This report has been updated--Jan 1, 2024.
I have been told over the years that “attacking” a public ministry (whether person, church, group) by exposing their public and unrepentant sin or error is wrong and that I need to go to those people directly and privately because that is what Matt 18:15-17 teaches. Neo-evangelicals say it, the reformed Calvinist/Protestant crowd say it, Baptists say it, pretty much all of apostate Christiandom says it. Of course they do. Its a convenient strategy to obfuscate Biblical accountability and truth, and to malign Biblical admonishment and warning. The Bible doesn't say it however, and that is what's important and worth our attention.
Matt 18:15-17 doesn’t teach that at all. Its pure fiction and fabrication made out of sheer cloth. Its a made-up fable, pounded from heretical and apostate pulpits across the land, and for important reasons. But its only one of many, many false and Biblically illiterate false accusations that I, and others like me, receive, some of which you can read here: Answering False Accusations of Warring Spiritual Warfare.
I’m going to briefly address this passage and how it’s misused and abused by professing Christian’s today (or their church and others) that will not be publicly held accountable for their public sins and grievous errors and unfruitful works of darkness, but first a few points on the above paragraphs.
First of all, the errors of people I expose (which in many cases are dangerous and damnable heresies, and the teachers themselves, false teachers) are PUBLIC. They aren’t private. I don’t expose someone’s private sins or personal struggles, even though on some occasions I could, where a private sin becomes public. The way to handle public sins by professing Christians and leadership is in their local church, and that is described in 1 Cor 5, not Matt 18:15-17, though that rarely actually happens. But notice that the private sins of the man in 1 Cor 5 are publicly exposed and reproved by Paul. This is just one of many examples, but it buttresses the importance of exposing sin or error that is public and influential. As a rule I do not expose private sins because this could easily be misconstrued as “attacking” someone, even though the individual is in a public ministry, even though I get that label regardless of the expose that I do. A church leader or pastor is to be held accountable for his personal and private sins by his congregation, especially when it goes public, whom are to judge him continually in personal and public matters according to Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3.
Secondly, it’s not an "attack," but that is a convenient excuse for wilful ignorance and rejection of Biblical warnings and reproof. The only attack is by the ones claiming "attack." So let's try to get this mentality straight concerning those who claim warning, exposing, contending is an "attack." A public ministry is free to preach and practice whatsoever they so choose, sing songs and rock it out as they please, all in the name of "Christianity," influencing hundreds, thousands and even more outside of their church walls, yet I’m not free to oppose it publicly; there isn't liberty for that. I have to approach them privately. They can go public, but I cannot.
That is censorship 101, and its exactly how the left, liberal, woke, evil cancel culture demons think and work.
Let's put it in another way. I have no right to publicly expose someone regardless of how unrighteous or ungodly or false their public teaching or practice is, but must approach them privately about it, because that is allegedly what Matt 18:15-17 teaches. But it doesn’t have to be the other way around. They don’t have to first approach me before they go and make their raucous or preach their heresy and corrupt the minds and souls of the masses. They don’t have to first approach me about what they are doing, but I, on the other hand, do have to first approach them after they done their ghastly and unscriptural behaviour or propagation of heresy and falsehood, lest I be guilty of transgressing Matt 18 and attacking them.
Wow 😳. Unreal. If that isn’t double standards and hypocrisy, I'm not sure what would be. What an astounding straw-man and red herring. A logical fallacy of logical fallacies. How reprobate of mind does a professing "Christian" really have to become to think in such illogical and irrational ways? It’s a most absurd and ridiculous argument to make. They want to save embarrassment, yet have no qualms about doing whatsoever they please, proclaiming their liberty allegedly on the Bible which they thoroughly corrupt turning God's liberty into an occasion to the flesh, while not extending that same liberty to others! This is repugnant, evil hypocrisy, of the kind Christ railed on in Matt 23 and that'll end up in eternal damnation, and boy is it ever reflective of the awfulness and darkness of Neo-evangelicalism and all other groups that hold to this insulting reprobatism (2 Tim 3:8-9).
