“Out Of Court Settlement!”

“Out Of Court Settlement!”(Mt.18:15-20).
Dear LORD, thank you because a new day means you still love me.
Ensuring peace through arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, and torture, especially in the face of political heat, is a display of “might is right.” “Might is right” can only bring about false peace; a pretence that all is well while setting the time at which the bomb will explode.
There can be no peace where there is no justice. Justice requires that due process of the law be applied “because it is the fundamental safeguard against arbitrary and unfair actions by the government, ensuring that all individuals are treated with fairness and respect for their legal rights. This principle, rooted in the Magna Carta, ensures that the government operates within the law and that individuals have an opportunity to defend themselves when their life, liberty, or property are at risk…”
Due process is the granting of fairness to any defendant. The Lord Jesus Christ offers a kind of due process, which, if adhered to, the matter will not come to court.
“If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
Treating them as you would a pagan or tax collector means you can now take them to court.
When Christians follow this process of correction, no Christian would take another Christian to court – except the one is adamant and won’t submit to correction.
The Christian court is for correction and restoration.
The decision of the Christian court is ratified in heaven, and it remains binding. But where the decision has not followed due process, it is not binding in heaven. Therefore, if we want our decisions to be binding in heaven, let there be due process before agreeing on it.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, prompt us to follow the prescribed steps as we correct each other within the Christianfold. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang
19/11/2025.