Matthew 18:15-20
We've been looking at and considering our own temptation and sin for the last week or so. But with Matthew 18:15-20, we take a look at someone sinning against us. That's always difficult to deal with but even more so when the offender is a brother or sister in Christ.
So what did you learn from Matthew 18:15-20 about dealing with a fellow believer who has sinned against you? If we flip the situation to where we are the offending party, now what do we learn from this passage? Tami W.
ERIC, there should be an answer to your question , that I have posted on yesterday's blog. Please check back to yesterday when you have time. It's only a humble attempt to address your issue, as coming from my own need to understand HOW to forgive myself and WHY I should forgive myself when I have not lived up to, even, my own standard, let alone God's standard for me. We are so often even harsher with ourselves than God is with us! I think this is because HIS love is unconditional and perfect; ours is not. Please forgive my getting off today's questioms, but it's so vital to be freed by our own bondages of guilt, after repentance, so we can go forth in God's grace and forgiveness and be overcomers. Blessings!
Life is a gift and a journey. I'm learning when I appreciate the gift of life and verbally count my blessings naming them one by one I'm surprised at how forgiving I can be to those who offend me.
We greatly offend our Savior and God constantly! Would we continue to do that to our own mothers? I don't think anyone wants to intentionally hurt their own mother or someone who takes care of them on a daily basis. That's like biting the hand that feeds you.
But some only have bad things happen to them! A crushed spirit is capable of anything. So we need to pray for those who hurt us. We never know if they have a crushed spirit..or what kind of day they started out in. Thank you God for a brand new day! Help others see your Work in their life.
It seems that in God's mercy His will is for us to go the extra mile to work on restoration and reconciliation of individuals and relationships fractured by sin. In God's plan the cycle for confronting someone who sins against includes the ever increasing pressure in order to seek acknowledgment and repentance from those who sin against me. This comes in the way of a one on one confrontation, a confrontation with witnesses and a confrontation with the church. This ever increasing circle of people involved in the confrontation meant to bring the offender to confront their sin. But I just realized that in God's plan the ever increasing circle of people involved is also a gracious measure whereby the integrity of the offending party is safeguarded as much as possible, and public exposure is a last measure recourse not intended to degrade, humiliate or demonize but intended to awaken the unrepentant to their blindnes and overwhelming affirmation of the church concerning their sinful act disfellowship and excommunication ought to be a painful process by which the congregation breaks ties with the offender not because he/she sinned(we all sin) but because they refuse to acknowledge and repent from this sin which is an affront to God's character and detrimental to the life and witness of any local congregation. Hopefully by the hammering of God's word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit the heart of the offender breaks to the point of true repentance and they can be restored. Thank God that He is not in the discarding business but in the restoring business.
For me as the offender this is passage shows clearly the extent to which my loving Father will go in order to deliver and restore me when I have sinned. God's intention is never to make me look bad or to rob me of my dignity. Sin and specifically unconfessed sin will do that. But thanks be to God that He is always at work in me causing me to will and do according to His good pleasure. God is more patient with me and extremely more gracious with me than I am with myself and others. Dear Lord help me to grow in my knowledge and practice of grace today and always.
This passage says to me that opportunity should be given for the person to see the errors of their ways. The phrase "3 strikes - you're out!" comes to mind. First go to them one on one, then with 2 or 3 witnesses, then involve the church - then ignore them. That's the time to let go and let God deal solely with the person. I agree with Mary, we should continue to pray for them. We should pray for them before we approach them in the first place,too!
God knows that we are not perfect, so why should we think that we are? Jesus has taught us a wonderful prayer that can take us through the day if when we say it we say it from the heart and mean it. Jesus has taught us about forgiveness and the "laws" are given us about how we should seek and deal with forgiveness. It is written in God's Word and it has not changed it is still the same. So we should not hide from it. We should not say we have forgiven someone but does not want to share the peace in church or elsewhere with them. If we forgive someone we should not be telling others about what this person did; unless perhaps to use it in a testimony to show what the outcome was.
I learn, that if i do not forgive, then God will not forgive me so I must take a look at my life and forgive and seek God's guidance and protection and ask Him for strength to carry on and try not to sin anymore. If I sin again God is faithful and just and will forgive me my sin but I have to confess it to Him. In Matthew 5:43-44, (KJV) our Lord and Saviour said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But i say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you". I can say that this really works, these same "enemies" became my neighbours and I grow to love them and they you. When we trust in God and keep praying the adversities that come our way are a lot easier to deal with. May God bless each and everyone of us and me we take our troubles and fears to Him today and know that He will take care of them for us. Walk good with God.
Thanks for the advise and comments, Susie, it really helped. And I enjoyed everyone else's comments today, especially Raul's - you made a good point about minimizing the ridicule and humiliation of the offender.
Once we are born again are spiritual journey begins, first Jesus cleanses us, and we have to forgive those who hurt us. "REmember all things become new" This is a processed. The key to live a succesful followers of Christ is to put his word into action. It's not easy but the spirit of the Living God is always there to help us each day. Talking about forgiveness? Let me share my experienced to encouraged your heart. Few years back my husband left me and my kids on a new years night, my kids & I prayed and commit the situation to the Lord. Two months after, I received a court order, I was accused by the church of a serious offense, few days after, another court order my husband is filling custody of my children. As a believer and a follower of Christ, I lay all my burdens at his feet, I said, God I need your wisdom, guidance, strenght and favor. I had claimed deliverance in my situation and victory, what ever Jesus started in our life as family no human being an earth will ruin it and God will restore back what the enemy has stolen from me. One thing I asked the Lord is to guard my heart against any form of bitterness, hatred or any source, i focused my eyes on Jesus by praising him continually each day and not focussing on my problem. I thank God few years after my husband dropped the custody battle and come home back, the church dropped their charges against me and the Lord restored back everything to me and the Lord blesses me with a business that I can continually give him praised.
Tempted? very much to the passion that my heart even cried out to enjoy sins pleasure. Did I ever give in? NO! Why? because I love the Lord. Saints of God remember that God always provide a escape when temptation comes our way. when you overcome sin, then you know who is incontrol of your life.