DISCIPLINE AMONG BELIEVERS

Passage: Matthew 18:15-20

Key verse: 20

NIV

Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault,(A) 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.’[c](B) 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(C) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(D)

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.(E)

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them(F) by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”(G)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
  2. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
  3. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
  4. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  5. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

If Your Brother Sins Against You

15 (A)“If your brother sins against you, (B)go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have (C)gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established (D)by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, (E)tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, (F)let him be to you as (G)a Gentile and (H)a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, (I)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[a] in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you (J)agree on earth about anything they ask, (K)it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are (L)gathered in my name, (M)there am I among them.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 18:18 Or shall have been bound… shall have been loosed
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

As a community of believers and a fellowship of the church, we may not ignore someone sinning against God. It may cause others to stumble (18:6) and become a bad testimony against the name of the Lord (Ro 2:24). The one who sees a problem should personally point out the matter to the offender to win their heart (15). There is no reason to gossip or cause public humiliation.

If the first attempt does not work out, two more witnesses may be called to persuade the offender to listen to the truth. If they still refuse to listen, it will be turned into a matter of church discipline, meaning the church leaders would have discussed and prayed about the matter and confronted the person with principles based on the word of God. If they still refuse to listen, consider them as one who does not belong to the community of believers (17). What we do as a church community or as a member of a church community will be accountable before the Lord in heaven (18). Church discipline should represent the will of the Lord, and we need to handle it with trembling hearts and respect (19,20).

Prayer: Father, thank you for the community of believers who help us to be accountable before you as we live in this world. Please help us pray for those who fall into temptation and give us wisdom to approach them and help them turn to follow you so that your name would be glorified.

One Word: When we gather, Jesus is with us