His Fault

Matthew 18:15 ESV

If your Brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

1 Corinthians 6:1 ESV

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

The section of scripture in 1 Corinthians, fancy people call it a pericope, ends with the admonition of “such were some of you”. This followed a list of sinful behaviors that will not enter into the kingdom of God. But that isn’t quite right. It is a list of sinful identities, those who “are” these things. Yet, Christians were these things they are so no longer but rather they are in Christ. Yet, the reality is that Christians still has the smell of the fire upon them. The traces of sin cling to them like a spider’s web in the forest, frustrating and conspicuous, but still rather difficult to remove completely.  Even then it is a vestige of what has been not the reality of what is.

Yet, these vestiges, cling to us, causing trouble for both us and those we love. Smells are a frustrating reality. Often times when I smell, I don’t realize it, I have to use my brain and think, I have been sweating and getting dirty, I smell. My brain not my nose tells me. Yet, this is often how it works with our faults. We often become so accustomed to them that the stench of sin no longer bothers us, we become the trash man that doesn’t even smell it anymore. If I fail to use my intelligence to realize my odor Kelly, or one of my children, is faithful and true in pointing it out, and this is a blessing to all. As we read in Matthew Jesus calls us to provide this same care for our church family. Just as my wife and children are the ones most immediately impacted, so too, our brothers and sisters in Christ are the ones most immediately touched and hurt by our sin. We are to love each other enough to point it out!

Jesus is clear that we are not to allow sin to divide and separate us from fellowship with each other. They are not to stop us from ENJOYING each other, ENJOYING gathering together. Yet, how often, we would rather be alone in our homes than “devoting ourselves to fellowship, to the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). Yet, church discipline starts with one brother helping another see his sin, it does not start from the pulpit. How, much do you love your sin? Is that why you won’t fellowship with others during the week? Are you unwilling to have your brother or sister walk in the business of life with you, to let them see you and help you cast off the smell of sin? The lingering vestiges of the man or woman you used to be? Will you let Christ use HIS Church, His bride, your brothers and sisters, to wash you and sanctify you? Will you gather together under the teaching of God’s word, devoting yourself to fellowship, and eating together, or are you devoted to ____________(Disc Golf, hunting, baseball, bunko, gardening, working, home improvement, …) so much that you haven’t had someone over to your house to eat a meal, in weeks, or months? Will you hold each other accountable to cast off the chains of sin and run the race well? This week resolve to fellowship with someone you haven’t had to your house before! Hat your sin enough!

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO