Some Thoughts On Christian Judging

1 Corinthians 6:1-11--Mathew 18:15-20--Judging Matters in the Church

The Christian Church ought to be the wisest and most able judges in all the earth; they have the Scriptures, and the mind of Christ. There are several principles that are brought out in these texts.
1. The Christian's first response to ill treatment ought to be to let himself be sinned against.
2. If the sin persists, then the sinned against brother is to go to his brother and tell him his fault (Matthew 18).
3. If the sin still continues, the sinned against brother is to seek out a wise brother from the Church and seek council from him.
4. The council and discernment from the wise person in the Church ought to determine if the brother is truly suffering ill treatment, or if the sinned against brother is actually at fault.
5. If the council from the wise is that he has a legitimate case, and is actually being sinned against; then the sinned against brother is to take one or two other Christians with him as he goes back to his offender. The small council of believers will judge the case in the presence of both.
6. If the offender still does not hear, the brother's name is to be brought before the Church, to remove him from his good standing with the Church. He is to be ex-communicated from the membership; and treated as a non-believer.

*Paul seems to indicate that Christians will be the judges of the earth; they will even judge Angels. And if they are going to judge the earth and Angels, then they are surely capable of judging all matters that happen here and now.
*When Christians bring cases to earthly Judges; it brings shame on the name of Christ.