What course should be pursued when persons in the Church have done wrong, or are thought to have done wrong?
Let us study the matter from the Bible, and we shall learn some principles that ought to be universally understood, but unfortunately are not; for the Scriptures are very definite and explicit upon this subject.
In the first place, it may well be asked, "Who is to deal with the wrong-doer, when it is known what ought to be done?"
That is to say, "Who will be left, when all the wrong-doers are found?" "Who is there that has not done wrong?" "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
This is an item of serious importance, which is too often overlooked, and its neglect leads to much opinion, and usually to an aggravation of the wrong. However, we are not taught that nothing is to be done for anybody, since all have done wrong, but are only put on our guard, lest we assume the position of the self-righteous Pharisee and judge. Here is one of the plainest directions: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Bear you one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2)
The work of Christ for sinners, and His manner of dealing with the erring, is the example for all His followers. The work, it will be seen, is restoration, not condemnation. "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11) "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:17)
The following Scripture also should always be kept in mind: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has given to us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
Bearing One Another's Burdens
Reconciliation, restoration, is the work allotted to Christ's followers. They are to fulfill the law of Christ, by bearing the burdens of others. How this is done is indicated in the text just quoted: "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." (2 Corinthians 5:19)
Christ took the sin of the world on himself, that we might he delivered from it, we bear one another's burdens, by putting ourselves in each other's place. It is astonishing what a difference this makes in one's view of things. Often the supposed wrong disappears as soon as this has been done. "You which are spiritual," (Galatians 6:1) restore the erring. Nobody else can. It is evident, therefore, that if we hold ourselves to rigid obedience to the Scriptures, the first sight of evil in another will set us to asking whether or not we ourselves are wholly in Christ. If we are not spiritual, we have no warrant whatever to deal with an offender; for the only thing to be done is to "restore such a one;" and the only ones who can restore him are those who are spiritual; and if we are not spiritual, our first duty is to become so.
Having become assured that we are in Christ, so that we shall not do more harm than good, we proceed to restore the wrongdoer, according to the following directions: "If your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: and if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother." (Matthew 18:15)
Some ancient versions omit the words "against you," making the text general in its application. This is more in accord with the rest of Scripture. "Go and tell him his fault." (Matthew 18:15)
How? In a way calculated to restore him, and not to drive him further away; for the business at hand is not to charge him with a fault; not to try him and condemn him; but to save him. And note well, that this is in case he has really committed a fault. You are not to go on suspicion. Moreover, there is to be no charging with guilt in any case. You are to be his restorer, not his judge.
Note again: "Go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone." (Matthew 18:15)
Do not tell somebody else. "You shall not go up and down as a tale bearer among your people" (Leviticus 19:16) is just as much a part of the ten commandments as: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," (Exodus 20:8) or, "You shall not kill." (Exodus 20:13) "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14) "Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12)
Your brother's reputation must be just as dear to you as your own. Besides, you endanger your own soul when you repeat a story that you have heard; for if it be not true you are guilty of lying, just as surely as though you knew it was false. Whoever repeats a story that he does not absolutely know is true, shows that he is willing to risk telling a lie, rather than miss spreading a bit of gossip. And even though you know the story to be true, you are not to repeat it to another's discredit; for that is not calculated to gain him. How do you feel when people talk about your real or imagined faults? Put yourself in the other one's place, and you will know what to do for him. "Bear one another's burdens." (Galatians 6:2) "But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." (Matthew 18:16)
That is, do not give him up at the first trial. What you have failed to do, others may succeed in doing. Still you are to seek to restore him, in the spirit of meekness. Lastly, "If he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican." (Matthew 18:17)
What does that mean? Just what it says: You have exhausted every means to restore him, and he will not be restored; now you can do nothing more, and must let him be as any other obdurate heathen. Do not rail against him; do not publish his fault abroad, but rather seek to conceal it; for who knows but that he, as well as any other, may be reclaimed.
This, in short, is an answer to your question as to what to do with those that are out of the way. Like our High Priest, we are to "have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way." (Hebrews 5:2)
But in order that certain very common, almost universal, misconceptions may be cleared from our minds, it is necessary that we should give some study to the church--what it is, and what it is for, its duties and its privileges.
What Is the Church?
