I’m all in, but only by His strength!

God is constantly reminding me the importance of His scriptural command for correcting or rebuking a brother/sister in Christ.  And not only for correcting but also for seeking reconciliation with them and seeking repentance from sin.  The main scriptural command for correction is found in  Matthew 18:15-20.  This scripture lays out four steps for biblical correction that should be our priority to follow.  I mean if our goal is to please God, which as Christians it should be, shouldn’t we  be doing  things His way?  And is His way not freely available to us in scripture?  And if we don’t know what that is by being in the scriptures how will we be equipped to live godly lives?  So I guess the purpose of this post is twofold, to implore you to be in the word more and in doing so build sound doctrine to live a life of godliness and to encourage you to correctly follow the biblical outline of correction.   And this encouragement is not for you alone but for myself first and foremost or else God would not continue having to remind me of these things.  Fortunately for you what I continually lean hopefully you get to see here.  

The four steps outlined in Matthew 18 scripture are:

1.  Talk to him/her alone about his/her sin.

2.  If they do not repent take one or two more witnesses with you, that every word may be established.  

3.  If they still do not repent take the matter to the church.

4.  If they refuse even to listen to the rebuke of the church he/she is to be regarded as a heathen or tax collector to the church.  That is to excommunicate them.

The command is plain and simply put, however it is so difficult to follow.  But I am convinced that no matter how difficult it is, it is not impossible by God’s strength and enabling.  Not only should we know how to deal with these things properly by scripture but we should also by scripture know what things are sin and what things are not that we will know what constitutes this biblical correction.  As it is made clear by the text and all scripture sin is a serious thing and must be dealt with as soon as it is brought to attention.  And sin must be repented of.  

It absolutely astounds me how easily the world, the flesh and the Devil can creep into our good fellowship and cause so much division.  We are supposed to be united in Christ by the scriptures.  It is so utterly important that we know what things are godly and that we do them and if there are brethren who are in sin they should be corrected and called to repentance and brought back to the path of godliness.  

The good news is the pressure is not on us.  Although we are called to do it and therefore must all we have to do is correct with scriptural support and God will back it up.  If the person repents you have gained a brother and if not that person probably isn’t saved and you now have someone to minister the gospel to.  

Praise God for the work that He is doing in those people who are His saints.  

That’s it for now.  God bless!