View Single Post
  #5  
Old 05-06-2009, 10:54 PM
George's Avatar
George George is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Posts: 891
Default Re: "Church Discipline"

Quote:
Originally Posted by cb6445 View Post
Yeah, I agree brothers. That's a hard one, too. I wanna believe that we should give the individual time to repent before you just automatically "withdraw" yourself from them. However, it doesn't seem to me the Lord agrees with that. He never mentions "if they do it again" or "after the 3rd or 4th time, etc." He says immediately. But then I do not see anything about allowing that person to come back or fellowshipping again with that person after a certain period of time. Seems to me that the Lord says as soon as you are made aware of that person's sin, then withdraw yourself from them for good. Would that be an accurate statement? (That statement only applying to a person who is considered a "brother", of course)
Aloha brother,

We must always be prepared to "forgive" - IF there is evidence of sincere repentance; a demonstrable turning away from sin; and a genuine return to God. There must always be room in our hearts for forgiveness - we just have to be prudent about how we extend that forgiveness.

For example: If a brother in Christ has fallen into his old ways and takes up drinking alcohol again, and if he comes up to you and says he's "sorry", but continues drinking, you might accept his apology, but until he shows some "fruits" meet for repentance [Matthew 3:8] he can not be allowed to join back in the fellowship with the believers.

Paul urged the Corinthian church to forgive a man who had been "punished" by the church, saying his "punishment" was "sufficient". Some think that this might be in reference to the same man as in 1 Corinthians 5 - I don't know for sure, but this I do know, whoever this man is in 2 Corinthians 2:6, Paul was saying that the church should "forgive" him and "confirm" their "love toward him".

2 Corinthians 2:5
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.

Just because a person sins - it doesn't mean that we turn our back on him forever! I thank God that he doesn't do that to us!

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I would be in a heap of trouble if God didn't forgive my sins