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Distinctions of Offenses and Discipline (#95337)
Distinctions of Offenses and Discipline
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From:
Distinctions of Offences and Discipline
By:
Arthur Copeland Brown
• 4 min. read • grade level: 10
Too often distinctions are overlooked and scriptures not applicable to the case are used.
The apostle James tells us that "we all often offend" (
James 3:2
2
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:2)
J.N.D. tr.) but Paul tells us to "give none offense" (
1 Cor. 10:32
32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: (1 Corinthians 10:32)
. See
Matt. 17:27
27
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. (Matthew 17:27)
;
Acts 24:16
16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. (Acts 24:16)
;
Rom. 14:21
21
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. (Romans 14:21)
;
2 Cor. 6:3
3
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: (2 Corinthians 6:3)
). On the other hand we should "not be offended" (
Matt. 11:6
6
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. (Matthew 11:6)
;
Psa. 119:165
165
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165)
)
1. Perhaps the mildest form of offense is suggested in
Eph. 4:2
2
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Ephesians 4:2)
"Bearing with one another in love." Little insignificant things love gladly overlooks.
2. But in
Eph. 4:32
32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
of the same chapter a gracious attitude of "forgiving one another," goes a little further (See
Matt. 18:21,35
21
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (Matthew 18:21)
35
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:35)
;
Mark 11:25,26
25
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. (Mark 11:25‑26)
).
3.
Col. 3:13
13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (Colossians 3:13)
combines the above two but adds "if any should have a complaint against any." That is something more specific, yet a minor matter not even a "quarrel" (as it reads in the A.V.) much less continuous animosity.
4. "Warn them that are unruly" A.V. "Admonish the disorderly"
1 Thess. 5:14
14
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
J.N.D. tr.
5. When a brother has been “Taken in some fault" (
Gal. 6:1
1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
) grace becomes the self-distrustful to seek wisdom and guidance of the Spirit to restore him. Love is faithful.
6. Where a brother sins against me, grace would have me seek to
gain
him by going to him and "reprove him!" If need be go with another or two brothers. "But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly, and if he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations" i.e. as an outsider. Leave it for the judgment-seat of Christ, meanwhile not allowing bitterness in the heart.
Matt. 18:15-17
15
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.
16
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.
17
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)
.
7. Worse still is the case of the offender in
Matt. 5:24
24
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Matthew 5:24)
, who is told to "first go, be reconciled to thy brother." This is then to him of first importance. But how sad it is if one becomes implacable, hardened with pride and stubbornness so as to resolutely refuse to be reconciled! Accordingly therefore forgiveness is wisely withheld for his good until he repents, (
Luke 17:3
3
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. (Luke 17:3)
) as evil, if the root is not judged, will continue its course. True grace should not be defeated by false peace (
Jer. 6:14
14
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:14)
; See
Hos. 5:15
15
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (Hosea 5:15)
). This was David's failure with Absolom (
2 Sam. 14:33
33
So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom. (2 Samuel 14:33)
).
8. In 2 Thess. chap. 3 the saints are enjoined to "withdraw from" and "not keep company with" any brother who refused to work "that he may be ashamed" (See
Titus 3:14
14
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. (Titus 3:14)
).
9. A more serious case is that of
Rom. 16:17
17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (Romans 16:17)
where the saints were to "turn away from" those who create divisions, doing the work of the enemy to "scatter the sheep" (
John 10:12
12
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (John 10:12)
), contrary to "the unity of the Spirit" (
Eph. 4:3
3
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
) "to draw away disciples after them" (
Acts 20:30
30
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:30)
).
10. Again in
Titus 3:10,11
10
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11
Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. (Titus 3:10‑11)
the party-maker is called "an heretical man" and "after the first and second admonition have done with," leaving him "self condemned." "Schools of opinion" are one of "the works of the flesh" (
Gal. 5:20
20
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20)
).
11. Underminers of the fundamental truth effecting the person of Christ must not be permitted in our door nor even greeted
2 John 10
10
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: (2 John 10)
.
12. Public rebuke is called for in the case of presumptuous sin (
1 Tim. 5:20
20
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. (1 Timothy 5:20)
). Such need to be put to shame "that the rest may fear." Paul gave Peter a severe rebuke before all (
Gal. 2:11,14
11
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. (Galatians 2:11)
14
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? (Galatians 2:14)
). The apostle John also threatened to do so to Diotrephes (
3 John 9
9
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. (3 John 9)
,10).
13. In 1 Cor. 5 we see how a wicked person must be "put away" by the assembly, and the saints "not to mix with him," not "even to eat" "with such a one," as holiness becomes the Lord's presence and His assembly (
Psa. 93:5
5
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. (Psalm 93:5)
). In Lev. 13 and 14 are principles for discerning and acting respecting leprosy as sin in its defiling activity. Godly carefulness in the Spirit is becoming, avoiding both haste and indifference, but feeling the shame and making the sin our own
Lev. 6:26
26
The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Leviticus 6:26)
;
2 Cor. 7:11
11
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2 Corinthians 7:11)
, not coldly to get rid of one, but, only as a last resort, for the Lord's honor and the need of the soul, keeping in view restoration after such is broken down
2 Cor. 2:5-11
5
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8
Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:5‑11)
. During the suspension, intercourse should be avoided.
14. In 2 Tim. 2 where gatherings dishonor the Lord as an established principle it is incumbent upon the faithful to "withdraw," "purify himself from those" and gather "with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart." This alone is the divine way of being "a vessel to honor" and "approved" (
1 Cor. 11:19
19
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. (1 Corinthians 11:19)
).
A. C. Brown
Courtesy of
BibleTruthPublishers.com
. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to:
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.
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