The hypocrisy and irony in these type of false accusations and gaslighting and manipulation/ perversion of Scripture where I'm not going to the teacher, preacher, leader privately and instead am allegedly ridiculing them, slamming them, demeaning them, or some other bad behaviour, publicly, — is that these same people express NO such concerns about that man's dangerous influence and behaviour beyond his own congregation or his undermining and perversion of Biblical truth. They don't care about these things one bit, since, after all, they think there is nothing wrong with the false teachings and false practices and sinful/worldly behaviour. These people are far more concerned over saving face and their mushy feelings and emotions than Biblical truth, or what God thinks about their behaviour and beliefs.
And that is a travesty for which they need to be utterly ashamed.
Nah, thats definitely not how it goes. These churches, groups and professing Christians and leaders have had WAY to much liberty and freedom to keep their unBiblical, worldly and heretical systems going, without much, if any, resistance or opposition, without any sharp reproof or warning. Well that has ended, at least for some of them, full stop ✋🏻
“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear” (1 Tim 5:20)
"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." (2 Tim 3:8-9)
"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;" (Ti 1:9-13)
Thirdly, Matt 18 is not even applicable in these situations, which I will now prove below. Misusing and abusing this passage of Scripture is fairly normal procedure in the groups and people where doctrinal error, false teachings, egregious practice, compromise, sin and worldliness is common practice, thus the false accusation will be cast in the teeth (and yes, ungodly worldly music and CCM is certainly sin, and worst, satanic, as is tolerating sinful practices such as divorce and remarriage, etc). Twisting and wresting and corrupting the Scriptures is just another day at the park for almost all of Christiandom today with all its apostasy, and that includes Neo-Evangelicalism, Reformed Calvinist groups, Protestant denominations, many Mennonite denominations, and vast majority of the Baptists. There are very, very few exceptions to the fast rule of perverting and conforming scripture to their own lusts for all the scoffers out of these groups (2 Pet 3:3).
The Application of Matthew 18
The Bible however gives an entirely different account. Public error and sin is dealt with publicly while private, privately. There is also a difference between people of a local church, and those outside of that church. Matt 18:15-17 only applies to people within the same local church, the same congregation. It has ZERO application to people from another congregation or church, regardless what they are doing that you find offensive.
Matt 18:15-17 deals with personal trespasses between members of a local church or assembly. The particular situation in Matt 18 has to do with two members of the same church, not with problems between members of various churches. I can only follow this procedure with members of my own church. Those outside of my own assembly are not under its authority and discipline and cannot, therefore, be dealt with after the manner of Matt 18. Consider exactly what the passage says:
“Moreover if thy brother SHALL TRESPASS AGAINST THEE, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, TELL IT UNTO THE CHURCH: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.”
The steps that are followed in applying Matt 18:15-17 Biblically:
The matter should be discussed privately between the two church members in disagreement or conflict (v. 15).
If that doesn’t solve the problem, the offended brother should take two or three others (v. 16).
If that doesn’t solve the problem, it should be brought before their church (v. 17).
If the trespasser refuses to hear the church, he is to be disciplined (v. 17).
That is the proper procedure to discipline someone in a church, and >99% of professing Christians wouldn't know the process even if it hit them square on the nose. That includes the "pastors," who, for the very most part, will simply cast someone out of a church by their own personal process, when their carnal lusts and errors and heresies and sinful practices have been found out. They don't like criticism and being judged. Yet, they toss Scripture around like they know what they are talking about. The same goes to those who are "embarrassed" by a true born again Christian obeying the Word of in the matters discussed here: warning, exposing, judging influential churches, leaders, and others. They won't be embarrassed over error, evil, sin, worldliness, ungodliness, unholiness, outrageous false teachings, friends and family and church members dressing like prostitutes, like the world and the ungodly, but they will be embarrassed over someone exposing these public errors and sins. Unbelievable. That is how apostate neo-evangelicalism, protestants, reformed calvinists, and many baptists have become. God says such are ripe for the fires of eternal hell (read Matt 23).
