Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are
spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.--_Gal. 6, 1._
The Christian Church is frequently compared with a hospital. The
comparison is correct. Christ calls Himself a Physician; then those
to whom He has come to heal are sick, and the institution which
He has established for the spiritually soul-sick is the Church.
Not for those who regard themselves well, who in self-righteous
haughtiness would be no sinners, but for those who, acknowledging
their soul-sickness, are looking for healing from the Physician of
souls, Christ Jesus, is this divine institution. The Church, we may
aptly say, is a hospital.
In a hospital, however, we have respect to proper treatment, we
desire to become rid of our ailment, and are ready to submit to any
course and remedy that will promote our healing. Equally so in the
spiritual hospital ought we to be ready and thankful for any method
and manner of treatment that helps us become rid of our sins, our
faults, our errors. Such a course, suggested by the Gospel-lesson,
would we for once regard in this morning devotion. Let us consider
_a Christian's duty toward an erring brother_, noting, _I. what this
duty is_; _II. how it is to be performed_; _III. some of the happy
results_.
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness." What the Apostle
here commands is this: If a Christian, a member of a congregation,
falls, those who are standing are to help him up again. If he falls
into error of doctrine, they are to bring him to the belief of the
Bible truth, and if he falls into some sin of life, they are to
remonstrate with him, so that he may repent and return into the way
of right. That this is one of the most difficult of Christian duties
is true, and that it is a duty grossly neglected by Christians is
true also. But for that reason it becomes all the more necessary to
call attention to it. "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor,
and not suffer sin upon him," we read Lev. 19. Solomon says: "Rebuke
a wise man, and he will love thee." A greater than Solomon, even our
Savior, has said: "If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell
him his fault." Again, St. Paul directs: "Reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all long-suffering." These are but a few of many similar texts
of Scripture that might be cited to show that to reprove an erring
fellow-Christian is just as solemn and weighty as that which tells
us, "Thou shalt not steal," or admonishes to read our Bibles, and
attend on public worship. And be it noted, this is every Christian's
duty. It will not do to say: Let the pastor do it, or let those do
it who are better qualified than myself. It is indeed the pastor's
duty, and it is the duty of those of whom you say they are better
qualified than yourself, and it is also your duty; for thus says
the Apostle: "Ye which are spiritual restore such an one." If you
are spiritual, if you are a Christian, it is your duty to apply
brotherly admonition; and is it right to shift your duty on to the
shoulders of others?
Christians may easily sin by depending too much on the pastor to do
everything. The pastor cannot be everywhere, cannot see everything,
and often it is wrong to tell him about everything. The direction
here is not only for the pastors, but for all the members. That
question of qualification is indeed a delicate thing. The truth
is that those who think themselves qualified, and therefore use
impertinent boldness, are generally not qualified for effectual
brotherly admonition. If God has placed you into such a situation
that you see a brother in danger of losing his soul through error,
sin, or despondency, then let not the feeling of disqualification
seal your lips, but sigh to God to open your lips to speak a word
of instruction, rebuke, or comfort as it seems needed. Remember, it
is a duty, this matter of Christian reproof, something which God
has plainly and strongly commanded us to perform. This is our first
consideration.
However, if brotherly admonition is to have the proper effect, it
must be applied in the right way. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault." That does not mean that a Christian should make it his
business to rebukingly approach others for little and insignificant
faults. In that case he would soon be regarded as a faultfinder, an
overly eager critic, and would no more be listened to. Brotherly
admonition should be applied in such things by which the brother's
soul is endangered if left to go on therein.
I shall mention a few,--neglect of attendance upon divine worship
and sacrament, intemperance, when one is convinced that the visits
to the drinkhouse are too frequent, habitually frequenting the
playhouse, the dancing-floor, living in some secret sin, using
ungodly, profane speech, being irreconcilable with one's housemates
or fellow-members. These are faults, and when one is overtaken
in such a fault, then it becomes my Christian duty and yours to
restore such a one--how? In the spirit of meekness, with mildness,
kindness, humility. Nothing is more opposed to the spirit in which
Christian rebuke is to be administered than harshness, haughtiness,
abruptness, overbearing manner. Hard words are apt to incite
opposition and stubbornness. A reproof kindly given is like a
healing oil. A tornado destroys, a mild breeze refreshes. Brotherly
admonition is only then indeed brotherly when given in a brotherly
manner.
In reproving an offending brother, we must make it apparent that
it is his highest good that we honestly seek; it must be obvious
that we have no personal dislike to gratify, no spleen to vent,
no feeling of superiority. It must be manifest to him that we
do it from a sincere conviction of duty, from a feeling that if
we did not care for him and sincerely desire his happiness as a
Christian, we could never be induced to attempt this painful duty.
