uniformity


Human conflicts give us divine opportunities



1 Corinthians 6:1 – If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?


Layout of Corinth


Bema


1 Corinthians 6:2-3 – Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judge by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!


Our identity should determine our response to conflict



1 Corinthians 6:4 – So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

1 Corinthians 6:5-6 – 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?

1 Corinthians 6:7-8 – 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!


Jesus didn’t come to get His rights; He came to take our wrongs


My rights are not my mission


Four biblical steps for handling conflict:


1. Pursue God


2. Pursue the person/people with whom we disagree


3. Pursue wise Christian Counsel


4. Without resolution, Pursue Jesus in suffering