HELP IN TIME OF SIN

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing 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 18:15-20).

To all… beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 1:7) Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, can you tell me whether you participate in court hearings? In how many of them daily? Or how many court hearings have happened in your life? Certainly, your answer maybe like this, "Since nothing against me is not file in the court, then no court process, court hearing or whatever is happening with my participation. That would be a correct answer. But it would be correct only in the eyes of the world. In the eyes of God everything looks different.

God says that we do make judgment, participate in the huge courtroom before God when we say something for or against our neighbor. In the book of Ezekiel (18:5) God asserts that righteous man makes right judgments, "But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right…" And in the book of Proverbs (19:5) it is written of those who say lies before God, "A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape."

So, actually, all our life in this world is a long court hearing that happens before God. This is how the Scriptures say of it, "I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn. Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them" (Psalm 75:4-8). And it is also written, "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods" (Psalm 82:1).

Pay attention, dear brothers and sisters, God takes notice of each our word and each our deed. He also takes notice even of each our thought. This is why Saint Paul urges us, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:26-32).

Apostle Paul says God forgave us for Christ's sake. He forgave us, that were guilty against God. God declared us, who were bringing false testimonies and judgments, righteous for the sake of Christ. God put onto Him all our sins, all our trespasses, all our bad thoughts, all our evil words, all our terrible actions. God executed His Son for all our wickedness. Holy Jesus was declared guilty on the cross. We were proclaimed innocent instead. Our guilt was put onto Jesus. And righteousness of the risen Jesus is put on us so that we could also rise on the Last Day. And this risen on the third day after the cross Jesus is pour superb Lawyer before God. As it is written, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1, 2).

We were in the courtroom of God, and were justified. Court hearing for the world is going on. In the Gospel of John (3:17-21) it is written, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Today our Savior says us how we, His children should behave when we are offended by our brothers, people in our church. He forbids us to walk around and tell everyone about how we were offended. Instead He says, "if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." The world does not accept such practices. The world tries to immediately blow up a bad news. But among the people of God this rule is only acceptable: I am offended. A man has sinned against me. I go to a person who has offended me. Why am I doing this? Because the Lord says so. And this Lord has saved me from eternal death. He bestows me with all His blessings. He bestows me also with love to my brother who has sinned against me. And doing so we have a possibility to gain our brother. Doing as the Lord has said we become God's instruments that are used by our Savior to bring our brother to repentance and peace with God and his neighbors.

But when we go to our brother to tell of his sin, we should remember words of the Lord that urge that we be "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). For God saved us out of love. He reproaches us for our sins. And we should do it to our neighbors as well. Without quarreling, without shouting, but reproach in gentleness and love, and patience. For God deals so with us. Besides the Lord says we should try to gain our brother and not to strengthen our enemy.

But what is to be done if our brother is not repentant? Dear brothers and sisters the Lord does not stop dealing with us when we fall away from Him. The Lord loves us and He wants us to live. In fact, this is His will toward us (1 Timothy 2:4). God wants us to be saved. He also wants our neighbors to be saved, too. This is why He says not to be stopped. He says, "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established."

God still wants that the cause be heard among a limited number of people. In another place He says, "A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter" (Proverbs 11:13). God does not reveal our secrets but He fights for our salvation. He says we should use on or two witnesses when our brother is not repentant. At the same time the Lord wants us to use His people as witnesses so that good name of our brothers be still preserved.

But it happens sometime that a brother does not even repent with one or two witnesses. What do we do then? As in every important cause let us seek advice from God, that is, let us look into the Bible again. The Lord says, "And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." The Lord does not quit using all His instruments that He employs to preach the Gospel. Thus He encourages us, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25). Because exactly at this assembling of ourselves the Word of God is preached, at this assembly the Lord strengthens us with His true and holy body and blood. At this assembly we have fellowship with the living God and with each other. This is why telling of the sin unto the Church is a very serious and the last step. God tells us to do this step, since He wants our salvation. He wants us to remain in His fellowship. This is why He calls sinners unto the Church not to be condemned but for salvation. And He does not want us to be guilty in someone else's blood. Instead He wants us to be His instruments in bringing others to repentance.

This is why when a man is forgiven by his brothers, by the Church, he is forgiven before God. He promises, "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing 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."

God is in the midst of us today. He is in His Gospel and in His Sacrament. And when He forgives, - He forgives truly and forever. Also, if he condemns He does it truly as well. And says that an unrepentant man be to us as an heathen man and a publican. That is such a man may not touch the Holy Things of God, His Holy Communion. But may he hear the Word of God? Yes! And when he repents we should be ready to accept him to our fellowship. The good Lord does those same things to us when fall away from Him and then in repentance come back to Him. He accepts all who repent as loving father accepts his prodigal son.

Dear brothers and sisters, the court hearing regarding the world is going on. And it will be over when our Lord Jesus Christ will come again in all His glory to judge the living and the dead. To give His children life eternal and to unbelievers eternal sufferings in hell May God continue to strengthen us daily so that we be His faithful witnesses ready to forgive and share the Gospel of Jesus with others. As the Lord Holy Spirit urges us through Apostle Peter, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:3-11).

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20).