Forgiveness (Matthew 18:15-35)
The first part of the teaching section gets a whole lot of attention in church. Yet for all that I don’t think I have seen it carried out the way Jesus describes, or very consistently, in most of the churches where I have been a part. It gets talk but is largely ignored in practice. However, I think it needs to be seen in context, and it rarely is.
Before you begin to set up a practice of “correction” or discipline in the church, you need to ask how this teaching was taken when Jesus delivered it. And we know the answer, because it prompts a question from Peter: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Not only that, but Jesus’ instruction about confronting the sinning brother comes as He has been warning against causing believers to stumble. So, we need to see discipline in the context of restoration. It is not mainly about righting a wrong done to me, but about helping a fellow believer!
“If your brother sins against you…” That is a weighty statement. In the context of a church—a community of faith helping each other follow Christ and grow in the faith—what will that sin look like? If it is something small—that only you will notice and not big enough or serious enough to be seen by the whole church—the question I always have is: have I been sinned against, or just been too sensitive? Am I offended, or is God?
If I am offended I turn to God. There is likely something in me that needs correcting. If my brother has indeed sinned against me, I approach him not that I might be satisfied, but so that he may be put back on track following Jesus. My concern is for him.
Jesus’ parable in response to Peter’s question makes this clear. The unforgiving servant is only concerned with his rights. In the context of all that he has been forgiven, he should no longer give any thought to what others have done against him. Their offenses are nothing in light of his offenses against God, for which he has been forgiven.
There will always be church members that wander away. Our goal as churches, leaders, and members should be two-fold. First, we want to never be the cause of such wandering, through false teaching or harsh, legalistic discipleship. And second, we want to do everything we can to lovingly and quickly restore believers who wander, before they get too far away. In both cases, forgiveness with God’s forgiveness as a model is key.
Before you begin to set up a practice of “correction” or discipline in the church, you need to ask how this teaching was taken when Jesus delivered it. And we know the answer, because it prompts a question from Peter: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Not only that, but Jesus’ instruction about confronting the sinning brother comes as He has been warning against causing believers to stumble. So, we need to see discipline in the context of restoration. It is not mainly about righting a wrong done to me, but about helping a fellow believer!
“If your brother sins against you…” That is a weighty statement. In the context of a church—a community of faith helping each other follow Christ and grow in the faith—what will that sin look like? If it is something small—that only you will notice and not big enough or serious enough to be seen by the whole church—the question I always have is: have I been sinned against, or just been too sensitive? Am I offended, or is God?
If I am offended I turn to God. There is likely something in me that needs correcting. If my brother has indeed sinned against me, I approach him not that I might be satisfied, but so that he may be put back on track following Jesus. My concern is for him.
Jesus’ parable in response to Peter’s question makes this clear. The unforgiving servant is only concerned with his rights. In the context of all that he has been forgiven, he should no longer give any thought to what others have done against him. Their offenses are nothing in light of his offenses against God, for which he has been forgiven.
There will always be church members that wander away. Our goal as churches, leaders, and members should be two-fold. First, we want to never be the cause of such wandering, through false teaching or harsh, legalistic discipleship. And second, we want to do everything we can to lovingly and quickly restore believers who wander, before they get too far away. In both cases, forgiveness with God’s forgiveness as a model is key.
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