RELATING TO SINNING CHRISTIANS

Gal. 6:1 What is a spiritual (Spirit-directed, Christ-obedient) Christian’s responsibility to another Christian that he catches in any trespass (“paraptomati” – a fault, a sin, a deviation from the path of truth and righteousness and was not premeditated)?

How and why should a spiritual Christian restore (mend or bring to the person’s former position of wholeness) a sinning believer?

[“gentleness” – kindness, not harsh, helpfulness, calmness] [“looking to yourself…” – keeping a sharp watch on yourself]

[“lest” – for fear that] [“you too be tempted” – when you’re in sin, others will treat you gently in correcting you].

Have you ever had to do this? Or, has it ever been done to you?

If it has, did you appreciate the person who cared enough about you to confront you?

Matt. 18:15-17 What should you as a Christian do if your brother (fellow Christian) sins (“hamartese” – misses the mark; conducts himself in a way that is not in keeping with the demands of God’s holy law, the Bible) against you?

If after reproving him (showing him his fault – with a view that he repents or changes his attitude and behavior to what the Bible teaches) in private he does not listen to you, what should you as a Christian then do, and why?

If the sinning Christian refuses to listen to you in the presence of one or two witnesses (who will want to see if a wrong has been committed – through a question and answer method with both parties involved in the sin), what should the offended/wronged Christian then do (or all three do)?

If the sinning Christian refuses to listen even to the church (the locally organized fellowship of believers), what should you let the sinning person be to you?

Have you ever had to treat a confronted and unrepentant sinning Christian as a Gentile (as a pagan; as unclean and, therefore, separated from) and tax-gatherer (traitor, and so, exclude/excommunicate/disassociate from that person)? How did you feel about doing this, and why?

Lk. 17:3, 4 If a Christian person sins (Gk. “hamarte”) against you, what should you do?

After rebuking (Gk. “epitimeson” – sternly telling, severely disapproving of; reprimanding; chiding) a sinning believer/Christian, when should we forgive (Gk. “aphismi” – to send away or let off; to release from penalty rightly due, e.g., disassociation from or excommunication of) him?

[“Repents” – changes his thinking by acknowledging that what he did was wrong and determining not to repeat it]. This forgiveness is conditional upon repentance, while in Eph. 4:32, the forgiveness (Gk. “charizomai”) is unconditional, but its meaning is “to cease being resentful towards”.

Have you ever had to rebuke a sinning Christian?

Or, has another Christian ever rebuked you for sinning against him/her?

Mk. 8:31-33 In whose presence did Jesus rebuke Peter, and why?

[Public sins are dealt with publicly, while private sins are dealt with privately, unless there is not repentance of the sin.].

Have you ever had to rebuke a publicly sinning Christian in the presence of others?

Or, has another Christian ever publicly rebuked you for a sin you committed publicly?

Gal. 2:11-14 In whose presence did Paul confront Peter, and why did Paul do this?

Have you ever done anything similar to this (confronted a Christian publicly because his public sin was causing or leading others to commit the same sin)?

Or, has another Christian ever confronted you for influencing others because of some public sin you were doing?

1 Tim. 5:19, 20 What should Christians not do unless there are two or three witnesses who have seen the same thing?

Have you ever listened to and accepted as true an accusation against a qualified spiritual leader (elder qualifications: Titus 1:6-9; 1 Tim. 3:1-7) from just one person? If so, should you have, and why?

If after having two or more witnesses, regarding some sin that the elder is committing, it is confirmed that the elder has sinned or is sinning, and the elder has been confronted about it but refuses to repent and instead continues in the sin, what should you do, and why?

What should our primary motive be for carrying out these instructions (1 Cor. 16:14)?

Prov. 27:6 What is faithful?

Why do you think that this is so?

2 Cor. 7:8-11 What did Paul regret doing through his letter?

Why does Paul now rejoice?

What does sorrow that is according to the will of God produce?

Has anyone ever caused you this kind of sorrow when they confronted you about some sin in your life?

And did it produce repentance (a change of mind about your sin, that it was wrong so that you stopped doing it) in your life so that it led you to salvation (i.e., sanctification, deliverance from the power of sin unto a practice of holiness)?

How did you respond to this expression of love by the confronting Christian for you, and why?

2 Thes. 3:14, 15 Who were these Christians in Thessalonica told not to associate with, and why?

We should admonish (warn of wrong doing based on instruction) a disobedient Christian not as an enemy, but as what?

How do you view them, and why?

Do you disassociate from those Christians, who knowingly disobey the Bible, after you’ve first warned them from the Bible of their wrong doings and have given them an opportunity to change/repent? Why?

2 Thes. 3:6 Who should Christians keep aloof (personally separate and withdraw) from?

Have you ever separated yourself from a Christian who led (a deliberate, persistent practice or course of action, not an occasional lapse) an unruly (disorderly; interfering in the work of others) life and not according to the tradition (specific Bible teaching) that you’ve received? Why?

1 Cor. 5:11 Who were these Christians not to associate with, not even to eat with?

[From the foregoing passages, it is to be understood that before this disassociation occurs, confrontation of the offender would have taken place, and if the sinning person would have repented, then disassociation would not have been necessary.].

Have you ever found it necessary to disassociate from a person who claims to be a Christian, yet is unrepentantly (doesn’t change and correct both attitude and action) covetous (inordinately desires what he doesn’t have and has its basis in discontentment with what he has), idolatrous (worships anything above the Lord God Creator of this universe; it can take the form of greed, selfishness/coveting – Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5), a reviler (one who uses abusive or contemptuous language), drunkard (one who often is overcome by alcohol to the point of losing control over his faculties), or a swindler (one who cheats, defrauds, or gains possessions from others through trickery)?

If so, was it hard for you to disassociate from this person? Why?

Rom. 16:17, 18 What should these Christians’ response be toward those false teachers who cause dissensions and hindrances (divisions and doubting that leads to sin) contrary to the teaching (1 Cor. 1:10; 8:9-11; Rom. 14:15, 21-23; Titus 3:10-11) which they learned? Why?

[Those here causing dissensions were propagating false/wrong doctrines or teachings.].

[Turning away from those who teach false doctrine (because they refuse to change their wrong teaching even after being corrected and shown biblically correct/true doctrine) is one way to preserve spiritual unity.].

[Notice that this passage doesn’t say that these Christians in Rome should debate or argue with those false teachers. Paul probably knew these smooth talkers were crafty and smart and would confuse these Christians in Rome unless they were well-grounded in biblical truths.].

Titus 3:10, 11 How should a factious (self-seeking; seeking to win followers – the fruit of jealousy) person be dealt with, and why?

Will you do this if such a person is creating division for selfish reasons in your Christian group rather than for the biblical reason of trying to preserve the purity of biblical doctrine and holiness of life/behavior in the group, and why?