Personal Offenses
Matt.18:15-17
Personal offenses will come! People are people, Christians are people. When a sin or offense is personal and private, the injured person should go at once to the one who has done the injury and show him his fault alone, [Matt.18:15]. Every effort should be made for reconciliation. Patience, love and understanding should be exercised.
Most likely you will be personally offended by someone.
Helpful steps:
- Predetermined personal boundaries, a thought process in advance of the offense as to what you will and will not tolerate at work, school, home, and at church.
- The old “count to ten” pause. [James 1:19-20] Reason over emotion!
- You may choose charity [1 Cor.13:4-7]
- You may need a Godly person to help sort out your correct action. [Prov.19:20]
- You may need to go the one who has done the injury, but unless you are completely ready to forgive them, and reconcile, DON’T GO. At that point the only purpose served is to complain to them and retain your anger and bitterness by not forgiving them, BAD.
- If you truly desire to “gain thy brother”, tell him his fault between thee and him ALONE. [Prov.25:9-10] “debate thy cause” would lead to a two-sided discussion of all the facts. When you go and listen,[Prov.18:13] you will have a better understanding of exactly what happened.
- If the injured one goes to the one doing injury, and that one sees his fault and repents of it, the injured party should immediately and fully forgive him, [Luke 17:3-4]. Then the matter would end!
- If your attempt to “tell him his fault between thee and him alone” fails and he will not see and acknowledge his fault, take the next step, [Matt.18:16]
- It is highly recommended that these persons be the pastor or deacons, not a group of folks that are prejudges toward you!
- If that works, Praise the Lord. If not “tell it to the church” [Matt.18:17]
- At this point you give the entire matter over to your pastor, only the pastor can initiate any action required by the church. At this point you are done!
Most likely you will personally offend someone.
Helpful steps:
- We find the Law of the Lord Jesus Christ during the Millennium for such cases in [Matt.5:23-25] We can derive the general truth that God prefers that you go get the thing resolved before you attempt to have fellowship with him!
- [Prov.6:1-5] “Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself” Humble yourself and go get the thing straightened out.