New Testament- Lesson 124 & 125

Matthew Chapter 18- Part 4

How to deal with "brother sinning against brother" in a Church setting-

Jesus taught,  "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. 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.' and if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. If he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. "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." (Matthew 18:15-18)

When Jesus taught this precept, there was no Church as yet, but there was the Jewish community and also Jesus' group of 12 disciples and other disciples who followed him regularly. Here was a simple yet definitive plan given by Jesus to deal with a brother (or sister) who is sinning against another brother (or sister) in a Church setting. Sinning here, may be with regard to words or deeds. "Gained your brother" means having saved your relationship with your brother or sister. Often this plan is overlooked by many due to ignorance of the Word of God or due to disregard and many problems ensue. Some seek revenge; some keep a grudge against the offender and breed bitterness; others skip the 1st and 2nd steps and openly spread the harm done by the brother or sister to the Church from the start and more harm is done than good.

The third step is a public announcement of the offence to the Church after the first and second steps have been exercised and have failed. Should the sinning brother/sister persist in his sin, the Church could then excommunicate him as the final step. It would do great harm to a Church to keep a unrepentant, willfully sinning brother or sister.

As time passed and different denominations came in to existence, those leading the Churches often kept the congregation in the dark regarding offences occurring in the Church and the 4 step plan of Jesus was sidelined. Peter the Apostle writes (1 Peter 5:1-3) that leaders are not to be Lords over those entrusted to them, but shepherd the flock of God, being examples to them.

How to deal with "brother sinning against brother" in a Church setting- Continued from last lesson.
Jesus taught,  "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. 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.' and if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. If he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. "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." (Matthew 18:15-18)

Jesus ended his 4 step strategy of dealing with a sinning member in a Church by stating- "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"..... which meant that whatever decision taken justly by the Church was binding on the person (unrepentant member) concerned. It would be agreed upon in heaven too.
But there's more to the statement- Binding and loosing in a Church setup could have major implications if looked at from the Savior's point of view. If the fruit of the Spirit as mentioned in Galatians 5:22, 23 (love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) was kept bound by Church members, the Church would suffer greatly with dullness and dreariness setting in sooner or later despite worship, prayer and the Word being preached. On the other hand, if these qualities were loosed in to the Church by it's members, it would result in a vibrant, joyous,  Spirit filled and abundant fruit bearing Church.