The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 18 Part 5 Jesus Taught Us ABout Church Discipline

This chapter began with Jesus' disciples quarrelling among themselves about which one would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Our Lord rebuked their pride and taught them that  child like faith and humility is required to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus used a little child to illustrate this truth to His disciples.

We are born sinners, and we live in a world corrupted by sin. 

Therefore, sin or "offenses" will come but God will judge those who seek to stop or hinder gospel preaching.

There are many temptations around us and by teaching us that we should pluck out our eye, Jesus showed that we must guard what goes into our heart and minds.

He followed this up by teaching the Parable of the Lost Sheep because this parable teaches us about the love of God and His heart to seek and save all lost sinners.

The next section deals with what to do when a brother sins against us and leads us into the topic of church discipline.

Jesus teaches us what to do when a brother or sister in Christ has sinned against us.

Matthew 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 

Christ cautioned His disciples not to give offence, and tells them what they must do in case of offences against them. 

The word "trespass" literally refers to shooting an arrow and missing the target completely. 

This word has the idea of wandering from the path of uprightness to do wrong, or to violate the law of God.

Thus, someone may personally sin against us and this is Jesus' instruction about how to handle this offense.

In this section, a "brother" refers to another believer in Christ, and this teaching is needed because all churches have members who are sinners saved by grace. 

Therefore, there is always potential for a misunderstanding to occur, for conflict to arise or for one brother to sin against another brother in Christ. 

The principle Jesus set forth to guide matters of one Christian sinning against another, comes from God's law.

Confronting the one who sinned against us is necessary but only in the spirit of love.

Leviticus 19:17-18  Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

If another brother or sister in Christ sins against us, and we do not address it rightly, there is real potential for wrong feelings to enter our heart toward the brother or sister who sinned against us.

God's law says that in order to avoid hating our brother or sister due to a sin committed by them against us, we must go to confront that person.

The law describes the spirit in which a rebuke must be given. 

We are not to go to them to seek revenge or carry a grudge against them, because vengeance belongs to the LORD.

Rather, we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves and thus, we must confront a sinning brother or sister in the spirit of love.

Matthew 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 

This is why Jesus said we must go to the one who sinned against us privately, not publicly and explain the wrongdoing to the one who sinned against us.

If he or she listens to our complaint and agrees that they did wrong and make amends for it, then we maintain our fellowship together in Christ.

Do not rush to rebuke someone with anger or rash words because they may not know that  they sinned against us.

Proverbs 25:8-11  Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. 9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: 10  Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away. 11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. 

This agrees well with what the Holy Spirit guided King Solomon to write about the same issue.

When we find out that someone sinned against us, we must not run out with haste or anger because the sin against us may well be an innocent misunderstanding or a sin of ignorance.

Thus, if we come to confront them with a blustery, angry spirit and they explain it so that we see it was not a malicious act on their part, then we will suffer great shame.

Solomon also reminds us to keep our mouths shut about the conversation we had with our neighbor. 

We are not to be talebearers and tell other people what happened. 

As Jesus said, the confrontation conversation must remain between the two parties.

Solomon said that "A word fitly spoken" is valuable like gold or silver. 

That is, we put our emotions aside, confront the one who trespassed against us and in love, seek to be reconciled with each other.

This truth should be practiced by each Christian and most times, a dispute or misunderstanding between two brothers in Christ, can be resolved so that the church is not impacted.

What happens if the brother who sinned against us does not listen and seek forgiveness?

Matthew 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 

However, there will be times when a person who sinned against us will not repent or even acknowledge his or her wrongdoing.

At this point, it becomes necessary to broaden the scope of confronting that person for their sin against us.

It is still to be done in the spirit of love and the hope of restoring things between the two parties.

If the one who trespassed against us refuses to hear our complaint, then we are to take two or three witnesses with us and confront them a second time.

Why take two or three persons with you? 

First, because this is Jesus' instruction to us and if we truly love Him, we will keep His commandments.

Deuteronomy 19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. 

Second, because it satisfies the requirement of God's law. 

God specifically stated that the testimony of a solitary witness is not sufficient to settle a sin issue between an innocent victim and the one who sinned against him.

Two or three witnesses are needed in order to maintain a reliable and accurate record of what happened.

Third, by bringing two or three impartial observers with us to confront him,  the sinning brother's conscience may be humbled such that he does acknowledge his sin.

