SATURDAY JANUARY 15, 2010

Read  Exodus 20

What if I choose not to seek reconciliation?

Everyone will suffer! As mentioned earlier, you may move towards hatred for that other person and he/she has no real chance of changing.  Others in the church suffer because of the friction and warring that is occurring. During our gathered time of worship (Sonday ‘Church’) we are standing before God divided and fractious.

Nothing good comes from choosing not to deal with issues.

Even worse, the bottom line is that by choosing this option you are choosing to disobey God.

What if the church leaders are the ones sinning?

The process of Matthew 18 should still be followed. If one or more witnesses are required then you need to be very careful who you take along. Other leaders would be ideal, if that is possible. You should seek to find godly men and women who are impartial and exceedingly obedient to God’s Word to use as witnesses to settle the matter.

We are told in 1 Timothy 5:20 that elders who sin are to be rebuked publicly.  But we are warned immediately before this that a person is not to entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.

What if I am approached by someone as a ‘sinner’ and that person is being        unreasonable?

Praise God that the other person is following Matthew 18. Should that person’s desire or charge be unreasonable you should seek to show them as lovingly and as gently as you can that they are not being scriptural. If they can’t see the truth then (as per Matthew 18) two or three witnesses should be called so that the   matter may be settled by their testimony.

To avoid such issues we need to take a decisive stance on God’s Word. We need to see it as our complete and ultimate authority and we need to know intimately what it says. In the final decision God’s Word should tell us what is sin, what is not and who is at fault, if anyone!

Prayer:-

• Pray  that God would be glorified through the life and activities of your church.


• Pray that every member /believer in your church would be ready and willing and able to listen to the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit