[Part 1 was about ourselves. Check it out here.] Part 2 and 3 are about others. Today…

What is our responsibility towards believers?

There is way more in the bible about our role with each other than with those who are not ‘among us.’

Ready to get overwhelmed?

We have a loving responsibility to hold believers accountable, always looking for healthy restoration as the ultimate goal, not division and punishment. We must always point each other back in alignment with the Word of God. There really is right and wrong according to Him.

The Bible gives us clear guidance about how we are to live our lives. For example, the 10 Commandments give clear guidance about things like stealing, worshiping idols, and coveting. There is no need for further debate about such things. God has spoken. And when people claim to be Christians and yet go against the clear law of God – discipline is necessary to bring them back into the fold. At such a time, it is not only our right to judge the behavior of fellow Christians, but it is our loving responsibility to do so. And if all goes well the person receives the loving rebuke with humility, repents, and is freely offered support and encouragement and love from those who have had to bring up the issue. That is the way God wants it to happen!

Trust me, I don’t want to waste my time on it either. It takes a lot of time, effort, and messiness. But despite our feelings, it’s part of true discipleship. Here are some examples we see in the bible.

1 Corinthians 5: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.”

Here Paul gives an example of someone who is claiming to be a Christian, but who is engaged in sexual relations with his step-mother. Such activity clearly comes under those things that God has already spoken about. It is wrong and Paul says to hand him over, or deliver him to Satan so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved. Now, that’s a big statement. We can’t go into it right now, but those are some serious words!

In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, we are told that we, as Christians, actually do have a right to judge. “Do you not know that [in the end] the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (v. 2-3)

Paul then provided some examples of things that believers are able to judge as being unrighteous. He said, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (v. 9-10) So, if a fellow Christian is participating in any of these sins, we have a right to speak up about it.

Galatians chapter 5 is another passage about judging believers. Paul strongly urged Christians, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16) He then provided some examples by which to evaluate, analyze, judge our Christian walk. He said, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (v. 19-21)

These are the “works of the flesh” we do not want to do. Notice his word “practice.” We are all sinners and all fall short of the glory of God. For the rest of our lives we will battle sin. None of us will be sinless. But there’s a difference between living in sin (practicing) and making sinful mistakes (either ignorantly, or because of the sometimes gradual process of sanctification).

The good news is that we’re not just told what not to do, the bad fruit. Paul lays out what to do, the good fruit.

Be a fruit inspector.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25)

Based on what Paul said, if someone is still bearing bad fruit instead of the fruit of the Spirit, then that person’s faith walk should be in question. One’s fruit is our metric for making a spiritual evaluation concerning an individual’s walk with God.

This is where the conversation about this topic can get dicey and require a lot of back-and-forth analytics to get on the same page with one another. We’re seeing that we can make a spiritual evaluation about one’s walk with God. What about their salvation? Many would argue we’ll never truly know where a person’s heart is in regard to being born-again of the Spirit.

While it’s true, we really can’t judge a person’s heart per se in regard to true regeneration, what comes out of a person’s mouth does comes from their heart. (Matthew 15:18)

Therefore, I would argue that if we really get to know someone, it’s probably reasonable to say that we can determine the condition of their heart just by listening to them. Because look, when we gracefully communicate and lovingly connect with one another about sin, we’re hoping to see humble repentance. If a person refuses to listen, look what Jesus says about them…

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17)

Notice there are biblical action steps. A process. You don’t just jump to conclusions. But do NOT miss the last sentence, if he refuses to do anything about it, he is like a heathen (pagan, non-believer). Jesus is saying he is then considered NOT a Christian brother to you anymore. It’s just something to think about!

In the same respect, I do agree with a point C.S. Lewis drove home with his own illustration:

“Take the case of a sour old maid, who is a Christian, but cantankerous. On the other hand, take some pleasant and popular fellow, but who has never been to church. Who knows how much more cantankerous the old maid might be if she were not a Christian, and how much more likeable the nice fellow might be if he were a Christian? You can’t judge Christianity simply by comparing the product in these two people; you would need to know what kind of raw material Christ was working with in both cases.” (C.S. Lewis – God in the Dock, “Answers to Questions on Christianity” (1944) ans. 12, p 59).

Ok maybe this is too much, and we prefer to just play it safe and focus on the “walk.”

Then we pay attention to how we talk during everyday situations, especially outside of the church (when we aren’t putting on our best selves), in the little moments to big ones. If we notice, evaluate, judge, a sinful nature, we are supposed to confront one another. Jesus said in Luke 17:3, “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Sins “against you,” or sins “period,” the principle is still the same; he or she must be lovingly confronted.

Why? Because, “We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.” (Ephesians 4:14-15)

When we hear a fellow Christian still speaking, following, or submitting to things of this world, we must at least confront that fellow believer and speak the truth in love. Otherwise, he or she cannot grow in his faith.

All to say, there’s a biblical way to admonish, spur on, exhort, and even judge one another. When we do it from God’s eyes, heart, and Word, it will be loving and fruitful! This is how disciples make disciples. When engaging in this process you’ll notice that it’s not just about the other person. It’s really about our own growth. Trust me, it takes a lot of work to understand, commit to, and peacefully practice the right approach. As we seek to help others grow, we’re really the ones growing up in every way to be more like Christ.

Part 3 will be about judging non-believers and false teachers. Then it’s a rap!