“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear,” 1 Timothy 5:20
There are two procedures set down in the Bible that are to be followed by Christians when faced by sin in others.
I. WHEN IT IS A SIN AGAINST ONE’S SELF THEN THAT RESPONSE WHICH IS SET DOWN BY THE LORD JESUS IS TO BE FOLLOWED.
“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican,” Matthew 18:15-17.
This is repeated in Luke’s Gospel.
“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him,” Luke 17:3.
That which I have underlined in these verses is most important. This is the procedure that is to be followed by a Christian when they are wronged by another Christian.
Improper application
These verses are habitually quoted as to how we deal with public sin by those who are very much against publicly shaming transgressors, usually out of a friendship with the transgressors or an ignorance of the teaching of God’s Word and an utter lack of what Elijah called, a jealousy for the name and honour of the Lord!
“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away,” 1 Kings 19:10.
Such a use of the two portions of the Gospels just quoted is in fact a misuse and an abuse of God’s Word. It is a twisting of what is plainly said by the Lord in order to accuse one who is obeying the Lord in publicly rebuking wrongdoing and to exonerating the real offender!
They are acting as did those Peter condemned. “As also in all his (Paul) epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction,” 2 Peter 3:16. (more…)
