In I Corinthians 6, Paul deals with the problem of one brother suing another at law. After sharply admonishing them, he speaks to the heart of the problem: “Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud. and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” (I Cor. 6:7-9).
We believe one of the major keys to being Christlike comes from a true understanding and practice of suffering ourselves to be defrauded in all of its various applications. This attitude can set the tone of our total behavior and attitude in life.
Taking the wrong
Paul is exhorting us to endure the wrong when it comes. He is telling us we must not stand up for our so-called rights; we must turn the other cheek. If someone sues us and takes our coat the Master says to give him our cloak also. And as we shall see, scripture has many examples of this principle in practice.
We know we are to be honest, meek. kind, pure, lovely, gentle, etc. These characteristics are difficult to practice as we all know Yet the concept of suffering ourselves to be defrauded goes even beyond these beautiful attributes, for it requires us to be persecuted and defrauded if necessary because we are Christlike.
Logic would tell us we certainly have a right to be Christlike. We have a right to be peaceful, meek, gentle, and so on. If anyone takes away this right from us then it would seem logical we should be able to stand up for our rights. But Paul in these verses is telling us this is not the case. He tells us Christ likeness goes even further to the point of not even insisting on our right to be Christlike.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that we should at any time not be Christlike. But I’m submitting the teaching is that we do not have the right to vindicate ourselves because of our Christ likeness. Even when we are right, the lesson of the verses is to take the wrong against us and not press our rights.
Brothers and sisters, this can be very difficult to do! When we know we are right, it is difficult to turn the other cheek.
Suffering as an evildoer
Writing to Timothy, Paul says: “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (II Tim. 2:8-10).
Paul suffered as an evildoer when he was not an evildoer. Paul was in the right. but he suffered trouble for the sake of the elect.
How do we fare in this regard on a daily basis? How do we measure up when it comes to the concept of suffering ourselves to be defrauded? Do we find ourselves standing up for our rights? Do we get angry with the fellow who drives along the shoulder of the freeway when we’re in a traffic jam. When he wants to cut back in. what’s our attitude? When the plumber we hire does a shoddy job, how do we react?
Brothers and sisters, words like “He’s got it coming to him” or “That’s really what he deserves” do not belong in our vocabulary when speaking of trespasses against ourselves.
When a brother or sister says or does something that rubs us the wrong way, how do we handle it? Do we take it personally thinking they obviously meant to hurt us? Do we resolve never to speak to them again, or determine never to help them again because all they do is criticize us? We must remember Christ’s instruction to turn the other cheek. go the second mile, give our coat as well.
Brothers and sisters, we must think seriously on these things. The word of God plainly tells us this is part of being Christlike. When the unbaptized look at our community, what do they see, bitterness, envy, revenge, those holding grudges? Do they see a community that doesn’t support some function or the other because they don’t like someone?
The concept of suffering yourself to be defrauded means suffering now and then. It is our responsibility to rise above petty jealousies, dislikes and irritations to help build our ecclesia and community into a strong. Christlike body. We cannot do our part in building a strong ecclesia by disappearing when confrontations and unpleasant situations arise. It is our responsibility to rise above a sinful response. We must suffer ourselves to be wronged, forgiving our brother his trespasses and continuing to strengthen the things that remain until our Master returns to make things right.
Some may say. “I just can’t do that. Brother X has rubbed me the wrong way and until he apologizes, I just can’t face him.” Yet we have no choice in the matter. Christ has commanded us to turn the other cheek. The word of God has instructed us to suffer ourselves to be defrauded; we must do these things.
Our friends looking at our community must see an ecclesia that is forgiving, loving and suffering itself to be wronged if necessary.
Examples from the word
Take David for example. Saul tried to kill him because of David’s Christ likeness. David was serving the Lord, doing what he was supposed to do and it made Saul jealous to the point of murder. David had many opportunities to kill Saul, and who would have blamed David for defending himself against unrighteous Saul? Surely David had a right to defend himself when he was being treated as an evildoer for doing right!
Yet David suffered himself to be defrauded and fled, waiting until God handled the matter in His prescribed manner. We can have the same trust that God will handle these matters for us. If we have faith and patience, trusting God, He will protect us from harm to our eternal welfare.
Consider Joseph! A whole section of his life was one of suffering himself to be defrauded. He was defrauded by Potiphar’s wife who falsely accused him of improper conduct. There is no record of Joseph trying to clear himself, lashing out at her. Had Joseph tried to clear his name, he would have had to bring shame on Potiphar’s wife. He rather suffered himself to be defrauded and let God handle the situation, which of course He ultimately did.
His brothers had defrauded Joseph by selling him into slavery, but did he seek revenge? Did he say to himself, “Wait until I see those lying crooks again, I’ll get even with them, I’ll throw them into a pit and see how they like it?” No! Look what he said: “Come near to me, I pray you. I am Joseph your brother. whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life” (Gen. 45:4-5). He let God handle the problems: “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt” (v.8). Not you but God! Here is the faith and attitude we must have in these situations. When we are defrauded for righteousness sake. God is in control. Joseph had this attitude; he had the right perspective.
How do we measure up? Can we see God working on our character when we are defrauded? Can we see Him trying to build us up and strengthen us for the kingdom to come? Or are we too worried about the present? If we react wrongly to these trials in our lives, we have failed God’s test. He will have to keep working with us at this level until we can handle it properly.
As we remember Christ
Christ is the prime example of one who suffered himself to be defrauded. Can we even imagine the total injustice of accusing one of doing wrong who never sinned in his whole life? Early in his ministry, it was obvious that fulfilling his Father’s will would mean serious opposition. For doing good, he would be opposed, slandered, defrauded. But he did not stop! Eventually, his doing good led to his arrest, trial, condemnation and crucifixion — the only perfect man who ever lived!
Our Lord permitted himself to be defrauded beyond anyone before or since. We will never be asked to endure that extent of wrong. Our Master did this for us. He now asks us to remember what he did and to try to do our best to follow his lead.
Are we doing our best?
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One