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NASB | Matthew 18:15 ¶ "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 18:15 ¶ "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. |
Bible Question (short): pagan or tax collector vs. love enemy |
Question (full): 1 Corinthians 5:11 says "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." Matthew 18:15-17 says "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 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." But Matthew 5:44-48 says "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." So..if someone sins against me or is a sexually immoral christian I am not supposed to even eat with them and treat them as a pagan or a tax collector but yet I am also told to love my enemies. I am having an ongoing problem with friends who profess to be christians but live a very sexually immoral life. They have tried to destroy my marriage by lies and deceptions. I have confronted them and they have denied everything saying I'm crazy and I made everything up (I have written proof of everything and they claim I am "misinterpreting" what was being said). So..what is one to do with these kinds of people? I say we should avoid them "with these people do not even eat." My husband, however, says we should love them and forgive them and turn the other cheek. There is scripture to support both positions. There has to be a "right" way to handle such a situation. Does anyone have an answer that can emcompas both points of view? |