Matt 18 has absolutely nothing to do with public sin and error committed unrepentantly by professing Christian teachers, preachers, pastors, leaders. It’s doesn’t even apply. Matt 18:15-17 is only about unresolved personal conflicts between church members. It wasn't given to deal with heretics (Ti 3:10-11) or false teachers (Rom 16:17-18; 2 Tim 3:8-9), so Matt 18:15-17 doesn't make any application to what I am doing in exposing heretics and false teachers and compromisers.
Private ministry and trespasses must be judged privately, where Matt 18:15-17 comes in, amongst other passages such as Lk 17:3-4, but public ministry should and must be judged publicly. It should be judged in the same forum where it occurs. Otherwise it is impossible to correct the error and help those who are in danger of being led astray.
Matthew 18 Does Not Deal With Public Sin and Error
As noted, Matt 18 is providing instruction on dealing with private/personal sin or issues between brethren or professing Christians of a local church. That is obvious when we read vv. 15 and 17. It does not deal with public teachings and actions by Christian leaders. Public error and sin should always be dealt with publicly, not privately, like we see everywhere exemplified and also commanded. Public is not private. Unrepentant public error and sinning is done in public, before a public audience. Matt 18 doesn't apply to that person. Someone can still go to him one-on-one, to take the most charitable approach, but it isn't required. One could also leave out names, another charitable option, but it isn't required and rather in most cases necessary. Public exposure is also not talebearing or sowing discord or something else; it is dealing with error like the Bible states I should (Rom 16:17; 2 Tim 3:5-9; Eph 5:11; Gal 2:11-14; etc; cf. Ac 17:11; 1 Th 5:21; Ju 1:3-16). If someone promotes his sin or unBiblical behaviour or error or false teaching in public, it is appropriate and loving to deal with it in public. It isn't gossip, it isn't talebearing, if it isn't secret or private. Secret is kept secret with going one-on-one (Lk 17:3) and not talebearing or gossiping. Public is already public. If I warn people about an error, or someone's false teaching that he puts out in public, or repudiate his sinful behaviour, that isn't gossip or sowing discord. That is required in scripture out of love.
This text of Scripture is very often intentionally misused and abused through proof-texting, by those who claim we must tolerate other peoples views of “Christianity” (i.e., their doctrines, beliefs, professions, music, manner of church, etc) regardless how unscriptural they are, and to push for ecumenical fellowship and union between churches and “Christians.” They claim that these verses in Matt 18 forbids men to expose the error and sin of Christian leaders and lay people publicly entirely or at least until one has first gone to that man and dealt with him privately. When one addresses the repeated instructions of Scripture on the necessity to publicly expose public error and sin, very often dangerous, they resort to another logical fallacy, ad hominem. That is, personal attacks. This is also par for the course in the ungodly and heretical world of neo-evangelicalism, et al. Not only is the behaviour increasingly sinful, its also misuse and abuse of the passage. Again, Matt 18 gives instructions for dealing with personal problems between Christians within the same assembly, not addressing how to deal with public teachings and actions by professing Christian leaders, teachers, entertainers, etc, of any assembly or group. That is described in passages such as 2 Tim 2:16-21; 3:8-9; Rom 16:17-18 and others. To warn of the error and compromise of men who are ministering publicly is completely and 💯% Scriptural, as the aforementioned Scriptures make clear. If they are teaching error publicly, they should be exposed publicly. God's Word is very clear on that.
There are direct commands in Scripture for us to mark and avoid those that teach false doctrine, men who seek followers and deceive the hearts of the simple through their flattery, good works and fair speeches (Rom 16:17-18; Eph 5:11; 2 Tim 3:8-9). That is close to 100% of Christiandom that professes to be Biblical, outside of the cults and outright heretical groups such as the Catholic Church, JW's, SDA, Mormons, etc. The command of Scripture is to name them by name. The apostle Paul warns of ten different men in 1st and 2nd Timothy alone, calling them out by name, men who were compromisers and false teachers, warning Timothy about them. This is public reproof for unrepentant doctrinal error or sin that others should know about, since these men would've had some influence on people. Yet these letters were not intended merely for Timothy and Titus. They were a part of the canon of Scripture and were a matter of public record, and by today billions of people have read about it. Paul’s motive was to protect Christians, churches, preachers and others. There was nothing malicious in his warnings, though everyone and their dog calls it so in our present day when someone obeys Pauls injection to do exactly as he did (1 Cor 4:16-17).
"Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church." (1 Cor 4:16-17)
So its nothing less than a folktale that one cannot expose error or sin when it is perpetrated by a pastor or layperson of another church, group, etc, because of Matt 18. This fable falls apart when we consider the fact that many pastors have far-reaching influence beyond their own congregations. They publish newsletters, sermons, books, training materials, and music; they broadcast their services online; they maintain blogs; they use Facebook and Twitter. When this happens, that leader or teacher or pastor’s ministry ceases to be merely a local church affair. It becomes a public affair. They are fair game for anyone and if they don’t like being criticized or tested or judged or reproved or exposed publicly, they should do themselves and everyone else a huge favour and remove themselves from the ministry and from anything that resembles Christianity. You don’t belong there. You probably don’t even belong there in the first place as it is, seeing you very well may be unconverted and unsaved.
Naturally, the plethora of leaders will not “engage in debate” or “endeavour to answer” any of my alleged “ill-informed charges” because that is not what lording leaders or teachers or pastors do. They as mere men put they’re ex-cathedra office way above reproof, above rebuke and above correction, which is much more in line with one that was called Lucifer, whom we now know as Satan. The only person they “might” listen to is someone who has arrived at the same high level of hierarchy and exaltation on the pedestal as themselves, with the same or more "likes" on social media, followers, and invitations to the big boy events. Only such a man of God is “qualified” to give admonishment. But many times that doesn’t even matter. Only those in the inner circle of the lodge qualify, but these would never even dream of criticizing one another, to do something that “negative,” even if their lives physically depended upon it. Thankfully God’s Word has something to say about that and exposes such evil for what it is — proud men lording over people, exercising lordship over not only congregants but others as well, quite the opposite of what Christ taught of the true minister of God:
“But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:42-45).
Where does the Scripture limit the scope of a preacher’s reproof and warning?
Many times I have been charged with wrong doing because I apparently do not follow the instructions of Matt 18, yet this passage has nothing whatsoever to do with critiquing the ministries of public individuals or churches or groups, or analyzing published materials. Neo evangelical and heretical Mennonite denominations and such as the EMC denomination, EBMC denomination, Phil Schlamp, Henry Redecop, George Froese and John Regier, Tim Krahn, John Maxwell, Steve Janz, Henry Hildebrandt and Church of God, Ravi Zacharias, or Reformed Calvinist Neo-evangelicals such as John Piper, Tim Keller, John MacArthur, Mike Hovland, R.C. Sproul, James White, Eric and Leslie Ludy, or Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, or deeply compromised or heretical IFB men or churches such as Jack Hyles, Michael Sullivant and PVBC, Gordon Conner, Reg Kelly, Caleb Garraway, Baptist College of Ministry and Falls Baptist Church, Kurt Skelly, Clarence Sexton, S.M. Davis, John R. Rice, Spencer Smith, Rick Flanders, and Others, or heretical Charismatics such as Paul Juss and Victory North Association, John Wimber and Vineyard Churches or ungodly and heretical CCM rockers such as The Getty's, Brian Doerksen, High Valley, Mark Hall and Casting Crowns, and other heretics or ungodly men or women such as Rick Warren, Augustine, David Lynn, Sarah Young, Asbury College, Justin Johnson and Grace Ambassadors Church, Charles Ryrie, Hannah Whittal Smith, Warren Wiersbe, Roy Hession, C.S. Lewis, John Hagee, K.P. Yohannan and Gospel for Asia, Charles Finney, Choo Thomas, Martin Richling, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., have not trespassed against me personally. Mainstream—and otherwise—Evangelicals, Baptists, Reformers, Protestants, etc have not trespassed against me personally. That is not the issue, and it would be impossible to follow Matt 18 when trying to warn of such men. Even if I were to attempt to follow the first part of the passage, by approaching the men personally, it would be impossible to follow the last part, but the entire context is the meaning, not parts of it. I have no way to take this issue “unto the church” for the simple reason that I am not a member of the same church as those men. Their churches have no authority over me, and my church has no authority over them. To attempt to follow Matt 18 in such matters would be some serious confusion in the highest order (And I am sure they would ignore any attempt I might make to charge these men with error). Matt 18:15-17 is not the way to handle false teaching and compromise among professing Christians and church leaders.
