“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)

How I pray that disciples of all ages would hear these words so that we would take seriously the destructive nature of sin in our midst. When we see someone in our church who is consistently living in sin, we are called to first consider ourselves (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 6:41,42; 1 Corinthians 10:12) and then redemptively, lovingly, courageously and patiently confront, challenge, and encourage them for their own good and for the good of the whole church body as well – we are accountable for and to one another. We must realize that spiritual power is directly proportional to corporate purity.

John McArthur writes, “The church is full of problems because it's full of problem people because everybody in it is a sinner, albeit saved by grace but nonetheless with unredeemed human flesh, consequently battling with sin. The church grows in direct proportion spiritually to how well it deals with the sin within it. The process of church growth then is the process of the elimination of transgression, the elimination of iniquity, the elimination of sin. If the church is to move ahead powerfully and be all that God wants it to be, then it has to be dealing with its own internal sin. The world has yet to see what an absolutely pure, holy church would do. The closest thing to it would be the early church. In the fire and the heat in the purity of its birth came an energy that perhaps has been unequalled in the subsequent history. Church growth from the spiritual standpoint, which is the only standpoint God has any concern about, is in direct proportion to how well we deal with the failures in our midst.”

Rewind: “The church grows in direct proportion spiritually to how well it deals with the sin within it.”

Disgruntled church members say, “We can’t talk to the leaders because when we do, they say we are being divisive. They won’t listen.” Church leaders respond by saying, “It’s not what you are saying, but your attitude toward those in leadership. You’re attitude has led others to question authority and has created strife in the body.”

In the heat of battle we tend to forget that our enemy is not those reacting against church leadership or the church leaders who are trying to respond. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world" (Ephesians 6:12). Our enemy is the devil, and he is the master of disguise, delighting in seeding disharmony, discord, and disunity. He hides in the dark, just beyond our peripheral spiritual vision, preferring we not recognize his deceptive tactics. Our selfishness fuels his destructive and diabolical plan.

Speaking with pastors across the country, there appears to be three areas most often cited as hotbeds of conflict:

Worship Style: contemporary versus traditional; fast versus slow; instruments versus a cappella; sitting or standing; celebratory versus subdued; clapping or clasping; etc.

Church Government and Leadership: personality differences; denominational versus nondenominational; business versus family; democracy versus theocracy; single head leadership versus a plurality of leadership; etc.

Resistance to Change: typified by an attitude that says, “We have never done it like that before.”

What God Says
Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is love: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40). Obedience in grace is based not on a compelling force from without, but on an impelling power from within – it is unforced and we are wise to remember that it is through God’s kindness that repentance comes.

From Hebrews 5:8 we learn that Jesus, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.”

And we learn from Second John 1:6 that love is inextricably tied to obedience and humility: “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

“To obey is better than sacrifice" is a constant theme throughout God’s Word (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalms 40:6-8; 51:16, 17; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:11-17; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 12:7; Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10:8, 9). Our heart attitude toward God is paramount. It is only through love that we can properly walk in obedience.

Submission and Obedience
In an article entitled “Leadership Authority in the Church,” Paul Benware, Professor of Systematic Theology, Philadelphia College of the Bible, writes, “The responsibility of those who follow their leaders brings us to consider the matter of submission and obedience to leadership. There is a need for submission to leadership authority if there is going to be order and stability. But careful definition and understanding of submission and obedience is needed. One of the telltale signs that authoritarianism may be present is when there is a distorted view of submission. This distortion of submission and authority has been characteristic of cultic groups. However, even some Christian groups that avoid the “cult” label operate with unbiblical ideas and practices.”

Citing Ronald Enroth, “The Power Abusers,” Benware continues, “The leaders of many of these groups consciously foster an unhealthy form of dependency, spiritually and otherwise, by focusing on themes of submission and obedience to those in authority ... two of the classic hallmarks of authoritarianism are blind loyalty and unquestioning obedience. Kennedy and Lewis remind us that blind trust in any human authority, be it in a pastor, or in a group of elders, or even in an apostolic authority of the status of Paul is never called for in Scripture. The loyalty we are called to is first and foremost loyalty to the received Word of God. The loyalty we have to one another as Christians is not blind loyalty nor is it an unthinking loyalty.”