Jesus tells us what to do if the one who sinned against us refuses to admit his guilt on front of two or three witnesses. 

Matthew 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 

At this juncture, the one who sinned against another brother in Christ, rejected the private attempt at reconciliation and rejected the attempt of reconciliation in front of two or three witnesses.

What happens next? 

This is now a matter of church discipline and it must be brought before the whole congregation.

The whole issue must be presented to the congregation of this man's church with the pastor, elders or deacons present along with the church members.

By this time, the one who sinned demonstrated that he has an obstinate, stubborn spirit of rebellion against the Lord.

The church cannot allow this to continue, so the matter is brought before the whole church for consideration.

If this man who sinned against a brother in Christ, still refuses to acknowledge his sin, then he must be treated like a publican or heathen.

He is to be cast out of communion with the church, and not allowed to participate in the services or communion.

The brother who sins and refuses to admit it must be be put to disgrace, and the members of the church must withdraw from him.

Why so? Because this action is needed in order that he may be ashamed of his sin, and that the church not be infected by it.

The goal of church discipline is seeking to lead the sinning brother or sister to repentance, confession and restoration.

1 Corinthians 5:1-5  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. 2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

The apostle Paul had to correct the church at Corinth because a certain man was committing a sexual sin and they did not deal with it as Christ commanded His church to do.

They had not gone to him privately, nor did they return with two or three witnesses and they did not take the next step of church discipline.

Paul learned of this situation, which was tarnishing the name of Christ in Corinth because the church  tolerated known sexual sin in their midst.

They should have withdraw their fellowship with that  until such time as he repented. 

Instead, they were maintaining fellowship with him and in effect, condoning his sin.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, it is clear that the church followed through and withdrew their fellowship from the man committing sexual sin.

He repented and Paul heard of his repentance and gave instruction to the church about restoration.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11  But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

The punishment of having Christian fellowship withdrawn compelled this man to confess his sin, seek forgiveness from God and his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Therefore, Paul said it was indeed time to forgive him because his sorrow and repentance was genuine.

By forgiving him, the church demonstrated their love for him, so that this man could be restored and begin once again walking in newness of life with Christ.

This is exactly in accord with Jesus command to treat that sinning brother as a publican or heathen by withholding Christian fellowship from him.

Paul also tells us the danger of failing to follow through completely by forgiving the sinner once he as confessed his sin with repentance.

Satan would gain a foothold in the church if they failed to forgive and extend their love as Christ commanded.

Let us apply this teaching to scandalous sins, which are an offence to the little ones, and a bad example to those that are weak.

Christ taught us to not judge or condemn the weakness of our brethren if for example, they cannot eat meat offered to idols. 

Paul said he would not eat meat at all if it makes a weaker brother to stumble.

But, Jesus also cautioned us not to indulge their wickedness under pretence of loving them.

Matthew 18:19-20  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

This is a more clear illustration of what Jesus meant when He told Peter about using the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Whatever they bound on earth was bound in heaven.

In this case of church discipline, the man who sinned was to be bound by losing his church fellowship and standing until such time as he repented of his sins.

If the man repents and seeks forgiveness as the brother at Corinth did, then he is welcomed back into fellowship and is loosed from his punishment.

Jesus said where two or three were gathered together, He was in their midst, speaking of His church.

None but God could say these words truthfully because God alone is omnipresent.  

We do not know how many different local Christian, Bible preaching churches there are in the world, but one source says about thirty seven million churches worldwide.

Whenever they meet and wherever they are located, Jesus promises that He is in their midst.

No one can rightly say these words, except God who fills both heaven and earth. 

This reminds us that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh (See 1 Timothy 3:16). 

Let us take note that Jesus is not among His churches to spy on our sins; or to mark down our imperfections.

Rather, He is present to enlighten, strengthen, comfort, and save us.

Church discipline is not something we look forward to but it is a necessary exercise for maintaining a healthy congregation.

Let us pray for our faithful pastors elders and deacons that God may lead them whenever discipline in Christ's church must be carried out.

Remember, the goal is always seeking to lead a sinning brother to repentance, so that he confesses  sin and seeks forgiveness from the one he sinned against, and from the church.

Church discipline must be done with a spirit of humility and love toward the erant brother or sister. 

We must forgive others as Christ forgave us, which is fully, completely and without condition.

Bob