Dr. Bernard, we recently received an email here at UPCI World Headquarters from somebody

who had a question that I wanted to ask you today because it ties into a larger issue

that Christians deal with. And that is the question of lawsuits. When and when are they not

appropriate? So and when are they

not appropriate? So is it wrong? This person asked for a Christian to sue somebody who injured them.

So this person was in an auto accident in which a truck hit their vehicle and their vehicle

was totaled to use an insurance term. And they sustained some kind of physical injury from the collision.

And so they want to know, is it wrong for me to see a lawyer and sue for pain and suffering and

compensation? I know I'm to forgive them, but is it wrong to get compensation for my injury?

What does the Bible, I know Paul talks about lawsuits, but what does the Bible actually say about Christians, lawsuits, and these types of situations?

Well, first of all, the teaching of the Bible about lawsuits is specifically in the context of the church.

So in Matthew chapter 18, Jesus gave guidelines for resolving disputes in the church.

He says, if two fellow believers have a difference,

then one of them should go to the other alone and try to work it out.

If that doesn't work, then take two or three with you,

take someone else with you so that you have another witness and try a second effort

to mediate. And if that doesn't work, bring it to the church. And I don't think that necessarily

means bring it to a congregational worship service, but to the leadership of the church and to

whatever structure the church has provided. And so this is the three-step procedure.

Try to work personally.

Second, try with other witnesses, like we would call a mediation.

And third, go to the church and follow a structured procedure,

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