THE ROAD TO RECONCILIATION

What do you do when a brother or sister sins against you?  The relationship is too important to ignore. Jesus gives us the steps to take in Matt.18:15-20.

1.  GO TO THEM. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” (v.15‬). Take the initiative.  Reach out in private.  And if they are still unrepentant?

2.  GO BACK WITH AN INTERMEDIARY.  “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’” (v.16‬). Perhaps, one or two other mature Christians can act as mediators. Should repentance not be forthcoming, then another step is taken.

3. TAKE IT TO THE CHURCH. “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. (v.17‬a). The witness of the church can be compromised by the conflict. So, the church must demand repentance.  What if he or she stubbornly refuses to repent at this stage?

4.  EXCOMMUNICATE THE SINNER. “But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (v.17b). In rejecting church authority, they show that they are perhaps not even regenerate. Even so, this is not meant to be punitive but redemptive. Should they be a child of God, by casting them out, the Father will chasten them.  They have been delivered over to Satan to learn not to blaspheme (see 1 Tim.1:20).  If they repent, their membership is to be restored.  Should they not repent, and there be no evident discipline, then they are false converts, (Heb.12:8), and we reach out with evangelism, as we would to any sinner.

The church has been given this authority, when we prayerfully come together.  Christ is among us.  “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (v.18-20‬). Members are accountable to the local congregation.

For an actual case of church discipline, see. 1 Cor.5:1-6:11 and an excessive application of authority following in 2 Cor.2:4-11. The discipline had become abusive.  This is a sobering responsibility that few churches exercise today.