If Your Brother Sins Against You Matthew 18:15-20

Problems Will Arise Different kinds Some doctrinal (Acts 15) Others deal with conduct (1 Corinthians 5) Some public, others private

God Provides For Them Sometimes intervened miraculously Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1, 2) Rebellion of Israel (Numbers 11:3) Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-14) Other times used agents Achan (Joshua 7) Fornicator (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

Must Be Resolved Public sins (Acts 15; 2 Thessalonians 3) Sins between individual (Matthew 18:15-20) Different methods

Go To The Offender Privately Not always done Overlooking leads to bitterness (Hebrews 12:15) Go to other people leads to gossip

Go To The Offender Privately Why go privately? Jesus said so May not even be a problem Avoids humiliation (Leviticus 19:17) Don’t reveal it to others (Proverbs 25:9)

Take One or Two Along Done if the first step fails Witnesses can confirm the effort made to resolve the problem Principle goes back to the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 19:15) Crucial step to take

Take One or Two Along Choose witnesses carefully Need to be impartial (James 2:1) Only those with wisdom (1 Corinthians 6:5; James 3:17, 18)

Tell It To The Church Final step Unpleasant but necessary Does not mean “tell it to the preacher, or the elders

Tell It To The Church The unrepentant to be disciplined Treated as a heathen means to withdraw social approval Agrees with other passages (1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14)

Final Observations Some will not comply Some didn’t want to discipline the fornicator (1 Corinthians 5:1, 2) Action is authorized by Christ (Matthew 18:19, 20)

Final Observations Some will hinder the efforts Showing sympathy Acting like nothing is wrong Are walking disorderly themselves (2 Thessalonians 3:14)

Final Observations Results of not following God’s plan New churches are formed “Personality differences” Also a “doctrinal” problem (Ephesians 4:3)

Conclusion Purpose is to save a soul (James 5:19, 20) Not done to punish May lead to repentance Always leaves the church pure (1 Corinthians 5:6; Ephesians 3:27)