When I am dealing with the ministries and teaching of public church or parachurch leaders or other professing Christians in the public window with influence, the issue is to critique published material, sermons, speeches, etc, and to warn people when I feel that a danger exists. When men publish their teachings or songs, etc, and distribute it widely to individuals and churches and others, the servant of Christ (Gal 1:10) has the responsibility before God to judge that teaching and warn others if necessary. Material that is distributed publicly should always be analyzed publicly, and then exposed publicly if necessary, and that includes sermons posted on public church websites. Following are a few of the verses which give Scriptural authority to do so:
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph 5:11)
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Rom 16:17-18)
"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." (2 Tim 3:8-9)
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Ac 17:11).
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Ju 1:3).
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Th 5:21).
“The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going” (Pr 14:15).
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim 4:2).
The preacher is instructed to preach the word, “reprove, rebuke, exhort,” to “speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority,” and “to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” (2 Tim 4:2; Ti 2:15; Ju 1:3). Where does the Bible ever say that this ministry can only be performed by certain people such as a pastor of a church and only to his own congregation? And bringing Matt 18:15-17 into it, is only reflective of the Biblical ignorance and illiteracy of vast majority of so-called professing "Christians."
Repeatedly Scripture commands testing, judging, discerning, criticizing, warning, exposing and sharply reproving unrepentant error, sin, heretics and false teachers (i.e. Rom 16:17; Eph 5:11; Ac 17:11; 1 Th 5:21; Ju 1:3-4; Ti 3:10-11) to judge others (i.e. Lev 19:17; 1 Cor. 2:15; 5:12-14; 6:1-5: 10:15; 14:29; Pr. 21:15; 27:6; Lk. 12:57), to reprove and rebuke others (Lev 19:17; Ps. 50:21-23; 58:1; Pr. 12:1; 13:1; 24: 15:5, 31; 17:10; 24:23-25; 28:23; Ti. 1:12-13; 2:15; 2 Tim 4:2-4; etc) — so any type of false humility in the face of Matt 18 is actually a Satanic lie.
The apostle Paul dealt with the sins and errors of churches in public letters, some of which false accusers would most certainly label as private or secret, arguing “the autonomy of the church” or "attacking" or some other unBiblical excuse. Paul mentioned the names of false teachers 10 times in 1 and 2 Timothy (1 Tim 1:19-20; 2 Tim 1:18-20; 2:15-18; 4:10, 14-15) and these letters were not intended merely for Timothy. They are part of the canon of Scripture and public record, and millions of times by now they have been read by people the world over. The NT Epistles were not private letters that were intended for select eyes only. They were public letters that were intended for the use of all of the churches (cf. Col 4:16), and in those letters Paul dealt with a wide variety of sins and errors. He even warned church members by name (e.g., Eudias and Syntyche, Phil 4:2).
