Let me compose a reply by asking another question,
"What are we supposed to do if and when we see our brother sinning?"
Open_Bible Topics == Correcting a Brother << -- Click to open
You'll know within 10 seconds if you like this... Scripture is summarized and presented in 'snippet' overview.
From the above selection, (if you clicked) there may be selected 2 (or more) responses. Perhaps the central thought regarding our actions, if we were to catch our brother or brethren in trespass, would be to recall and adhere to the following two admonitions and teachings:
Galatians 6:1 (ESV) cf. Galatians 6:1 (NIV)
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Matthew 18:15-17 (ESV) cf. Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV)
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
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Now, and only for a moment, let us consider what we Christians of modern times may be inclined to do or actually do.
<Warning: This type of wording signifies a 'change of voice'.
Let me introduce, 'The Voice of the Flesh':
I'm lost. I've got all these voices in my head. So says the Voice of the Lost. It continues, "Tell me the story I need to hear. Tell me about the Son who is about to rise again." Our voice may have been listening to a Christian singer and may be able to emulate for a short time, the voice of Andrew Peterson, as he ministers to the Body of Christ at large...
But then? We depart from this 'voice' for the moment and return back to a life that is much more real although much less ideal. You know, I'm talking about just regular old day-to-day life. The life where if we have not personally transgressed in the following fashion, certainly it is familiar, if not deemed common place and the ordinary way of this. Yeah, it's just the way things go and it sounds more like a grumbling than a good:
What if your bro sins? What to do?
We could invert the facts. This is sometimes called 'turning the tables' and it may involve blabbing to all their friends about the behavior. If our brother oversteps and offends us? We are gonna throw rocks to get him back to the boundary area where he belongs.
Brother_Offender: "Yes, I know that I'm over-stepping and that my foot has been caught on your side of the fence but let's just concentrate on what you just did, for a second, shall weeee??"
Brother_Offended: "Really?
Brother_Offended:<to self> "That really hurt. I guess he didn't set out to do that but I'm more than annoyed at that [INSERT NAME CALLING HERE]...
No, what are we to actually do if we see our brother sin? You already know. The answer provided by Jesus, the Teacher/Rabbi, was found in the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 18:15-17 ESV
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
We are to ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for us with confidence. I've heard this process described in another, perhaps more relocatable, manner, "we are to run to the throne of Mercy as children who leap up onto the lap of their loving father." It almost sounds like we are to expect to be treated as members of His family. Indeed.
Galatians 6:1 ESV
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
You see? I've tried to make it so simple that even a fool would be able to understand. Here it is again. Chewed up and digested for ya. We are not supposed to cast stones when we catch our brothers sinning. That was the purpose of the old law. The foundation rock, sure, in a manner of speaking, but that was then. The law was given as a guardian designed to be set aside after it had served its purpose. The law, which has prompted the death by stoning of others has been changed. Now, I agree and quote Paul when I say that the "setting aside of the law does not and should not be used as permission or license to sin or to continue to sin, to willfully trespass or overstep and offend against God. Heaven forbid. But rather, it is used to lead us to Jesus, and thereby lead us to His willingness to forgive as seen by the shed blood of the Lamb of God.
Our voices are properly joined to a song that was begun ages ago. We are hearing the starting notes of a song entitled, "The Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb." Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away our sin.
We are to put down our rocks and no longer use them to stone each other. This is the gospel, the Good News. Our stones become little rocks, pebbles used to build each other up on our Most Holy Faith. The Son of God is here. We have invited Him through His word. It has been transplanted into our hearts and is able to change us inwardly. We are to diligently consider each other as we chase after our shepherd, our newly created hearts in hand.
~amen and amen.