“A Christian’s loyalty is to the Word of God. The religious leaders of Israel led the people astray, and Peter (in Acts 2:22-39) made it clear that the people were held responsible for standing against the leader’s decision about Christ. Their first loyalty was to the revealed truth of God. Certainly submission and obedience are necessary if leaders are going to lead and when these attitudes and resulting actions are absent, some form of anarchy will exist. But again, it is important to look carefully at the terms used by the inspired writers of the Scriptures,” writes Benware.

Further, Benware writes, “Submission or subjection (hupotass) was primarily a military term which meant, “to rank under” and came to mean, “to place under.” In the New Testament, hupotass can have the idea of enforced submission or voluntary submission. In the middle voice (aside from Luke 10:17,20) voluntary submission is the issue. This is seen in a number of relationships: the exhortation to the wife (cf. Col. 3:18; Eph. 5:21); the relationship to human government (cf. Rom. 13:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13-14); the relationship of slaves to masters (cf. 1 Tim. 6:1-2) as well as a number of other settings (e.g. Luke 2:51; James 4:7). Voluntary mutual submission of believers within the church body is taught by Paul (Eph. 5:21). Peter encourages younger men to place themselves under their elders (1 Peter 5:5) and then goes on to echo Paul’s call for mutual humble submission to all. Another word, hupeik, is used in Hebrews 13:17 to exhort believers to yield to their leaders. This is the only place where this word occurs in the New Testament and apparently it means “to retire, withdraw”, hence “to yield, submit,” and is used metaphorically of submitting to spiritual guides in the church” (W. E. Vine, M. F. Unger, and W. White, Jr. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).

Homer Kent, in his work “The Epistle to the Hebrews,” says that to: “Submit involves yielding one’s contrary opinions in favor of someone else’s. It is apparent that the author has confidence that their leaders are fully reliable and are in no sense responsible for the wavering attitude among some of the readers.”

In effect, then, we see that elders (or church leaders) are not to say “Do it because I say so”, but rather “Do what I show you from God’s Word.” Jesus modeled and taught us that His pattern for leadership is founded on the basis of serving others.

From Matthew 20:25-28 we see that a real leader has a servant's heart: “Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

We discover that it is by serving others, by genuinely meeting real needs, that leadership authority is founded and strengthened. In other words, submission to authority is not derived by someone doing something because they have to, but because they want to.

To illustrate, leaders should never demand of anyone that they must be present at least three times each month for church services, forbid the use of credit cards, to cancel their subscription to Sports Illustrated, or to do away with their televisions – none of which is strictly prohibited in God’s Word. Church leadership authority lies entirely within the pages of God’s Word.

From First Peter 5:1-3 we learn that elders are never to “lord it over” the church: “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

“Lording it over” (katakurieuontes) refers to assuming a position of authority that is improper. Edmond Hiebert writes from his work, “1 Peter”, that this: “Indicates intensity and depicts a heavy-handed use of authority for personal aggrandizement that manifests itself in the desire to dominate, accompanied by a haughty demand for compliance.” Jesus and the Apostles insisted that this type of authoritarianism should not exist in the church. What we learn is that leaders of the church must be those who are theologically knowledgeable and capable of handling the Word of God - they must know and be able to communicate clearly the great truths of scripture (cf. 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9). Otherwise, leaders will end up taking liberty with God’s Word and will inevitably “lord it over the flock.” What is absolutely and abundantly clear is that the Word of God is the final authority on doctrine and practice for the church; and everyone, including leaders, is under its authority.

We must remember that: “He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:10,11)

We are to respect our leaders: “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” (v. 12,13)

We are to: “... warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (v. 14)

We are to: “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” (v. 15)

We are to: “Be joyful always” (v. 16)

We are to: “pray continually” (v. 17)

We are to: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (v. 18)

Dealing With Sin In The Church: (adapted from an article by Ray Stedman)
Jesus said, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:15-20)

Step One
The first stage is a private meeting: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you." What this is really saying is, "if your brother sins, period" -- i.e., if your brother (or your sister) is clearly violating by his actions something that the Word of God says is wrong, and does not do anything about it, we are to go to him and tell him his fault between the two of us.

In the letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul sets forth some of the clearly sinful things that we Christians tend to do to one another.

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:25-32)

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph. 5:1,2)

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Eph. 5:3-5)

That is a representative list of some of the things that the Word of God defines as sin.

At this first meeting we are to go, as Paul instructs in Galatians 6:1, in the spirit of meekness, not self-righteously, not harshly, not with condemnation: “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” Aware of our own vulnerability, we are to go to an individual, and say, "The Scriptures say that what you are doing is wrong. What do you think about it? You read the Bible. What does it say?" Thus we are to seek to lay hold of the individual's conscience and restore him to a spirit of repentance.

Notice this word in Matthew 18 is addressed to all Christians, not merely church leaders, elders, or pastors. This is to go on all the time between believers wherever we see someone refusing to judge a wrong thing in his or her life.

Jesus continues, "If he listens to you," i.e., if he accepts what you point out to him, and ceases his sin, there is to be no further action. No one else is to know about it; we are not to talk to anyone about it. It is not subject for any further action by anyone. If your brother does not hear you, however, then others become involved.

Step Two
Our Lord moves to the second step: "But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." The bringing of others into the situation is clearly designed to impress the erring brother or sister with the seriousness of sin.

This second step is pointing out that this sin cannot be ignored. We cannot shrug our shoulders, and say, "Oh, well, that is his business. Forget about it." Others are to become involved. This kind of thing may occur several times, in a loving attempt to lay hold of someone's conscience, and awaken him to the danger in which he has put himself spiritually, and the hurt he is inflicting upon others. The witnesses, of course, serve to keep tempers down, and to keep the reports of the meeting accurate in case anything further needs to be done. If this works, if, when confronted with two or three, the brother or sister who is erring listens, and ceases his sinful behavior, then nothing further need be done. Discipline has achieved its objective and forgiveness comes in.

Step Three
But, Jesus declares, "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church" then a third step must be taken: We must tell it to the church.

The reason for this is that the whole congregation may become involved in an attempt to reach the offender. It is not that we tell people in order that they might turn their backs on the individual or refuse to have anything to do with the person. We are not to come as holier-than-thou judges or finger-pointing condemners, but as fellow-pleaders for a change of heart, urging the individual in question to permanently cease from the sinful actions involved.

There are several ways to do this. If you ask, "What can a congregation actually do at this stage?"

I would say, first, pray for the offender. Prayer is everywhere urged in Scripture as a powerful weapon to change people's thinking and attitudes. Pray that God will grant repentance to the offender, that God will so move that he will turn and recover himself from the snare of the devil. And pray for those who have been hurt by the sin. Other innocent ones are always involved and they are being damaged and hurt; we need to support them and love them in prayer. So if you cannot do anything else, pray for such a one.

Then the second thing a congregation can do is to express love and concern to the individual involved. Urge him to repent, to give up sin, and to give in to the pleadings of the body and of the Spirit of God. Especially is this true of people who are friends of the individual and have known him for a long period of time. The cooperative effort of many to help the one involved see what he or she has done is a very powerful weapon to turn him from evil.

Thirdly, individuals in a congregation can share with this person experiences they themselves may have had of finding God's grace sufficient in their own lives to resist evil, or to turn from it, once it has been discovered or indulged in. That will encourage the individual to realize that the only way out of his situation is to return to the Lord, who will forgive.

If this works (and some time must be allowed to permit it to work), then nothing more needs to be done. There is no need to bring the person before the congregation, demanding he tell the whole story, etc. There is no embarrassment or any public humiliation required. The purpose of all discipline is restoration, recovery, and repentance.

Step Four
But if the offender continues in sin, and resists all pleas, Jesus sets out a final and fourth step which must be taken: "if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector." In the culture of that day that was equivalent to saying that he was an unbeliever, not a Christian at all; that he had, by his deeds, declared himself not to be truly a believer, a genuine, submitted believer in the Lord. What is suggested here is that the whole congregation look upon the individual differently. This does not require any kind of punishment. There are no penalties assessed. There is no attempt to humiliate the individual. The congregation begins to regard him as an unbeliever.

Stedman captured this thought when he wrote, “What brings joy into a congregation is not the sense of having achieved some degree of morality on its own, but of having been washed, cleansed, freed by the grace of God. All the ugliness of the past is washed away; it disappears from your midst and that allows for a free spirit of celebration and of joy.”

We must take sin seriously for the sake of the people who are dying in their sin in the lost world around us, but more immediately for the sake of the brother and sister in our own fellowship who is living in sin. And we must take it seriously for the life and health of the body of Christ.

I conclude this series with, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Rom. 12:18)

CORE Notes From Doug