When you see sin or damaging behavior in someone else's life, how do you know when to keep quiet and when to speak with them?
|
|
The first principle that Paul lays down for us is, "Who are we to judge those who are outside? It is those in the church that we are to judge." So the first answer is, I'm watching sinful destructive behavior all day in the world. Television, movies, YouTube, on the street, in advertising, people are destroying themselves all day long-neighbors and people all around us.
You don't go to everybody. You are not called to spend 18 hours a day walking up to people saying, "Don't smoke!" or, "Don't drink!" or, "Don't swear!" or, "Don't hit your wife!" or, "Don't fail to discipline your children!"
That's not our job. We preach the gospel to the world, and as occasion arises we might link some destructive behavior to the gospel as a way out.
In the church the question becomes more urgent. In the church, the answer to the question is going to hang on criteria like, how serious is the sin? If it is really serious, immediately urgent, and you know that the person is a part of the church-even if you don't know them personally-you might go and do Galatians 6:2. "If you find a brother taken in a fault, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness lest you too be tempted."
John Piper. Website: desiringGod.org
The above is an edited transcript of the audio.