This is the spirit with compassion for the offended. There must
be a spirit like this, and oh! the power in Christian rebuke when
administered like this. It will subdue and reclaim anything but a
heart of adamant. But this meekness must be mingled with humbling
conviction of our own frailty and liability to sin. "Considering,"
wrote the Apostle, "thyself, lest thou also be tempted." We must go
to the erring brother with that gentle and subdued spirit resulting
from conviction and practical view of our own numerous sins, and a
holy fear of falling ourselves, that we may soon need the Christian
reproof of a brother for our own faults. Fraternal kindness and
gentleness does not exclude--what we must yet mention--firmness. The
hand of the surgeon who amputates a diseased limb or growth from
the human body, must be a steady hand, unmoved by the cries and the
writhing of the patient. It is not cruelty, but kindness to the
sufferer, that keeps the surgeon undiverted and firm to his purpose
till the operation is performed. So he that would successfully
administer Christian reproof must have his heart firmly set on
the work. He must go about it with an inflexible determination
to accomplish, by God's aid, what he attempts. The wincing
irritability, ill temper, and provoking replies of the offended
must not for a moment divert him from his purpose, or throw him off
his guard. He must approach with the purpose of winning him back to
truth and the path of righteousness. Hating the sin, but loving the
sinner, he must hold on until the person has been saved or proved to
be incorrigible, a manifest and unrepentant sinner.
So much as to the manner--"with meekness and firmness." And are
there any happy effects to be realized from the faithful performance
of this duty? That is the last general thought to be presented,
namely, the blessed consequences of Christian reproof.
The first happy effect is that it will free the Christian who
performs this duty from being partaker of others' sins, and will
give him a peace of conscience which he cannot otherwise enjoy. God
has solemnly warned us Christians: "Be ye not partakers of other
men's sins." Now that professing Christian who fails to rebuke or
reprove a brother whom he knows to be in fault, silently assents
to that brother's sin. His conduct obviously shows that he either
does not consider his brother as sinning at all, or that his fault
is so trivial that it is not necessary to tell him of it. That is
the inference which the erring brother himself draws. Now we are, to
some extent, the keepers of our brother's soul, and if we do not use
the means and the influences which we might use to free him from his
faults, God will hold us accountable, partakers, a portion of the
guilt attaches to us.
We may complain of this as hard if we choose, but this will not
alter the case. There are two ways in which we can free ourselves
from being partakers of other men's sins. The one is by living holy
lives ourselves; the other, Christian reproof to them for their
faults. Not only must our lives testify, but our lips. You would
pardon the personal illustration. We were friends. Six years did we
occupy the same desk and room together. A sin was fastening itself
upon him, the general word for it is "tippling," fancy drinking. I
remonstrated with him, as talented a student as ever was. He has
long fallen from the Christian ministry, and his body lies in a
drunkard's grave, one of the saddest experiences of my life. But one
consolation,--I spoke to him words of Christian reproof. Would you
be untarnished by the guilt of other men's sins, and blessed with a
peace of conscience to be procured on no other terms, be faithful in
the performance of this duty.
A second happy effect of the faithful performance of this duty
is that it will prevent the evil of talebearing and backbiting.
A prevalent, giant evil this, also in some of our churches among
Christians. Anything that would remedy this evil ought to be hailed
with gladness. God has brought His authority to bear on it in the
direct command: "Thou shalt not go up and down in the land as a
talebearer; thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
The Lord Jesus Himself has laid down the law that Christians are
not permitted to talk about the faults of others till they have
gone to them and told them their faults alone. How much this rule
is regarded some of our consciences can testify. But let it be
done, and you will see how talebearing and backbiting will cease;
for either as you go to the erring brother or sister in the spirit
in which reproof ought to be administered you will find, in not
a few instances, that you were mistaken, that the person is not
guilty in the matter, as you had supposed, and then, of course, you
cannot go about speaking of his fault; or if you find that he is
actually at fault to the extent that you thought he was, he will
no doubt, on faithful reproof, make an apology, and then, with what
face can you go about talking to others of his fault? If there is
anything distressing, causing permanent estrangement, discord, and
heart-burning, it is to take up evil reports against each other,
circulate them without ever going to the person incriminated, and
inquiring into the truth or falsehood of what is spread. And this
devilish work will cease or become rare, and the calumniator will be
regarded as doing the work of his father, the devil, if Christians
will faithfully perform the duty of reproof in the right spirit.
To repeat,--if we have anything to say of a brother, let us say it
first to him. Let us say nothing in his absence that we should be
afraid to utter in his presence. And when any one comes with an evil
report against another, let us refuse to listen to him, unless he
can assure us that he has said all that he is going to utter to the
person whom it most concerns. It will check, prevent the evil of
talebearing. And to mention briefly one other blessed effect,--it
will promote a feeling of brotherliness and promote prosperity of
the congregation. To speak to a delinquent brother, give him to
understand that he is missed and doing amiss, is to give him to
understand, at the same time, that he is thought of, that we should
like to have him to be what his own conscience testifies he ought
to be; and this consideration, kindly and firmly made, cannot but
make him, if he is not past all correction, feel attracted and
attached toward those who are concerned about him. To keep the
unity of spirit in the bonds of peace, to banish prejudice, hatred,
to promote and build up a strong, solid, permanent church-body in
which the members cling to each other, Christian reproof is a most
valuable means. Christian reproof is something which deeply concerns
the spiritual life and growth of a congregation.
To conclude: How far, Christian brethren, have we been faithful to
the admonition of the text? Have you ever, since connected with this
church, made one serious attempt to reclaim an erring brother or
sister? There is, I know, a little of this spirit among us; may it
prosper and grow, and the Lord will surely give His blessing. Amen.