DandyAndy
Active Member
1 cor 6:1-6
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 Lords people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lords people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
luke 6
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
how can anyone reconcile this?
What do you see as the contradiction?
This is what I see when I read these and I don't really see a contradiction, but I'm bias...
I see Paul giving specific guidelines for a group of believers in a specific region about how to handle court cases that arise between members (which is bound to happen since we are all imperfect) and Paul tells them that they have all, as followers of Christ, submitted themselves to the same authority. So Paul asks why would they go to an inferior pagan authority to solve an issue that could be EASILY solved by the wisdom, authority and understanding of Christ that they should already have? He makes the point that because we are under the same authority that will judge everything including the world and angels. Also as believers it would be a bad witness to go to a pagan institution for help, kind of like saying 'yeah we're forgiving and loving and stuff but he broke my camels leg and I want repayment and he won't give it to me - make him do so and show I am in the right!' That would look bad.
Christ seems to be talking about not just doing the things that the unbelievers do, but going above and beyond to show that you are truly changed, you are truly a Christ follower and you stand out amongst the unbeliever. Also Christ seems to be talking about dealings between believers and unbelievers, while Paul is talking about dealings between two believers within the community of believers.
In short I think Christ gives the best case scenario of what should happen and Paul is dealing with the situation before him - the whole Church thing was pretty new so it made sense to lay out some ground rules for odd situations that sprouted up (like the situation in chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians).
So I see no contradiction, but again I am bias, so please let me know what you see specifically.