Go After Your Brother!

     "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?
     "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
     "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."
                                       Matthew 18:12-14 NASB

     Jesus continues the theme of true greatness (Matt 18:4). We see, in this portion of scripture (Matt 18:1-35), that we have a responsibility toward our brother; to watch over him, to ensure that we do not cause him to stumble, and to see that if he does, we do what we can to bring him back. This requires great humility. The common reaction is to let others do as they will, we will only worry about ourselves.
     We see from the above verses, that Christ is concerned for the individual who has gone astray. This illustration of a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine, to search for the one, leads us to His teaching on restoring a brother caught in sin.
     The Apostle Paul gives us similar instruction as well.

     Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted."
                                              Galatians 6:1 NASB

     James has this to say,

     My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,
     let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
                                             James 5:19-20 NASB

     We have this very important principle confirmed in the New Testament by the mouth of two or three witnesses (2 Cor 13:1), so why do we fail to put it into practice in so many instances today?`
     Jesus gives us a pattern to follow in the event a brother sins against us (Matt 18:15-20). The objective is the restoration of the sinning brother, and the healing of the broken relationship.
     In the event of a brother sinning against you, first go to him in private. At this point, this is between you, and the person who offended you. I believe that if people would gently, but honestly confront an individual, in a true spirit of love, it would go a long way to restoring fellowship, and in keeping a brother from straying from the faith.
     If however, your efforts do not reclaim your brother; he will not hear you, bring one or two others along with you, and try again. By bringing others in to help, it enforces the seriousness of the situation, and also ensures that things are done lovingly, and in truth.
     Sadly, sometimes it takes a little more effort to reclaim a sinning brother, and if he will not hear the two or three, then the Church must become involved. By this point things are more serious. The problem is no longer between you and another. The Church is also affected, because the refusal of the sinning brother to repent, also brings a reproach upon the body of Christ. True Christian fellowship and unity is dependent upon our submission to Christ, and our submission to, and love for each other (Phil 2:2; Col 3:12-14; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 John 1:7). Once again, the objective is to see a brother who has gone astray restored to fellowship. If he now sees the error of his ways, and humbly confesses his sin, turning from it, he has been reclaimed.
     If, at this point, he will still not turn from his sin, the only recourse is to break fellowship with the unrepentant individual. This seems harsh to many, but once again, the goal is restoration. This is actually tough love, with the intent that a "shunned" individual will come to the realization of his need of reconciliation. It would be important for the church to be in prayer for this individual, seeking that God would turn his heart back to the truth.
     The Apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthian Church for failing to go through this process with an individual who was in sexual sin. He called them arrogant for their acceptance of this unrepentant brother, and commanded them to turn the man out of fellowship. His goal was twofold. He desired that the individual would come to his senses and repent, and he was also jealously guarding the Church from further corruption (1 Cor 5:1-13).
     Again, this seems harsh to many. People view this as being judgmental, and are quick to point out that Jesus tells us not to judge (Matt 7:1). We are told in this Passage in First Corinthians, that we are to judge those within the Church (1 Cor 5:11-13). We must be careful however, that our judgment is not harsh or critical; it must be done in love, and that we judge ourselves first, before we judge another (Matt 7:1-5).
     If we would take the time to go after our Christian brothers and sisters when they stray, it would go a long way in promoting the unity and purity of the body of Christ.
     The Apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian believers to bring back a repentant individual, who had been turned out by the Church (2 Cor 2:1-11). Perhaps this was the same individual mentioned before, but the point is, a sinning brother was restored: to God, and to fellowship within the body of believers. This is how it is to work, if we would take the time, and make the effort, to see a brother restored.