Summary:

We must not take the precious blood of Jesus for granted. There is power in the blood of Jesus to deliver, cleanse, and restore. Sin in the body of Christ must be handled according to the Word of God so that the Church may become strong and vibrant, and the will of the Father can be done in the earth.

  1. When confronting a Believer who has fallen into sin, our goal should be to restore his or her relationship with God (James 5:19-20).

    1. We should try with love and meekness to convince the Believer who sins to forsake the sin. (Galatians 6:1-2)

      1. We should not be arrogant, condemning, boastful, or rude in our interaction with him or her.

      2. Our objective is to restore, not to destroy, the Believer who has sinned (Isaiah 42:3).

      3. We should not judge the Believer based on hearsay but on the facts about the situation.

    2. There is a difference between judging someone for sin and helping to restore them.

      1. When restoring a Believer, there must be adequate evidence that he or she has sinned.

      2. The Believer who comes to restore should be genuinely motivated by love.

    3. We are all prey for the enemy.

      1. Satan attacks Believers individually and, as result, some fall into sin.

      2. Whenever we see ministers and leaders being attacked, we should know that the attack is actually on the preaching of the Gospel.

    4. If a Believer has truly repented (by asking God for forgiveness and forsaking the sin), we should freely forgive him or her.

      1. If we expect to receive mercy from God, we must extend mercy to others (Matthew 5:7).

    5. If a Believer has not repented, but sincerely acknowledges his or her wrongdoing, we should rebuke the person in love and convince them to repent.

      1. If you are not qualified to handle the situation, seek the help of someone in a position of spiritual authority.

  2. When confronting a Believer who has fallen into sin, be sure to operate in the reverence of the Lord, or you will fall into the traps of the enemy (Galatians 6:1-2).

    1. There is a need to bring discipline back to the church, so that people will reverence God (Titus 3:10-11).

    2. Whatever we sow, we will reap. Therefore, how we handle the sin of another person will determine how we will be handled if we sin.

      1. There may be disciplinary actions involved. However, we should refrain from spreading the word about the Believer’s sin.

    3. When a minister sins, depending on the severity of the case, he or she may have to take a sabbatical from ministering in the pulpit.

      1. A lay member is not in the position to discipline a minister.

      2. A minister must be disciplined by a respected spiritual leader—someone who has supervision over him or her.

      3. The minister who has sinned may need to undergo counseling sessions until his relationship with God has been restored.

      4. However, while these processes are being carried out, it is imperative that they are done in confidentiality.

      5. The person should not be ruined in the process.

  3. There are procedures that must be followed in order to prevent sin from spreading in the Church (1 Corinthians 5:1-13).

    1. Paul wrote to the Corinthians instructing them to deal with a situation in which a Believer was committing adultery.

    2. If a Believer has decided to live a sinful lifestyle, we should allow spiritual leaders to handle the case.

    3. The spiritual leader will scripturally discipline the person (this is designed to produce genuine repentance).

      1. There must be proof that the case is true.

      2. Appropriate biblical sanctions should be imposed, which may include excommunication, depending on the nature of the case.

    4. When the Believer has repented, we should forgive, comfort, and show our love toward him or her (2 Corinthians 2:6-8).

  4. What to do when a Believer has sinned against you (Matthew 18:15-18).

    1. Go and resolve the issue with him privately.

    2. If he will not listen to you, take two witnesses along to resolve the matter.

    3. If the Believer does not listen to them, take him to the elders of the church.

    4. If the Believer does not listen to the elders, then regard him as an unbeliever.

    5. Don’t enter into fellowship with the Christian who is actively living a life of sin. Instead, pray that God will help him to change.

Scripture References:

  • James 5:19-20

  • Galatians 6:1-2

  • Isaiah 42:3

  • Matthew 5:7

  • Titus 3:10-11

  • 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

  • 2 Corinthians 2:6-8

  • Matthew 18:15-18

Pastor Robert Bagonza

Senior Pastor Redeemed Church

www.mrolec.org