resolving conflicts by Paul - 23rd week Tuesday 2014

The letter of Paul to the Corinthians is a real letter.  It is not some general letter which dealt with general topics.  The letter has a context.  It was written to a particular community experiencing a particular problem.  It was written in order to address a specific situation which Paul came to know about probably through a messenger or through an earlier letter.

There were conflicts in the Christian community of Corinth and Paul was shocked with the way they handled them.  A Christian would bring another Christian to a court of law.  Christians were asking pagan judges to make a ruling to resolve the conflict between them.  For Paul that is a scandal because for Paul Christianity is the whole of life.  It is not just one part of your life, it is not just a portion of your life.  No, it is the whole.  And so even resolving conflicts among fellow Christians should be imbued with the teachings of Christ, resolving conflicts should be Christian.

In particular Paul pointed out three things to the Corinthians in resolving conflicts.  First, he wrote, why not rather put up with injustice?  In other words Paul was asking, Why can’t we bear wrongs patiently as the Lord taught in the sermon on the Mount.  Kadasig sa inyo ma-initay ulo.  Gina-aksyonan nyo dayon ang kainit sang inyo ulo.  We feel the urge to immediately right the wrong or we feel the urge to get even, nga makabalos agod mada-ug or at least mapatas. Gani gamay-gamay lang nga diperesnya i-facebook dayon. Gamay-gamay lang ipabombo dayon ukon ipa-aksyon nga daw indi gid bala mahim-os kag makapa-iway.  Amo na kon ngaa may mga road-rage.  Of course we get angry but we don’t have to act on it immediately.  This is the first point of Paul to the Corinthians - bear wrongs patiently

Second, do no harm, do not offend others because the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God.  So do not cheat, do not do injustice to others. 

And lastly Paul insisted, do not cause scandal by bringing your problems to pagans.  Settle it within the community, among yourselves. Araw, araw, siling ni St. Paul, can it be that there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers?

For Paul the principle is clear – you are Christians, everything in us should be imbued by Christ, even our conflicts, even how we settle our conflicts should be Christ-like.