Last month, many of you read my article on Matthew 18:15-18 and learned why I have called it the most misapplied passage on church conflict. (If you have not read it or to re-read it, click here to link to that presentation). This month, I invite you to add your perspective to this important conversation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi, important paragraph. Never knew anyone to apply these verses to anything but an individual dispute. I quote the verses all the time when people come to me in talking about someone else (stop gossip). I say go to your brother if you have a problem (and the verse set). Now you may not agree. I interpret your brother sinning against you as you taking offense by something your brother did or did not do. So how do we define a brother sinning against another. I look at that as a case where you need to lay your gift at the alter and still go to your brother. Maybe it is to ask forgiveness for harboring a resentment. Maybe there are several reasons to go directly to a person, in private.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this article. It is hard to see Jesus referring to anything except an eyewitness in Matthew 18:16 because he quotes Deuteronomy 19:15. The difficulty with this "peacemaking" passage is what to do when there is sin and no other eyewitnesses. We are commanded in individual disputes (no eyewitnesses) to go to the offending brother and seek reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24, Luke 17:1-4). But if the offending brother doesn't repent, then what? If the sinful behavior is a pattern, we can arrange for other people to witness it, thus helping anchor the ongoing conflict resolution in the Biblical framework. If it was a solitary (not habitual, ongoing) incident, then it seems best to let it go and put it in God's hands (1 Peter 2:23). This is where it gets difficult, because we often want justice now and do not want to let the repayment - if any - be completely up to God (Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35).
ReplyDelete