Tell it to the Church

If your brother or sister sins, 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.

Matthew 18:15-17

These are the words of Jesus and they cannot be ignored. He is dealing with a situation where sin has not been acknowledged. The normal way to handle sin in our lives is to judge it ourselves and stop it. When this happens, nothing else is required. But our Lord is dealing with those cases where we do not judge ourselves. This is addressed to all Christians, and this is to happen all the time between believers.

The first stage is a private meeting. The world tells us that what an individual does in his private life is nobody else's business, but the church is a body, and members of that body belong to and help one another. At this first meeting we are to go in meekness, not harshly or with condemnation. Aware of our own vulnerability, we say, The Scriptures say that what you are doing is wrong. We seek to lay hold of the individual's conscience and bring him to repentance.

Jesus says if your brother accepts what you point out, and ceases his sin, no further action is needed and no one else is to know. If your brother does not hear you, then others become involved. This is designed to impress the erring brother or sister with the seriousness of sin. This may occur several times, in a loving attempt to lay hold of someone's conscience. If the erring brother or sister listens to two or three and ceases the sinful behavior, then nothing further need be done. Discipline has achieved its objective and forgiveness comes in.

But if there is still no repentance, a third step is necessary — tell it to the church. We don't do this so that they might turn their backs on the individual. We are not to come as holier-than-thou judges, but as those pleading for a change of heart. There are several ways to do this. We can pray that God will grant repentance to the offender. We can also express love and concern to the individual involved. And we can share experiences of finding God's grace sufficient in our own lives to resist evil. This will encourage them to realize that the only way out is to return to the Lord, who will forgive.

If this works, then it is done. But if the offender continues in sin, Jesus sets out a final step to be taken: let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. This suggests that the whole congregation look upon the individual differently — with courtesy, yet with sorrow for the sin and hurt he is bringing on himself, but with hope for his ultimate redemption. He is not to have any leadership or teaching ministry within the church. He is not to be recognized as being a believer; his deeds declare that he is not what he professes to be.

Father, show us how to help others return to a place of obedience.