In the last several decades conflict resolution has become a much used method to bring about a peaceful end to disagreements between two or more people. Employers often use various ways of conflict resolution to work out problems between employees. The legal courts also employ people skilled in this field to resolve disputes and strife between people, often in divorce cases when children are involved. Conflict resolution is nothing new, though, as Jesus gave us instructions on this when a problem would develop within the Church. Our Gospel reading for this week teaches us how the Lord wishes us to resolve problems.
As our Scripture opens, Jesus was teaching His disciples, and gave us here a pattern to follow when conflicts developed between believers within the Church. Though Christians are redeemed and have become children of God, there are still occasions when disagreements develop between one another. God’s Word gives us four steps to follow to resolve these problems as they arise.
The first step believers are to follow if they find that a fellow Christian has perhaps done them wrong, or a disagreement develops, is to go to them personally, one on one, and privately talk to them, seeking to resolve the issue (vs. 15). Hopefully that would be all that it would take to bring peace between the two parties, and harmony is restored between the two Christian brothers or sisters.
However, sometimes one person will not listen or resolve their issues. In that case, if the wrongdoer remains unrepentant, the Lord instructs us to bring in another mediator or two to try and help bring about a resolution (vs. 16). This fulfills the principle of Deuteronomy 19:15. These mediators should hopefully be impartial members of the church, not anyone who is in any way connected to either party, or the issue at hand.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work, either. The person causing the trouble refuses to resolve the issue, and remains steadfastly unrepentant. That is when the third step must be taken. If the person that one is trying to seek peace with, with whom one is trying to resolve a conflict, is determined to remain implacable, then one must bring the issue in front of the church deacons, elders, and leadership (vs. 17). This is not to be done vindictively or with the desire to spread gossip about that person. Instead it is to be with the goal of restoration, not in a lynch-mob mentality.
The fourth and final step would be taken if the sinning party still refuses to abide by the church leadership’s decisions. That step would be excommunication (vs. 17). The obstinate sinner is to be cut off, at least temporarily, from Christian fellowship. The idea is not merely to punish the offender, or to shun them completely, but to remove them as a detrimental influence from the fellowship of the church. Some examples in the Bible of excommunication are found in I Corinthians 5:4-5, and I Timothy 1:20.
The Bible says we are to treat them as a heathen (a Gentile or unbeliever) and a tax collector. But how did Jesus treat Gentiles and tax collectors? He loved them. He died for them. Jesus told them the good news of forgiveness of sins. When someone sins against us, and refuses to listen to us, we must treat them as a non-believer. We should treat them with the same urgent love, concern, and prayer that we would someone who has never believed or heard the Gospel. We don’t pretend the sin never happened, but we refrain from hating them. Instead we pray for them.
Continuing on, verses 18-19 refers to the decisions of the church in conflicts. The church’s decisions should be God-guided, and based on discernment of His Word. We are to bring our problems to the church, and they are to seek God’s guidance in resolving conflicts. If the believer conducts themselves Scripturally, the decision reached will be honored and verified in heaven. The “anything” is conditional on it being the will of God. God will never allow His Word to be used against Himself. Two or more believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, will pray according to God’s will, not their own. Thus their requests will be granted.
When two or three believers are gathered in Jesus’ Name, and in this context it is for Church discipline, Jesus is there in the midst (vs. 20). Jesus’ Spirit lives in each believer, but He promises to be with them in a unique and special way when they gather in His Name.
Church discipline is never easy or enjoyable. Too often the church leadership just chooses to ignore these problems. They don’t want to deal with any possible unpleasantness or publicity. Some may feel that they have no right to call out anyone’s sins, feeling they “shouldn’t judge”. Yet right here in our Scripture passage Jesus gives us very plain steps He wants the Church to take, if necessary. The church that ignores its members who are in sin is not acting in love. If they truly care about the members, they will confront sin in this laid out manner.
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