Correcting a Wayward Brother

Articles

Derek Long
07/29/18 - Teaching

Correcting a Wayward Brother
By Derek Long
The word of God clearly teaches it is possible for one
who once was a faithful child of God to go astray. The Hebrew writer teaches us to “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13). The Bible speaks about the condition of some “if they fall away” (Hebrews 6:4-6). The Bible speaks of how some have “escaped the pollutions of the world” but “they are again entangled in them” (2 Peter 2:20-22). When a brother or sister in Christ strays, we have the responsibility and opportunity to “restore such a one” (Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20).
Jesus gives us some clear instructions about the need to deal with problems with brethren. If one knows their brother has something against them, they need to first be reconciled to their brother before worshipping God (Matthew 5:23-24). If a brother sins against us, we have an obligation to seek to correct the brother who has sinned (Matthew 18:15-17). Jesus gives us a step by step plan we should follow when correcting a brother who is in sin. When Paul instructs Timothy about how to deal with elders who are in sin, he gives him the same sort of instruction (1 Timothy 5:19-20). No matter who we are dealing with we have instructions from God regarding what we are to do in order to attempt to restore the erring brother.
Jesus tells us to first go and discuss the issue between you and him alone (Matthew 18:15). There are some who have problems with a brother but refuse to go and talk to the brother they have a problem with first. It is the practice of some to violate Jesus’ instruction here by going and telling a host of people about what someone did instead of talking to the person about what they did. We need to be careful not to engage in this sort of activity. If a person sins against us, we need to have enough love and courage to talk to the person ourselves about their sin. The problem might be resolved if we were to talk to the person and no one else would have to become aware of the situation. However, at times the one-on-one correction does not work.
Jesus tells us if our initial efforts to restore the erring fail, to take one or two more with us as witnesses (Matthew 18:16). Perhaps others will be able to see the situation more clearly. They may be able to determine if something truly sinful has occurred or not. They may also be able to reason with the individual while the other person was unable. However, at times a person will resist the efforts of two or three to restore him.
Jesus tells us if the erring brother will not listen to the two or three, to tell it to the church (Matthew 18:17). The congregation now must get involved in seeking to bring back the straying brother. However, if the congregation is unable to bring him back, Jesus tells us to let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. The Jews would not keep company or go to one of another nation (Acts 10:28). Jews did not socialize with
a heathen or tax collector. In a similar way, we are not to continue to socialize with a brother or sister who persists in sin and will not repent after efforts have been made to correct them. Paul told the Corinthians, “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner - not even to eat with such a person” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). In giving instructions to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote, “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us ... And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15).
Correcting a wayward brother is hard work but is well worth it. James reminds us, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). Let’s do our part to make sure we correct those who have gone astray and help them make it to heaven!