The same is true for Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus. Those were personal letters in one sense, but they were very public in another. They were never intended for the eyes of Timothy and Titus only. And in those letters, Paul warned about such things as Demas’s false feigned estate, how he had deceived Paul and others and was a serious danger. Imagine if you were Demas in that day. He could have said, ‘Paul, you are wrong to make my personal business a public matter,’ but Paul wasn’t wrong, because Demas’s apostasy was not strictly a private matter. Private business is private business, and private sin is private sin; but public sin and error, especially that which affects other people, is not private business. Demas had been a public figure and so his apostasy had to be publicly reproved and exposed. What Paul did, and there are many more examples that could be given, is the example and command throughout Scripture, including by Moses, Jeremiah, Peter, John, John the Baptist, Jude, the Lord Himself, and others. Every preacher is commanded to “reprove, rebuke, exhort.” (2 Tim 4:2). This reproof is nowhere limited to a man’s own congregation. Titus was instructed to “speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority” (Ti 2:15). Nowhere does Paul tell him that this ministry was limited to the members of one church. The prophets of old did not have to first go to the nation’s rulers or to the compromising prophets before reproving them publicly. There is no evidence that John the Baptist first talked privately with Herod before condemning his adultery and other sins publicly. Nor did Paul do that with Peter in Gal. 2. He exposed Peter before the entire church at Antioch and then the whole world. Peter’s hypocrisy was a gospel issue, so very dangerous. Sermons posted on the internet are not private but completely public. Ministry in itself is always public to a degree. This isn't that difficult, but it seems to be to most professing Christians and leaders, especially when it’s convenient for man-centred politicians behind pulpits.
Silence is also not an option in these matters, in exposing dangerous error, false teachings, sin, ungodliness, unholiness, etc, that is public. Silence means acceptance, and that is bearing false witness. I would be guilty of transgressing the ninth commandment (“thou shalt not bear false witness”) if I concealed the truth or held undue silence in this just cause (Rom. 16:17; Ju. 1:3; Lev. 5:1; Ac. 5:3, 8-9; 2 Tim. 4:6), and held my peace when iniquity and error calleth for reproof (Pr. 24:23-25; 28:23; Ti. 2:15; Lev. 19:17). In Ps. 94:17 silence is seen as unscriptural, and the Lord helps out of silence. So I cannot and will not be silent. It is treasonous to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and sinful to be silent in the face of dangerous and public error and sin, that is misleading the masses into destruction and eternal death. The Lord demands public exposure of public ministerial sin and error, that masquerades as Christian.
Attempting to apply an irrelevant passage such as Matt 18:15-17 to this important subject is a lie concocted by the father of lies (Jn 8:44), who comes as an “angel of light” and his “ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor 11:12-15). Those that promote and advance this corruption and wresting of Scripture (2 Cor 2:17; 2 Pet 3:16) are “deceitful workers” (2 Cor 2:13), “dogs,” and “evil workers,” (Phil 3:2) whom Jesus also called “dogs” and “swine” (Matt 7:6), and their wresting of Scriptures exposes them as "wicked" (2 Pet 3:17), thus, again, clearly unregenerate.
These heretics read the Scriptures with spite and hatred for all the judging taking place therein. I suspect they also portray an intentional blindness to this and maybe to the entire Script of Holy Writ except that which tickles their fancy.
Those that pervert the teaching of Matt 18 and then malign reproof, and contending for the faith, maligning the one who obeys the Word of God, is a reflection of corruption, and worldly, man-centred beliefs. God’s Word isn’t actually the authority in that place, but the man on the pedestal and the personal opinions and lusts of the flesh. As such, they are guilty of “handling the word of God deceitfully;” rather than by “manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor 4:2).
The alleged need to show that I have first approached a false teacher about his public and brash false teachings that destructively influence masses of people, before I publicly expose him, is a serious symptom of the man-centred and man-worship disease that they've been consumed and deceived by.
What I'm writing is not difficult. People weaponize the passage “Matt 18,” to use it against the biblical practice of warning about sin, or ungodly living or false teaching in a public manner. When I name names, I do it only with people who have made something public and most often are unrepentant of their public actions and beliefs. If a pastor’s error and compromise influences other churches, those other churches have a very real obligation to reprove him and to warn about him in such a way that their own people are protected. That should happen but of course it rarely does and that is because of the horrible compromise, heresy and apostasy that exists in practically all neo-evangelical, reformed, calvinistic, protestant, mennonite, baptists, and other churches. They ignore sin and error (which they do habitually in their own assemblies) because they are asleep at the wheel, unsaved or some other nefarious reason— with primarily one focus and that is keeping the pews full, building an empire and self preservation. It also dovetails with the perverted false gospel (Gal 1:6-9) they habitually promote.
