There are many points of doctrine and church practice in which there is ample room for differences of interpretation and opinion.  I can articulate my opinion and others can explain their idea of what Scripture teaches, and we can depart as friends and coworkers for the cause of Christ, even if we disagree. 

But where the Bible is clear, we don’t need to argue.  If the Bible is clear, we are to obey.

I’m referring to something that is unfortunately becoming very common in denominational and church life—the filing of lawsuits against churches and denominational institutions

Baptist Press recently reported that Adam Greenway (a former President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) has filed a lawsuit against Southwestern Seminary, their board of trustees, and the board chairman.

Honestly, though I am a graduate of that Southwestern and I enjoyed my time there, I haven’t followed the story with enough detail to know the details of the accusations and the rebuttals.  I don’t know if the school was in the right or if they were at fault.  In regards to the lawsuit, however, it doesn’t matter. 

The Bible is clear that the issue should not be decided in a court of law.  1 Corinthians 6 specifically deals with the issue of lawsuits among believers:

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? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.

I don’t know any other way to interpret the passage other than the straightforward teaching that Christians ought not to file a lawsuit against other believers.  I know of no other Biblical passage that would lead to any another interpretation.  The Bible is clear.   Differences of opinion among believers should be solved by believers and not in a court of law.  

Do we not have any godly believers in our convention who could sit down among those involved and settle the issue?  If no agreement could be reached on that level, could not both parties agree to binding arbitration?  Isn’t that what the Bible teaches?

We claim to be a convention of churches that believes the Bible.  Southwestern Seminary believes in and teaches the Bible.  Dr. Greenway believes in and teaches the Bible.  Our convention has published statements of faith and books which proclaim this truth.  Preachers in our churches proclaim this every Sunday in every church in our convention. 

Is it all talk or do we really practice what we preach and live what we believe?

I don’t know Adam Greenway personally, but I call upon him to retract his lawsuit immediately.  And I call upon the Board of Trustees to sit down and talk to him and work it out in the spirit of Christian humility and love.  And if that doesn’t solve the issue, let it be submitted to binding arbitration in front of a group of faithful men and women.

If we can’t solve a tough issue in a Biblical way, we lose the right to continue to preach and teach the Bible with integrity and with God’s blessings. 

If we don’t believe it enough to obey it, why do we preach it at all?