“If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1).
Confronting another person about sin is not easy. Sometimes it’s downright frightening! I once had to approach a fellow-believer about his sin of adultery. A tough ex-Marine, he was strong both in mind and body, and built like a tank. I remember driving out to his farm to talk to him, repeatedly quoting Proverbs 15:1 to myself. It says, “A soft answer turns away wrath.” Was I nervous? Absolutely! In fact, when I arrived I found him in his barn—pitchfork in hand!
Often, when we are made aware of brothers or sisters who are “caught in a trespass” we give our greatest attention to their sin. Galatians 6:1 indicates, however, that our first priority is to give attention to ourselves, not the sinning brother or sister. Before we confront someone else, we are to make sure that we are “spiritual.” This means that we have yielded to the control of the Holy Spirit and to God’s Word.
Our goal is to “restore” our brother or sister to fellowship with God and His people, not to condemn (Mt. 18:15-20; 2 Cor. 2:5-11). Such restoration is to be sought after “in a spirit of gentleness” and with humble self-examination, realizing that we too are subject to temptation.
In God’s family, dealing with sin and “bearing one another’s burdens” is necessary, but the soft touch works
the best.
Matthew 18:15-20, NKJV
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that `by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
Confront in Love, Discipline in Hope, Restore in Grace
2 Corinthians 2:5-11, NKJV
But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent–not to be too severe. This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.