Modern technology allows pastors to publish their doctrines and practices to a large audience. Whether or not it is his motivation to please all hearers and readers and therefore gain their applause, the audience will give onions as well as orchids. Everywhere we see men lapping up the praise that is lavished on them, but when reproofs are given for their creeds and deeds, they cry “foul” or “trouble-maker.” Isn't it rather strange that this generation of preachers expects to be applauded, but are deeply offended when a critic offers reproofs? Is it not much more reasonable that those who preach and publish and promote their messages in the modern “agora” must welcome reproofs as well as praise? As Solomon said repeatedly in Proverbs, “Wise men receive reproofs.” So it is a fool who doesn’t, and the Bible is clear that both the fool and the reproof-rejector are unsaved.
The Cause of the Matthew 18 Corruption
Here is the actual reason and problem as to why people have a smorgasbord of false accusations when someone obeys the Bible in this regard, and it’s bad.
Most professing Christian’s actually hate the truth, especially evangelicals, and reformed calvinists and protestants, amongst other cults. They do not really like the truth of God's Word, which is why they falsely accuse someone without actually ever quoting any Scripture in favour of their position or disposition. Yes, they actually do hate the truth, regardless of any vehement denial, since they are not allowing the Word of God to guide their feelings and emotions, as a lamp and light to guide their way. The have a form of godliness but their lives deny the power thereof (2 Tim 3:5). That means they are false professing Christians who are "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Tim 3:7).
Hypocrisy. One standard for me and another standard for thee. It actually fits in with the liberal woke lefty standards, which are evil, and it comes as no surprise that this evil and ungodly movement is found entrenched in these same churches as well, tolerated and embraced.
Church leaders, pastors, and others proof-text scripture to conform to the lusts of their flesh, handling scripture (e.g. Matt 18) disgracefully, privately and without right division (cf. 2 Tim 2:15). A pastor is to be teaching “sound doctrine” only (Ti 2:1), and “no other doctrine” (1 Tim 1:3), so the one who perverts Matt 18:15-17 in alignment with his carnal mind, is in fact disqualified from the ministry (Ti 1:9; cf. 1:6-16; 2:1; 1 Tim 1:3), though he does this hundreds if not thousands of times, and much much more that opposes the truth of God's Word. If the “young men” are “exhorted to . . . in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,” (Ti 2:6-7), how much the more when it comes to the pastor. Most of these so-called "pastors" aren't pastors at all but hirelings and strangers (Jn 10:1-5) and Diotrephes's (3 Jn 1:9-11).
Professing Christians, many of which belong in the neo-evangelical camp, want freedom to do as they please, without any resistance or opposition. But thats not going to happen in the world where Biblical Christianity is preached, like we do here. We aren't about happy faces, smiles, and good-deeds by worldly standards, but about proclamation of the absolute truth of the Word of God, and good deeds in line with Scripture. This is where we stand, and we couldn't care two pence whether you like it or not. God likes it, and that is all that matters, for its Him we persuade and seek to please (Gal 1:10), NOT man.
Feelings and emotions trump truth. Evanjellyfish are all about their emotions and platitudes. They don't think Biblically, because the Bible is a closed book to them. Its all about arguing opinions, not Scriptural truths.
They don't understand the truth of God's Word because they cannot hear it, i.e., their ears of dull of hearing (Jn 8:43). They cannot hear God's Word because they "are not of God." (Jn 8:47).
The biggest problem with those who corrupt Matt 18:15-17 and twist and wrest this passage to their own destruction, is the very real plausibility that they are unsaved. They do not know the Scriptures because they do not know the God of the Scriptures. They are yet lost in their sin, while pretending to profess Christianity. That is why they twist, wrest and corrupt the Scriptures without any shame or remorse.
And thats a serious tragedy.
Yet as long as ye have breath and a clear mind, ye can be truly born again, by coming to genuine repentance and faith with a broken, contrite, and poor spirit that is humbled and surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep reading here.
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