2. If Thy Brother Shall Trespass Matthew 18:15-17

3. If Thy Brother Shall Trespass When a brother sins, what do you do? What if you didn’t witness the sin? A passage that is often referred to is Matthew 18:15-17. To many this passage is the sum total on how we deal with sinful matters whatever the case. Let us consider then, what to do if thy brother shall trespass?

4. CONTEXT OF MATTHEW 18:15-17

5. Context Of Matthew 18:15-17 Warnings Against Offending (18:1-14). −Instructions On Humility (1-4). −Punishment Of Offenders (5-7) −Instructions On Self-Denial (8-11). −Parable Of The Lost Sheep (12-14).

6. Context Of Matthew 18:15-17 Dealing With Offenders (18:15-25). −Restoring Offenders (15-17). −Assurance In Judging Offenders(18-20). −Instructions On Forgiveness(21-22). −Parable of The Unmerciful Servant (23-25).

7. EXAMINING MATTHEW 18:15-17

8. Examining Matthew 18:15-17 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (Mat 18:15-17) This is a procedure to reconcile saints separated by sin.

9. Examining Matthew 18:15-17 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. (Mt. 18:15) Trespass against me? No Stop! Find another passage! Go and rebuke him. Yes ? Does he hear and repent? You have gained your brother! Yes No Go To Step Two (v. 16)

10. Examining Matthew 18:15-17 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (Mt. 18:16) Does he hear and repent? Yes You’ve gained your brother! Take one or two witnesses. No ? Does he hear and repent? You have gained your brother! Yes No Go To Step Three(v. 17a)

11. Examining Matthew 18:15-17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church (Mt. 18:17a) Does he hear and repent? Yes You’ve gained your brother! Tell it to the church. No ? Does he hear and repent? You have gained your brother! Yes No Go To Step Four(v. 17b)

12. Examining Matthew 18:15-17 but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (Mt. 18:17b) Does he hear and repent? No Do not keep company with him. You’ve gained your brother! Yes

13. Examining Matthew 18:15-17

14. APPLYING MATTHEW 18:15-17

15. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 What is under consideration in our text? Any and every concern I have with someone? −Foolish and unlearned questions (2 Tim. 2:23)? −Authorized liberties (Rom. 14:3, 13-14, 16, 19-20)? −Every slight; real or imagined (Pro. 19:11; Rom. 12:3; 1 Cor. 13:5)?

16. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 What is under consideration in our text? Any and every concern I have with someone? No, the text says, “trespass”! That means sin (Mt. 18:21; Rom. 3:23). Learn the difference (1 Cor. 3:1-3; Heb. 5:11-14). Then strife and contention cease (Pro. 3:30; 17:14; 20:3; 25:8; 26:17; Php. 2:3; 2 Tim. 2:14; 2 Tim. 2:24).

17. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 What sins are under consideration in our text? Some believe every sin is handled this way, but is it? “if thy brother shall trespass against thee” (Mt. 18:15). “tell him his fault between thee and him alone” (Mt. 18:15). The sin here is a private matter between two brethren and no one else.

18. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 What sins are under consideration in our text? Consider context (Mt. 18:21; Lev. 19:17-18; Lk. 17:3-4). The only things that fit are private, personal sins! To force anything else in this text violates the context! Other sins are handled differently as we shall see. If you brother has sinned against you, seek to restore him! If you have sinned against your brother, seek reconciliation (Mt. 5:23-24)!

19. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 What about other sins? Generally, saints seek to restore sinner(Gal. 6:1-2; Jas. 5:19-20). Private and personal sin must be dealt with privately (Mt. 18:15). If that fails, then it begins to become generally known (18:16-17). But some sins aren’t private sins (1 Cor. 5; Gal. 2). They are not between “thee and him” alone. They are known (1 Cor. 1:11; 5:1, 3; Gal. 2:12, 14). They have a greater danger of influence (1 Cor. 5:6-7; Gal. 2:11-13). They cannot be dealt with privately.

20. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 How then are we to deal with public sins? Rebuked “before all” (1 Tim. 5:20; Gal. 2:11, 14). When the saints are “gathered together” (1 Cor. 5:4-5). Hopefully they will repent and be reconciled (Acts 8:24).

21. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 How then are we to deal with public sins? If not, then fellowship is withdrawn: “mark them…avoid them” (Rom. 16:17). “deliver such an one unto Satan” (1 Cor. 5:5). “purge out” (1 Cor. 5:7). “put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:13). “note that man, and have no company with him” (2 Ths. 3:14). “from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5).

22. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 How then are we to deal with public sins? If not, then fellowship is withdrawn. So that sin doesn’t, “eat like a canker” and “overthrow the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:17-18). In hopes “that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5).

23. Applying Matthew 18:15-17 God has prescribed different ways to handle sin. Let us apply Matthew 18 as the Lord directs. −It does not fit any and every concern. −It does not fit public sin. −It applies to private sin between brethren.

24. If Thy Brother Shall Trespass Matthew 18:15-17

25. If Thy Brother Shall Trespass Sin separates us from God and one another (Isa. 59:1-2; 1 Jn. 1:5-7). God doesn’t want that and neither should we. Let us labor to restore one another as God directs. Let us do so in a spirit of love and concern for one another’s souls. Let us handle aright the word of truth. Let us seek to restore the erring saint that both we and they may rejoice with God together on that day when we all shall give an answer.

26. God’s Plan For Man’s Salvation