St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

Settlement out-side the civil court is highly recommended. The believers are supposed to solve their disputes amicably among themselves. If then you have judgement concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is so that there is no wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between these brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore it is utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be defrauded? (1 Cor. 6:4-7). In Mathew, we read, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the Church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector (18:15-17). The decision of a community gathered in Jesus' name, is the decision of Jesus Himself (Cf. VV18-20).