Bible Reading: Matthew 18:15-17 & 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
God doesn’t play favorites. He treats each one of us with love and respect and He expects us to do the same thing for each other.
How should we handle it when someone we know – a friend, a youth pastor, a teacher, or whoever it may be – plays favorites?
Follow Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18:15-17, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you…if he will not listen, take one or two others along…If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” These verses give us the basic biblical principles to use whenever someone is consistently doing something of which God disapproves.
1. Talk to that person privately (verse 15). If that doesn’t resolve the problem, move to step two.
2. Take one or two other people along with you to talk to that person (verse 16). If that still doesn’t resolve the situation, move to step three.
3. Tell the church about the person’s behavior and let the church work to persuade the person to change (verse 17).
Hopefully, the person will see his behavior for what it is – disobedience to God – and be willing to change.
However, if all else fails, you may have to step away from having any close ties with the person until he or she sees the need to stop sinning and start obeying God. That’s a hard message, but it is the message of 1 Corinthians 5:11, “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.”
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33
Prayer: Heavenly Father, open my friend’s eyes. Help him to see his way back to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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