“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his
fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your
brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that
every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If
he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to
listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
(Matthew 18:15-17 ESV).
The discipline process outlined by these verses applies only
for sin serious enough to remove a member from fellowship and there is evidence
of that unrepentant sin by at least two or three witnesses. If the situation is
about conflict resolution or there are not firsthand witnesses to the
unrepentant sin, then these verses do not apply.
If a brother sins against you it is your responsibility to
go to that brother, in love and humility, to seek his forgiveness. If he
understands how he has sinned against you and seeks your forgiveness, then you
have maintained fellowship with that brother. If that brother refuses to repent
and evidence of that sin was witnessed by others, then take those witnesses with
you and seek his forgiveness. If he refuses and the offense is serious enough
to remove him from fellowship, then the final step is to be considered as a
last resort. In our politically correct environment of today, this command is
very rarely applied now. Even going to the brother who has sinned against you
is often complicated by your own sin of sharing your hurt with others as
judgment against him and not trying to help you brother who has stumbled.
Prayer
Father, as I think about those who offend us, I am reminded
of what Paul said: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a
manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility
and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to
maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV). If
we could live in this way, then the offense against us would probably not
appear to be as serious as we think it to be.
See "The Commands of
Jesus" Index to view other commands.
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