Addressing Personal Offenses

I’ve been told that the only way a doctor can help you is to tell him the truth about all symptoms you’re experiencing. Likewise in order for the Word of God to help, you have to be truthful about the what you’re feeling and thinking. Have you ever been offended by someone? Have you gone a while without speaking or talking to them because of the offense? As we look at this text today, Jesus tells us how to address those who sin against us, that is those who have missed the mark with us. He starts by say if, which is a conditional conjunction hear, it doesn’t suggest probability. Its not if, but when. He is specific about the offended person, you singular.

How do you address personal offenses. I want give a godly process for dealing with personal offenses.

Personal Confrontation

You have to personally confront this individual.

Its imperative that you keep moving along.

You have to move from being offended to addressing the issue.

You have to strongly admonish, using your arguing you point with the intent to convince or prove the wrong done.

This is to be done between the two of you alone.

This is the first step in addressing an offense

(ESV) Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

(ESV) “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.

15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.

Private Consultation

You have to consult with a private council on the matter.

If he does not listen, or pay close attention to you, and respond in conformity.

Take one or two others. Take a small council of spiritually people.

They can witness the evidence of the situation.

They can give wise council.

We go to lawyers for consultation on a matter. They will then give us wise advise on how to proceed with a matter.

(ESV) “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

(ESV) “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

You need more than one witness, sometimes people bring friends with malicious intentions.

Laws Concerning Witnesses

You need more than one witness, sometimes people bring friends with malicious intentions.

15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

Public Confirmation

You have to bring the matter before church to confirm the facts of the offense.

If he refuses to listen to them. If hears what is said, but ignore or take no heed of it.

If the first two steps fail.

You no longer treat him as a brother, but an outsider.

This hopefully will bring the brother to repentance.

When this is done in the spirit, in love and according to the Word of God, then God binds those whom the church binds.

When Jesus was offended by those who disrespected the House of the Lord, He addressed the matter right away.

He also looses those whom the church looses.

You can’t go through angry, upset and frustrated because you failed to properly address an offense.

But you have to learn how to go to people and show them where they went wrong with you. You have to learn how to argue your point, in hopes of convincing them and winning them over.

If they don’t get, don’t let it go just yet you have to follow some stuff through. Take the right people with you. Everybody cant handle certain situations.

We usually stop after that point if we don’t win. We start leaving the church, stop serving in ministry because we cant stand so in so. But there are some issues that the church has to address. Some people need to be dealt with appropriately so they don’t continue to divide and destroy the church.

I know this sounds harsh, but the church is the only place now where people get to do whatever, however without any consequences.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Conviction Builds the Church

There is a perceptive story told of Heinrich Heine, the German poet, who was standing with a friend before the cathedral of Amiens in France. “Tell me, Heinrich,” said his friend, “why can’t people build piles like this anymore?”

“My dear friend,” replied Heine, “in those days people had convictions. We moderns have opinions. And it takes more than an opinion to build a Gothic cathedral.”