Dealing With Sin Among Believers

Commentary

Proper Judgment & Assistance

Though we desire to do what is right and pleasing to Jesus, we are still flawed. In these mortal bodies of ours, we’re going to sin. Though the follower of Christ should not enjoy that sin beyond its immediate pleasure. If you’re truly sorry, ask the Lord to forgive you and He will.

But, there will be times when you might catch a brother or sister in Christ sinning either against you or openly, which could cause other believers to stumble as well. It is your duty to help that fellow believer. Not judging them as if you know their heart, but judging their actions based on Scripture. But no action is to be taken by you until you have dealt with any unrepentant sin of your own first.

This passage is too often taken to mean that we don’t judge at all. But that is not the lesson. We’re to not be condemning or harsh, never guessing at motives, but are to be loving and Biblical in our attempt to help any fellow believers who are stumbling in sin.

Commentary

When A Brother or Sister In Christ Sins Against You

Should you encounter a time when a fellow believer has mistreated you, then you are to go to him or her and tell them. Remember to be loving and kind in your concern and not to jump down on them as your emotions might be leading you to do. The best scenario is that he or she will immediately feel convicted and ask your forgiveness, which you must give after they have asked.

As Jesus states above, you are to escalate when that person does not respond to your grievance. If they are still unrepentant, even after your pastor or Bible study group leader has addressed the issue, then you are to cut fellowship with them. It sounds harsh and it likely won’t be easy, but the hope is that the time away from you and the group will rattle them and bring them back to the Lord in repentance and sorrow for their sin against you.

Commentary

When Open Sin Is Taking Place

The church in Corinth had a major issue with tolerating blatant and open sin among the body of believers. This is not how sin should be handled. Just as Jesus stated regarding a person who sins against you personally, anyone in a congregation who is openly sinning and unrepentant is to be removed from that congregation. Their sinful behavior is bad enough, but it will also cause others to fall into sin if not dealt with. Paul explains in Galatians 5:9 that even a little leaven (sin) will leaven the whole batch of dough (congregation of believers).

This is why “churches” that are so-called affirming or inclusive are ripe for rampant sin among the congregation. When you have that kind of open sin being tolerated, and in cases even taught as being good, then sin will spread like a wild fire in that congregation. Which could lead a false believer that much further away from Christ or cause a born-again believer to fall into sin that will cause physical harm to them or even premature death.

Commentary

Unbelievers vs. Believers

Some may take the teachings in the Bible as a command to avoid all sinners. But truth be told, we are all sinners. As Jesus ate with spiritually unclean people, we are to reach out to those unbelievers with the Gospel, in love. We don’t join them in sin nor approve of it; we also are not to take the same measures with them as we do fellow believers. An unbeliever is going to do what unbelievers do. Our job is to make them aware that they will be judged by God for their sins if they don’t repent and accept the Gospel message. However, a true born-again follower of Christ knows better and therefore is subject to the judgment of their actions by his or her fellow believers. As Paul states, we are to hand over the believer who is in unrepentant sin to Satan, in hopes that their physical destruction will lead to spiritual repentance, taking them back on the right path with the Lord.

All of this may come off as overly harsh or maybe legalistic. We know that false religions of the world have strict policies for failing to adhere to, and some even weaponize those policies to beat people into submission. However, that is not the case here. What God is teaching in this is only commonsense, ways to keep the flock safe, while offering correction to those offenders, so that we may all be walking as the Lord would have us walk with Him.

Commentary

When The Offending Person Repents

The passage above is an example of what to do if that person repents after cutting off fellowship with them. In Paul’s second letter to Corinth, he refers to someone who was removed from the congregation, but had come to repentance some time after. It’s at this point that we are to welcome that person back into fellowship with forgiveness and comfort. For now, he or she has come to find sorrow in what they have done and desire to get back on track in their walk with Christ.

Rarely will you find such a situation in this world. In politics, false religions, and cults, people who offend are often cut loose with no chance of forgiveness. We see this especially in culture and politics; opponents will dig 40 years back into someone’s past to find an issue and then bring it back as if there was no chance for redemption. Through faith in Jesus, we have redemption, and when we find sorrow in our sins, He is quick to forgive, and so should we be to those fellow believers who have sinned against us and come back to ask forgiveness. This sets the born-again believer apart from the unbelievers of this world.