This chapter has some basic nuts and bolts application to common situations. I’ll be adding to it as I can think of things that need to be said. It is not organized or catagorized very well because so many issues can fall into many catagories. A lot of it is common sense – to some people. Some things maybe common to one person but not to another.
Various Problems
When it comes to dealing with sin publicly as in Matt 18, we can only deal with outward sins. Because we can’t ultimately know another man’s heart. We can say that it “it sure seems like you are defensive, self protecting, prideful, not receiving instruction, etc.” and we can certainly address a brother in private about these kinds of things in the heart and even bring another brother in for added strength. But we can’t draw a line in the sand over inward attitudes and declare that “you are sinning”.
To be able to declare publically that someone is walking in unrepentant sin, the sin would have to be obvious, outward, and observable. Things such as sexual immorality, factions, lying, stealing, and so forth could be publically declared as “sin”.
If a brother is sinning and then he stops the practice, he may do so”reluctantly, or with a “bad attitude”. This is something of the heart. It is subjective and therefore you don’t know if he is “sinning” in his attitude (although he probably is!).
Having said that, to go down the road of Matt. 18, you can only address the”effect” bad attitudes have on the church as those things being the sin. “You are causing strife in the church, you are causing dissention, you are fostering division”, etc.
Many time you just need to realize that certain people are obviously not very broken or humble in certain situations. There is not much you can do as far as forcing the issue (in their heart) unless their attitude is wrecking the church outwardly as I mentioned above. If the offending brohter’s attitude causes hurt in various relationships, you can let them know, but you can’t really make someone repent. All you can do is gently offer the truth. If they don’t receive it then you back off, lick your own
wounds, love him, pray for him, and let the Lord work on him. At some point it will re-surface and you will get another shot to deal with him on it.
Yes, force the issue of the “outward” sin. Then suggest to the brother that his attitude about it has seemed very ungodly and damaging, but then you have to leave that alone. A brother or two can periodically address him on “his problem of not receiving
reproof”. But you can’t call it an issue of sin. The church deals with the outward effects of sin. The Holy Spirit deals with our hearts. But certainly a brother or two can appeal to another man concerning his heart attitudes.
