A Look at the Biblical Process for Addressing Accusations

Accusations are part of spiritual warfare. …the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. - Revelation 12:10 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. - Zechariah 3:1

Jesus’ instructions on accusations 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. - Matthew 18:15–17

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. - Matthew 18:15–17

Address the issue alone. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. Address the issue alone. Go privately. Show him his fault. Leviticus 19:17 “ ‘Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.

Address the issue alone. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. Address the issue alone. Go privately. Show him his fault. Pursue winning him over.

Address the issue alone. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ Address the issue alone. Go privately. Show him his fault Pursue winning him over. If the person will not listen – (Don’t drop the matter) Take one or two others who can speak to the matter Have a goal to “establish” the matter of concern

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; Address the issue alone. Go privately. Show him his fault Pursue winning him over. If the person will not listen – (Don’t drop the matter) Take one or two others who can speak to the matter Have a goal to ”establish” the matter of concern If the person still will not listen – (Don’t drop the matter) Tell it to the church (this begins with the elders)

Address the issue alone. and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Address the issue alone. Go privately. Show him his fault Pursue winning him over. If the person will not listen – (Don’t drop the matter) Take one or two others who can speak to the matter Have a goal to ”establish” the matter of concern If the person still will not listen – (Don’t drop the matter) Tell it to the church (this begins with the elders) Remove them from the community of believers

How does this apply to leaders?

Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Are there two or three witnesses? If not, ignore it. A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. - Deuteronomy 19:15 (NASB95) One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. (NIV)

Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Are there two or three witnesses? If not, ignore it. A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. Proverbs 16:28 (NASB95) A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. (NLT)

Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Are there two or three witnesses? If not, ignore it. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts. - Proverbs 18:8

The judges must make a thorough investigation… Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Are there two or three witnesses? If not, ignore it. If so, begin an investigation. Determine if there has been sin. (Investigate) Evaluate the evidence. The judges must make a thorough investigation… Deut. 19:18

Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Are there two or three witnesses? If not, ignore it. If so, begin an investigation. Determine if there has been sin. (Investigate) Evaluate the evidence. Have the accused hear the accusations from the witnesses.

The accused must be able to hear his accusers and respond to the accusations again him. The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him. - Proverbs 18:17 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. -Proverbs 18:13 a gossip separates close friends. - Proverbs 16:28

The accused must be able to hear his accusers and respond to the accusations again him. The US Constitution, Amendment VI, “the accused shall enjoy the right … to be confronted with the witnesses against him…” When the Pharisees were trying to kill Jesus, Nicodemus recognized Jewish law required something before a judgment could be made: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” John 7:51 Even pagan Roman law recognized this right, “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges.” Acts 25:16

Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Determine if the accusation should be entertained. Are there two or three witnesses? If not, ignore it. If so, begin an investigation. Determine if there has been sin. (Investigate) Evaluate the evidence. Have the accused hear the accusations from the witnesses. Evaluate the defense of the accused. Continue investigation until a verdict is clear, giving the accused the presumption of innocence.

Make and execute a judgment. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Make and execute a judgment. If the charge is false, do not hold the accuser guiltless. The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. - Deut 19:18-20

Make and execute a judgment. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. - 1 Timothy 5:19–20 Make and execute a judgment. If the charge is false, do not hold the accuser guiltless. If the charge is true, the leader is to be rebuked in a public manner. This promotes holiness among the other leaders and the church

Love…always trusts I Cor. 13:7 If there is not a basis to entertain an accusation, how should I view someone? By their word. speaking the truth in love… Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor… Do not lie to each other … - Ephesians 4:15, 25, Col. 3:10 Love…always trusts I Cor. 13:7

If there is not a basis to entertain an accusation, how should I view someone? By their word. By their fruit. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:16–20

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.