Addressing Sin in the Church

In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus describes the processes for dealing with church members who willfully sin. Jesus taught that practicing sin (willfully, repeatedly sinning) is not freedom from obeying God. Instead, “everyone who practices sin is the slave of sin” (John 8:34).

We are called to be slaves to God and to righteousness. Slavery to sin results in lawlessness and death, whereas slavery to God results in sanctification and eternal life (Romans 6:1-22). We will be slaves to something (sin) or someone (God).

Joshua challenged the Israelites, “choose this day who you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Paul encouraged believers “do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13).

Paul gives additional details for confronting sin within the church. He directed believers to not associate with those that are disobedient to the Word of God. By doing this the sinners would be put to shame (2 Thessalonians 3:14).

By not associating with sinners, they would feel relational consequences for their sinning. Paul warned believers to not treat those being disciplined as enemies. Not to treat them with hostility. The hope was to make the sinner want to restore fellowship and their place in the community by becoming obedient again.

For the most severe forms of sin, Paul taught that willful sinners should be delivered “to satan for the destruction of his flesh” (1 Corinthians 5:5). This action was not meant to be punitive. The goal was “so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5).

Sin has its consequences on our bodies. The hope was that by turning the sinner over to satan to experience the physical consequences of their sin, they would be reminded of the eternal consequences of their sin.

We are also directed to admonish the sinner – to reason with them by warning them of the consequences of their sin (physical, relational and eternal). They were to admonish the sinner as their brother. In Greek, the word brother means, “from the same womb.”

In Hebrew, the words for “womb” and “compassion” share the same three-letter root. The mother’s womb shows compassion for her developing child by nurturing it and giving it a place to develop. Likewise, the church functions as a place where believers may be nurtured as they “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18).

We are also brothers born from the same womb because we are all born from above as an act of God’s compassion. As sinners repent God calls on believers to restore our brothers and sisters. “you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1).

We should not associate with willful sinners, but should help those struggling to overcome sin, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).