Dealing with sin and unrighteousness

S- Matthew 18:15-17 NASB

"If your brother sins , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or  three witnesses every  fact may be confirmed .  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

O -  Jesus was giving advice to his disciples about how to resolve conflict in the church but more precisely  how to correct people.  His wisdom in this particular approach of leading people away from sin into righteousness was simple:   have a conversation with them.   The conversation should lead to an understanding of their sin, and more importantly what a righteous path looks like.   If the individual refuses to listen, or does not choose to change, you move to step 2.   You bring two or three trusted witnesses and have them give their perspective to the individual;  if this doesn't work move to step 3 which is bring it to the church.  This might be in a group setting of the church so that his sin and refusal to acknowledge the sin.

A -  Today's application is for me is to recognize that Jesus has given us a righteous method for facing unrighteousness.  Specifically here, it is for how to deal with sin within the church.  As with all things Jesus and God's word shows us a life principle.  In particularl in this season at work I am struggling with confronting unrighteousness.  I realize now I have not been following a wise process, and likely due to impatience have not given full time to each one of these phases of addressing sin, in order that the future has a hope of righteousness.   What I need to be doing when I see unrighteousness is to set up a one on one session with the individual in private,  show them their deviation from the correct behavior.  If they do not listen then I can find two or three people of good reputation and set up a time for these two or three witness to explain to the individual what they see in regard to the unrighteousness.  If this method does not prove effective and then it should be brought up to the command level.  If the individual continues to not align to the commands definition of righteousness, that individual may need to be moved out of the organization they are leading.

P -  Dear heavenly Father thank you for today's timely and relevant message delivered by your word, inspired by the Holy Spirit.  I pray Lord that you would help me apply this lesson to my life, especially I pray for the patience to not jump ahead, of this process.   I pray for a spirit of grace, and not condemnation and a spirit of gentleness and kindness and not of harshness and  meanness.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.