Last weekend I had the great fortune to listen to an excellent sermon using Paul's letter to the Galatian church. Galatians is one of my all-time favorite books simply because it is about living the Christian life with the help of the Holy Spirit. As a former "fundamentalist" I am an authority on living life by means of rules and ordinances, and I am profoundly mindful of the spiritual death that results. The sinner and church reconciliation was a widespread theme of dialogue, not to say contention, in those circles. Prepare yourself for some hard facts!
The preacher began his assessment by sharing Paul's very first instruction to the church in chapter 6: "Brothers, if anyone is discovered in any sin, you who are spiritual, rehabilitate such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each of you looking to himself, in order that you too will not be enticed." We recognize that Paul is speaking of Christians who are "caught...in...sin" in view of the fact that he urges that they be reestablished in the church, and Paul would not have considered non-Christians to have anything to be restored to.
The main reason that dealing with the sinner among Christians is so troublesome is that just about everything that is biblically required of us is avoided by to the flesh. The flesh is awkward with conflict and, in its presence, calls up "fight or flight" reactions. Biblical standards, on the other hand, mandate us to stay engaged and be humble. Here are three elements from Galatians 6:1 to keep in mind:
1. Ignoring the offender is not an option. "if a person is discovered in any sin... build up such a one." This is an imperative. We cannot ignore and we are not permitted banish, except as a last choice.
2. The purpose of addressing sin is to restore. "...restore such a one." Even Matthew 18:15-18, which ends in conceivable excommunication from the church, has restoration as its fundamental aim: The introductory stage of confrontation finishes: "...if he listens to you, you have won your brother." The subsequent actions contemplated are undeniably intended to have the same effects. Even when the church is compelled to "he should be to you as a Gentile and a person who collects taxes," we must presume that the purpose is to reveal to the sinning Christian what he is giving up by refusing to confess his sin. If and when he does so the church will start on the course of restoration that is the antithesis of the process that contributed to his removal. Likewise, Paul tells the Corinthian church that there is a particular person associating with them whose sin is so blatant that "I have made up my mind to convey people like that to Satan for the destruction of the body, in order that his spirit may be saved at the judgement of of the Lord Jesus." Bear in mind that Paul's purpose is that the particular person eventually be "saved."
3. You must have the proper motives to be eligible to challenge. "... you people who are spiritual, reinstate such an individual in a spirit of gentleness." Fear and annoyance are unsatisfactory motives for church reconciliation and harmony.
Each time we see ourselves reacting to Christian sin within the Christian church with irritation, self-righteousness, agitation or fear, we need to immediately recognize that the people or church involved are in peril from both the sin and the response to the sin. We are not qualified to even get started with combating the sin until we have attended to our reactions to it. We have to pray and surrender to the control of to the Holy Spirit until we can without a doubt state that we are equipped to battle with the sin but reconcile the sinner.
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The preacher began his assessment by sharing Paul's very first instruction to the church in chapter 6: "Brothers, if anyone is discovered in any sin, you who are spiritual, rehabilitate such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each of you looking to himself, in order that you too will not be enticed." We recognize that Paul is speaking of Christians who are "caught...in...sin" in view of the fact that he urges that they be reestablished in the church, and Paul would not have considered non-Christians to have anything to be restored to.
The main reason that dealing with the sinner among Christians is so troublesome is that just about everything that is biblically required of us is avoided by to the flesh. The flesh is awkward with conflict and, in its presence, calls up "fight or flight" reactions. Biblical standards, on the other hand, mandate us to stay engaged and be humble. Here are three elements from Galatians 6:1 to keep in mind:
1. Ignoring the offender is not an option. "if a person is discovered in any sin... build up such a one." This is an imperative. We cannot ignore and we are not permitted banish, except as a last choice.
2. The purpose of addressing sin is to restore. "...restore such a one." Even Matthew 18:15-18, which ends in conceivable excommunication from the church, has restoration as its fundamental aim: The introductory stage of confrontation finishes: "...if he listens to you, you have won your brother." The subsequent actions contemplated are undeniably intended to have the same effects. Even when the church is compelled to "he should be to you as a Gentile and a person who collects taxes," we must presume that the purpose is to reveal to the sinning Christian what he is giving up by refusing to confess his sin. If and when he does so the church will start on the course of restoration that is the antithesis of the process that contributed to his removal. Likewise, Paul tells the Corinthian church that there is a particular person associating with them whose sin is so blatant that "I have made up my mind to convey people like that to Satan for the destruction of the body, in order that his spirit may be saved at the judgement of of the Lord Jesus." Bear in mind that Paul's purpose is that the particular person eventually be "saved."
3. You must have the proper motives to be eligible to challenge. "... you people who are spiritual, reinstate such an individual in a spirit of gentleness." Fear and annoyance are unsatisfactory motives for church reconciliation and harmony.
Each time we see ourselves reacting to Christian sin within the Christian church with irritation, self-righteousness, agitation or fear, we need to immediately recognize that the people or church involved are in peril from both the sin and the response to the sin. We are not qualified to even get started with combating the sin until we have attended to our reactions to it. We have to pray and surrender to the control of to the Holy Spirit until we can without a doubt state that we are equipped to battle with the sin but reconcile the sinner.
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