Not to multiply words, we find from Ephesians 1:22-23, that the church is the body of Christ. This body is composed of all who are Christ's. The church is also called the house of God, (1 Timothy 3:15) "Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing in the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6)
The church is not composed of "the clergy," so called, that is, of the ministry; for we read: "You are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:27-28) "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5)
The Greek word which is rendered "church," is a compound word meaning "called out." We have the word in the adjective "ecclesiastical." God called Israel of old out of Egypt, and they formed "the church in the wilderness." (Acts 7:38)
All who are in Christ have been called out of Egypt; for it is written, and fulfilled in Christ, "Out of Egypt have I called my Son." (Matthew 2:15)
Christ is "that great Shepherd of the sheep," (Hebrews 13:20) and He stands and calls His sheep and as they hear His voice they come to Him. As they thus assemble about Him, they form His flock or congregation, and this is the word that really ought always to be used, instead of "church." The names of "the general assembly and church [congregation] of the Firstborn ... are written in heaven;" (Hebrews 12:23) but whenever on earth there are two or three, or more, of "like precious faith" (2 Peter 1:1) in the same neighborhood, they naturally come together for mutual edification; and each one of these fragments of "the general assembly" is called a church, or congregation, since the life of the whole is in each part. "Unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (Ephesians 4:7)
The Church Not a Law-Making Body
From this little view of what the church of Christ is, it is evident that the church is not a law-making body, nor is it charged with the duty of executing laws. The judicial office does not pertain to it. Its only function is to follow the directions of its Head. It is to obey law, not to make or execute laws. Such expressions, therefore, as the church being "our mother," are nonsense; for we ourselves, if we are in Christ, are part of the church.
I know that you are waiting the opportunity to put this question to me: "Are we not told to 'hear the church'? and does not Christ say that 'whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven'?"
Read the whole passage for yourself, (Matthew 18:10-20) and if you read thoughtfully you will have the answer to your question. It is true that the words quoted occur; but it is not true that there is any commandment to "hear the church," as though it were a law-making or an executive body. There is just the same commandment given to hear the church that there is to hear any individual member of the church, and no more. When one errs, anyone who is spiritual is to seek, "in the spirit of meekness" to "restore" him (Galatians 6:1); and: "if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother." (Matthew 18:15)
In the same way two or three more are to seek to gain and restore him, in case he does not hear the one. And then if he is still obdurate, the entire membership, provided all are spiritual, are to unite in laboring for his restoration. But if he will not listen to their united pleading, there is nothing more that can be done for him, but to "let him be."
The Church's Authority
Just at this point comes the statement concerning binding and loosing. That is, whenever the preceding directions are followed, all that is done stands in heaven as well as on earth: because it has been the word from heaven that has been followed. Those who have spoken have spoken "as the oracles of God." (1 Peter 4:11)
But it will be remembered that "if anyone," not merely the whole church, speaks, it is to be as the oracles of God. And this thought that the authority rests as much in one or two as in the entire church, is maintained in the verses immediately following those that we have quoted from Matthew 18. Thus: "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:19-20)
The only authority there is on earth is the Word of the Lord. Jesus spoke "as one that had authority," (Mark 1:22) because He spoke only the word from heaven, and was the embodiment of the Word. That word is the law of the church as a whole, and of each individual member. And that Word in the mouth of one man has just as much authority as it has if spoken by a thousand men; and one man speaking that word has infinitely more authority than any number of men, whether they be called the church or not, who have not that Word.
There is no such thing as determination of the truth by majority. Moreover, there is no more antecedent probability that a hundred or a thousand men are right, than that a single man is right. Numbers have nothing whatever to do with the matter; the only question is, "What does the Word of God say?"
But while the Word of God spoken by a score or more of men has no more authority than when spoken by only one, the Lord does teach us that its effectiveness is augmented if a number are united in it. "One shall chase a thousand, and two shall put ten thousand to flight." (Deuteronomy 32:30; Leviticus 26:8; Joshua 23:10) But all must "speak the same thing," (1 Corinthians 1:10) and that thing must be God's Word as found in the Scriptures, and not the word of man.
And now you know what to do, not only in the case of a man that is at fault, but in every case. It is simply to take the Holy Scriptures as the sole authority and guide at all times and under all circumstances.--Present Truth, February 26, 1903.