Matthew 18 - The Best Way to Handle Conflict in the Church!

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Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “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.16 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.’17 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.18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
This is a passage that is not talked about very much in the church, much less practiced.  I wonder how much healthier our churches would be if it were applied correctly and not be used improperly.  I think the key to this verse is the role of the community in working out problems within the body of Christ.  Notice the language, "If your brother or sisters sins".  The body of Christ is the family of God.
Further it says, "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault JUST between the two of you." This is a direct and honest communication between the two people, initiated by the person offended.  When person A has a problem with person B, A should go to B and confront the person in love.  If person A does not go to B directly, the other options are not good.  A can develop smoldering resentment toward B.  Or worse yet, A goes to another person C and seeks their atttention and approval.  This is what the bible calls "gossip" and it is really destructive.  None of us is immune to this temptation and it happens all the time in our faith communities.  And it destroys Christian community.  It is a sin that is easily rationalized by saying things like, "I just needed to talk to someone that understands what i am going through". Or, "I just wanted the other person to be able to pray for me".  
But the model above deals with the situation. And if it cannot be resolved between A and B, others are publicly brought into the situation.  Others from within the body of Christ, who can have spiritual discernment as to who is really at fault.  If the person at fault is stubborn or unrepentant, these people can decide to bring it to the whole church for further discernment.  When the collective church confronts the offending person, if they still refuse to repent and listen, they are to be put out of the community.  This may seem harsh, but it is really tough love.  The prayer is that this step will lead this person to repent and come back not only into a right relationship with the person, but also with God!
Do you see why this is such a good model to deal with conflict in the church?  I wonder why more churches don't use it.  

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