Distinctions of Offences and Discipline
Arthur Copeland Brown
Table of Contents
Distinctions of Offenses and Discipline
Too often distinctions are overlooked and scriptures not applicable to the case are used.
The apostle James tells us that "we all often offend" (James 3:2 J.N.D. tr.) but Paul tells us to "give none offense" (1 Cor. 10:32. See Matt. 17:27; Acts 24:16; Rom. 14:21; 2 Cor. 6:3). On the other hand we should "not be offended" (Matt. 11:6; Psa. 119:165)
1. Perhaps the mildest form of offense is suggested in Eph. 4:2 "Bearing with one another in love." Little insignificant things love gladly overlooks.
2. But in Eph. 4:32 of the same chapter a gracious attitude of "forgiving one another," goes a little further (See Matt. 18:21,35; Mark 11:25,26).
3. Col. 3:13 combines the above two but adds "if any should have a complaint against any." That is something more specific, yet a minor matter not even a "quarrel" (as it reads in the A.V.) much less continuous animosity.
4. "Warn them that are unruly" A.V. "Admonish the disorderly" 1 Thess. 5:14 J.N.D. tr.
5. When a brother has been “Taken in some fault" (Gal. 6:1) grace becomes the self-distrustful to seek wisdom and guidance of the Spirit to restore him. Love is faithful.
6. Where a brother sins against me, grace would have me seek to gain him by going to him and "reprove him!" If need be go with another or two brothers. "But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the assembly, and if he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations" i.e. as an outsider. Leave it for the judgment-seat of Christ, meanwhile not allowing bitterness in the heart. Matt. 18:15-17.
7. Worse still is the case of the offender in Matt. 5:24, who is told to "first go, be reconciled to thy brother." This is then to him of first importance. But how sad it is if one becomes implacable, hardened with pride and stubbornness so as to resolutely refuse to be reconciled! Accordingly therefore forgiveness is wisely withheld for his good until he repents, (Luke 17:3) as evil, if the root is not judged, will continue its course. True grace should not be defeated by false peace (Jer. 6:14; See Hos. 5:15). This was David's failure with Absolom (2 Sam. 14:33).
8. In 2 Thess. chap. 3 the saints are enjoined to "withdraw from" and "not keep company with" any brother who refused to work "that he may be ashamed" (See Titus 3:14).
9. A more serious case is that of Rom. 16:17 where the saints were to "turn away from" those who create divisions, doing the work of the enemy to "scatter the sheep" (John 10:12), contrary to "the unity of the Spirit" (Eph. 4:3) "to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:30).
10. Again in Titus 3:10,11 the party-maker is called "an heretical man" and "after the first and second admonition have done with," leaving him "self condemned." "Schools of opinion" are one of "the works of the flesh" (Gal. 5:20).
11. Underminers of the fundamental truth effecting the person of Christ must not be permitted in our door nor even greeted 2 John 10.
12. Public rebuke is called for in the case of presumptuous sin (1 Tim. 5:20). Such need to be put to shame "that the rest may fear." Paul gave Peter a severe rebuke before all (Gal. 2:11,14). The apostle John also threatened to do so to Diotrephes (3 John 9,10).
13. In 1 Cor. 5 we see how a wicked person must be "put away" by the assembly, and the saints "not to mix with him," not "even to eat" "with such a one," as holiness becomes the Lord's presence and His assembly (Psa. 93:5). In Lev. 13 and 14 are principles for discerning and acting respecting leprosy as sin in its defiling activity. Godly carefulness in the Spirit is becoming, avoiding both haste and indifference, but feeling the shame and making the sin our own Lev. 6:26; 2 Cor. 7:11, not coldly to get rid of one, but, only as a last resort, for the Lord's honor and the need of the soul, keeping in view restoration after such is broken down 2 Cor. 2:5-11. During the suspension, intercourse should be avoided.
14. In 2 Tim. 2 where gatherings dishonor the Lord as an established principle it is incumbent upon the faithful to "withdraw," "purify himself from those" and gather "with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart." This alone is the divine way of being "a vessel to honor" and "approved" (1 Cor. 11:19).
A. C. Brown
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