15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 18:15–20). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Inside this particular passage of scripture is perhaps one of the most misused verses of the Bible. I'm referring to verse 20, of course, but that's not the point of today's post. I would like to comment on the whole passage and how Christians should properly apply it in Christian community.
In context, this passage is part of a larger teaching by Jesus based around a question the disciples asked in verse one about who the greatest is in the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus starts by pointing out the humility and innocence of the children. After this, he talks about sin, the temptations to sin, the means by which temptations come, and how the Father seeks after lost sheep. All of this is just building on before and is not meant to be taken from the other. Which now leads to the passage in question, about discipline of the believer.
Too many churches (and Christians) fail to actually put passages like this into practice. I believe that this might be due to whatever form of American Christianity we have and the fear of losing church members, lawsuits, and just not fully understanding what Jesus meant here. Verse 20 is used to justify meeting together and having prayer meetings, but that's not what it's talking about at all. Let's look at this passage verse by verse.
After talking about lost sheep, Jesus is now laying the groundwork for how Christians can help other sheep from getting lost, so to speak. In verse 15, he speaks of being mindful of sin, particularly open sin in the lives of our fellow believers. We are to go to them and point it out, seeking for them to confess and repent. If they do confess and repent, then the job is done and you are likely close together as brothers (or sisters) in Christ. A few caveats, I believe, are in order. First, be mindful of your own sin (Luke 6:41). Second, approach in humility and grace. Third, go in person, if able to, but don't point out their sin anonymously. Send an initial text, if you have to, but make a point to meet in person to discuss and pray with this person. Help them overcome their sin. You don't know what they may be going through. Finally, follow up with them. Help them walk through their repentance.
If the person does not choose to repent after the first step, of course you should take along a few others that they may be aware of what's going on. One person's testimony may not be enough, despite what evidence they may have of the person's sin. Again, I stress the humility, grace, and being mindful of one's own sin. I would hope that in most cases, the first step would be enough, but if not, then perhaps this step would be. The point in these steps is the sheparding of the sheep to keep them from wandering.
This is perhaps the hardest step that I've seen practiced in the churches I've been a part of. At this point, several meetings have likely taken place with the individual, but they are continuing in their open rebellion, refusing to repent. I have seen this take place several times, and, honestly, it is a fearful thing to be placed before the church as an unbeliever, possibly. This is not meant to shame a person, but it is meant to bring them back into the fold as a repentant sinner. We are all sinners, but we must be repentant sinners. Jesus is making the point that all believers are to be looking out for one another in community and helping each other to not wander.
In conclusion, as for the two or three, this too has to do with bringing the lost sheep back into the fold. There are at least two or three witnesses, praying for this lost sheep, seeking for their repentance. I would like to say that we shouldn't be out there trying to point out each others faults and using this passage to browbeat fellow believers. No, but examine yourselves, repent of your own sin, and if you see your brother (or sister) sinning, go to them, that they might not keep on sinning. We are all sinners, but for the grace of God, we would remain in our sin.
