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When Someone Sins

Matthew 18:15-20

Good News Translation (GNT)

15  "If your brother sins against you,(a) go to him and show
   him his fault. But do it privately, just between yourselves.
   If he listens to you, you have won your brother back.
16  But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other
   persons with you, so that 'every accusation may be
   upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses,'
   as the scripture says.
17  And if he will not listen to them, then tell the whole thing
   to the church. Finally, if he will not listen to the church,
   treat him as though he were a pagan or a tax collector."

Prohibiting and Permitting

18  "And so I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will be
   prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be
   permitted in heaven.
19  "And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree
   about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my
   Father in heaven.
20   For where two or three come together in my name,
   I am there with them."

   Footnotes
   Matthew 18:15
   Some manuscripts do not have against you.

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Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament Commentary' (Kingsway)

A Brother Who Sins Against You

Jesus here teaches us what to do if a fellow believer sins against us. We must speak to him about it face to face. We must speak to our brother in love and humility... There are three things we must not do when our brother sins against us.

First we must not go to him in anger. We shall not win our brother over with anger. Second, we must not hold bitterness in our hearts. We must speak openly with our brother and tell about the hurt we have received. Third, we must not initially speak negatively or critically about our brother to any other person.

This kind of negative and critical talk about others is one of the commonest sins found in the church. Jesus says:

"... show him his fault, just between the two of you."

If our Christian brother does not make the injury right, then there are two courses of action we can take.

First, if our brother's sin is small or if it is only a sin against us personally, we can simply forgive him (even if he doesn't repent) and forget the matter.

However, if our brother's sin affects others, or if it appears necessary to oppose his sin actively, we must take two or three elders in the church and go again to our brother. Our purpose is still to bring about a reconciliation, not to accuse our brother.

If, however, it later becomes necessary to accuse our brother before the church (verse 17), then the testimony of these elders will be necessary. No accusation can be made in the church without two or three witnesses present to confirm the accusation.

We must not go to a civil magistrate about disputes between believers.

If the brother still does not repent, he should be expelled from the church, and members of the church should have nothing further to do with him.

Nevertheless, the purpose of this severe punishment is not to destroy the soul of the offending brother, but rather to bring him back to repentance,

A question arises here:

Must we forgive such a hard and unrepentant brother?

If he repents we certainly must forgive him. But even if he does not repent, we must still forgive him.

If we are led by the Holy Spirit to confront our brother, then Jesus has shown us, in these three verses, exactly how we must go about it.

The church has the final authority to render judgment in such matters. Their ruling will be bound in heaven; that is, it will be approved by God.

Likewise, if they forgive, or loose the offending brother, God will also forgive him. God has given the church and its leaders the full authority to act in His name.

The Holy Spirit must guide the members of the church to make the right decision. And He will guide everyone in the same way.

If there is not full agreement, the church should not take action against a brother.

These verses are written about any kind of prayer or request. When two or three gather together in Jesus' name, Jesus is present with them (verse 20). His Holy Spirit is in them. And when they agree in their prayer, they can be sure that the Holy Spirit has guided them and that they are praying according to God's will.

If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you. What an amazing promise!

Do we believe it?

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