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

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

3. 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)

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

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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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)

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

10. 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)

11. 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)

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

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

14. 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)