Correcting Each Other

By Johnny Angel

Matthew 18:[15] "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. [16] But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (NIV)
Sooner or later, we're going to run into problems with each other. We do need to be there for each other to correct each other. It's very important that we not get a big head because we have also messed up and will mess up in the future. It's never easy to follow the instructions Jesus gives us on dealing with situations. I find it hard to go to a person and deal with a situation. But this is something we should try to do. The Bible also instructs us to do this in 1 Timothy 5:20, 2 Timothy 4:2, and Titus 2:15.

When someone refuses to listen, we are to treat them as a pagan or a tax collector. This does not mean that we say hurtful things toward them or avoid them. Instead, we should pray for them and try to lovingly win them over just as we would a pagan or a tax collector.

Whatever we do, love must be our motivation.

N Prayer,
Johnny <*}}}><