Biblical Foundations of Law Series 4: Conflict and the Call to Law

The Biblical Foundations of Law studies are intended to provide you with accessible Bible studies on topics of interest to law students and professionals who are seeking to understand the law from a biblical perspective.

After reading the brief scriptural passage (perhaps with a couple of different translations available in the group to add nuances of meaning), use the questions as prods for discussion. Please add your own questions, because the concerns and interests of each study group are different. In some cases, leader's notes are provided to help guide the conversation.

Some discussion "Do's":

  1. Do resist the temptation to make Bible study a mere intellectual inquiry or to parade your finely tuned analytical skills.
  2. Do provoke each other into finding concrete ways to apply and incorporate scriptural insights into your lives.
  3. Do commit yourselves to encouraging each other to stick to these commitments through friendship and prayer.

We're grateful to the Christian Legal Society for sharing these studies with us.

Questions

Read Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

  1. What is God’s heart regarding conflict and the body of Christ?
  2. Spend some time discussing how lawyers within the body of Christ might serve the kingdom.
  3. Discuss whether it is acceptable in the sight of God for a Christian lawyer to bring or defend lawsuits in civil courts.
  4. How will you make the decision about what type of practice you are called to? Consider Ephesians 2:10 as you share with the others in the group.
  5. Share with the group why you came to law school, and whether you believe that God has “called” you into school or any particular legal field. Why or why not? How did you know what you thought God was asking you to do?
  6. Discuss what roles lawyers — including you — might have in resolving or reducing conflict in the church or in the broader culture.

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Photo of Lady Justice is courtesy of: jsmoorman on flickr.

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