Taking Heed

If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. -Luke 17:3b

If only we had an eraser that could rid the Sacred Scriptures of these words, we could be at ease and not even have to think about rebuking anyone, or even noticing how, when, or where they sin. Sin, rebuke, repentance, and forgiveness are all totally alien to this world’s way of thinking.

In the Church, however, the right to privacy is not extolled so much as it is in the world. There is an invasion of privacy intended to draw you away from this world and into the life of the world to come, where true joy is to be found.

A good many have gone about erasing or ignoring the plain and clear words of Christ, even though His sole intent is to win poor sinners to Himself. Together with the sinful nature we carry the burden of Cain who asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

It is not as if sisters are excluded, or as if there is a condition under which your brother will never sin. We are altogether lumped into this condition whereby our obedience as slaves is subject to review and correction. The thought is exceedingly frightening, especially when we consider Who ultimately set the standard of righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.

The burden would be too much were it not for the fact that the same One who set the standard and enjoins you to rebuke your brother, is He who obeyed the Law to its most perfect demands. Not only so, but He made payment for both you and your brother by taking upon Himself the punishment deserved by all the sons of disobedience. And if that were not enough, He is joined to you in His very flesh so that He is at work in your to will and to do that which is good.

The Holy Spirit teaches you to deal with your brother in true Love, so that whatever assessments are made on his behalf are in accord with the Truth, and are expressed not in a manner that demeans or brings self-righteousness into the mix, but uplifts and edifies.

Since it is your brother, he is of one mind with you, for your dear Lord says to us together, “Take heed to yourselves.” So together in love we watch out, admonish, build up, and therefore speak up, whenever one of us “goes off the deep end,” as it were. It is simply part and parcel of being joined to Christ Jesus that you do not let your brother go on in sin without speaking up.

Since you have the mind of Christ, He will teach you what to say, how to say it, and when, as you work out your salvation with fear and trembling under the mighty hand of God who has saved you from all that would harm you.
+ + +