The Church is weak in the area of communication. If there's one thing we need to keep sin at bay and to deal with sin properly it is communication (along with repentance, of course). A pat on the back, a gift, or any other thing is not patching things up between Christian brothers and sisters. God says to use our mouths. To speak the thing. In fact, we are told in James 5.16a: "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." Confession requires saying the thing. Not "I'm sorry." We don't see in the Bible that God says to just say "sorry" and move on. He talks about confessing. When we confess our sins to a priest we mention the very sin that we have committed and are maybe even continuing to struggle with. We don't say, "Father I have sinned..." and then not mention what it is. God is into particulars. Because when we do that we are owning up to our weaknesses and when that happens God can work. A stubborn heart that refuses to do so will fall into all sorts of dangers. And our enemy loves that, of course. We are told if a brother sins against us we are to go to that brother (or sister) and what? What did Jesus Christ Himself say? "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." Here we see communication is essential. Not talking behind a person's back. Not holding it in, hoping the person will figure it out. Not being afraid to talk. Not just taking it up with God in prayer. No, Jesus said to "tell him his (or her) fault." Because God is all about communication. This is what prayer is. It's communicating with God. So we should do what Jesus says. And, hopefully, the person will say something because sin is staring him or her in the face. This requires humility. Unfortunately, we are not very humble, are we? We don't like being told we've done wrong. We don't like it like a child in preschool doesn't like it when the teacher says, "Sammy, we need to talk about you throwing that toy at Suzie. This was wrong behaviour toward her." Sammy doesn't like it just as much as an adult doesn't like it. But it doesn't matter. When we are confronted with our misdeeds the very best and healthiest thing we can do is agree with God that we did that thing (or did not do the thing we were supposed to do). We need to pray for more humble hearts. Jesus goes, on, though: "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." Why would Jesus do this? This sounds like we are to gang up on our brother or sister in Christ. Far be it from us to ever do such a thing! This prescription from Christ is to keep that dialogue open because God is very serious about sin. So much so He sent His only Son to die a horrible, bloody death for our sins. Because He loves us enough to not want sin (trespassing against His laws) to reign in our hearts. Not even a tiny, little bit. Oh, that we never get to this step because it is showing a hardened heart. So, we move on. We take another person or two with us because that person's sin needs to be dealt with if the person is unrepentant. It is a bring back a person who is self-deceived, who may be thinking they are on the right path, may be living the Christian life, but doesn't even see what he (or she) is doing wrong. At this point, of course if the person is unrepentant, he or she is going to feel the heavy weight of the law of God and may get angry at the persons coming to him or her. But we are called to do this for his or her good, not to harm, but to reconcile. God is all about reconciliation. However, not all will take that step toward the person who has been lamenting about whatever the person did. And that's the saddest thing. It breaks fellowship, it tears down relationships, it can even destroy a church. Ultimately, if the person never repents, he will be destroyed by going his (or her) own way. The good news is if he or she repents we welcome this person and rejoice like the angels rejoice when one sinner repents. We do not withhold anything from this person, but with open arms receive him and say that the Lord is well pleased. There is, unfortunately, a third step Jesus says if the person still will not communicate in a way that shows Christian love has been restored: "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." This here is the worst thing but the best thing, too. We should grieve if we ever get here because we are telling the person they have rejected the faith they were in. How very fearful. But it is most necessary because we cannot allow sin to spread through our churches and infect others. We must allow now for only God to work for this person's salvation. And He will fight for that person He died for. But the difficulties the Lord will allow to get this person to repent may be pretty horrendous. Reading a commentary in the Orthodox Study Bible I came across a quote by John Chrysostom: "... seeing that he is not only cast out of the Church, but that the bond of his sin will remain in Heaven, he may turn and become gentle." (Chrysostom is known for condemning pride and arrogance, chiefly when it came to the arrogance of the rich and the mistreatment of the poor.) Do you see why communication is an imperative from our Lord from the start? It doesn't ever have to get to the third step of the discipline set forth in the Matthew 18 passages above. I really do believe if we push aside our pride or our fear, whatever is holding us back from being open to the Spirit and dying to our sins, and just communicate, we would be a much healthier Church. We would be doing what the Lord wants, which is the very thing Christians are to strive for anyway. Forgiven much, Tamara Jack Check out my 90 lb. Weight Loss Journey with Weight Watchers HERE! To contact me, email: [email protected] (You can contact me for prayer, too.) Where to find me: Facebook: AssisiRosaries Page HERE YouTube: AssisiRosaries Channel HERE YouTube: Tamara Wigs Out Channel HERE Instagram: AssisiRosaries HERE Instagram: TamaraWigsOut HERE
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