Listening to Rebuke

16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^d 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:16-17)

Thoughts: Sadly, there is a time to let go of those who go their own way.  There are those who will not listen to others.  The old Pharisaical rule is to give someone three chances to repent.   While Jesus told Peter to forgive a brother 70 x 7, Jesus balances forgiveness with putting a limit, and a boundary.  We would be naive to think that sinning doesn't matter because we will ultimately be forgiven.  We would be wrong to think that God doesn't care if we listen or not.  We would be sadly mistaken to think that it doesn't matter what we do or what we believe; Jesus says to confront someone with their sin, then bring a witness, and if they refuse to listen still tell the whole church, and if they still go their own way then let them- but do not consider them a part of the church.  To not be a part of the church is to be broken off from the body- like a hand cut off from the body.  To not be a part of the church is like a branch lopped off from the vine.  It is to isolate ourselves from the way of life, of love, of hope to choose the way of death, of selfishness and destruction.  It is a terrible thing to isolate ourselves from the church.  We should do all we can to remain in the body, to build up the body, to listen to rebuke, and to move forward as the body together. 

Prayer: Help me to abide in you, O Lord.  Give me wisdom to listen to those who might rebuke me.