1 Corinthians 6:7

Nay, already it is altogether. defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?

'already it is altogether. defect in you' -'Without going any further, suing one another means you have utterly failed.' (Beck); 'evidence of defeat' (Mof); 'Actually, then, it is already. defeat to you.' (NASV)

'already' -before ye even begin civil action. (McGarvey p. 75) 'Indeed then it is already an unmistakable defeat for you that you have law-suits-- you are beaten before you enter court. by the mere fact that such quarrels arise and reach this pitch.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 816)

'defect' -2275. hettema hayt'-tay-mah; from 2274;. deterioration, i.e. (objectively) failure or (subjectively) loss: -diminishing, fault.

In this instance. "moral failure"! Regardless of who actually won the case, it was. moral defeat, even for the winner.

This passage must have some application for two Christians who bring their marriage woes before. human divorce court (no fornication involved), and accuse each other, and fight over everything from the children to the 10 year-old station wagon. In cases like this even the declared winner, is. moral failure. And even the world can see that.

'Why not rather take wrong?' -'Why not rather be wronged?' (NASV)

'why not rather be defrauded?' -'Allow yourselves to be robbed.' (Robertson p. 119) 'Be cheated, tends to narrow the perspective to "robbing, cheating, defrauding" someone out of what is rightfully his/hers (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:5)' (Fee p. 241)

'Why not, indeed! For one living in the old age, where selfishness in all of its sordid as well as domesticated forms still rules, one can give. thousand reasons why not; but they all begin with the word "but" (as in, "But you don't know what he did to me") and are motivated by some form of self-protection or self-gain.' [Note:. Fee pp. 240-241]

'Paul now turns his attention directly to the two men involved in the litigation..the actions of both men are. total defeat, shaming both the church and themselves.' (Fee p. 239)

'Verse. makes good reading; it's the practice of it that makes it hard. We love to see it in others. Not our family members or friends, of course..Is there never. time to turn the other cheek? Is there never. time to take mistreatment with kindness in return? Is it never right to suffer yourself to be defrauded? Is 1 Peter 2:21 only for cranks and fanatics? Well? Sometimes when. look within and look around. think we're all dabbling in religion rather than being disciples of Christ...We read truths like verse. and line up about 200 reasons why we can't live that way and 400 occasions when it would be wrong to do so. How, in God's name, did the Church of God ever get launched in the world with the moderate amount of success it enjoyed if its early members were as shrewd as we are in avoiding pain and personal loss?. [Note:. McGuiggan p. 71]