Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother teaches how to confront sin, protect unity, and walk in forgiveness. Jesus gives clear steps for dealing with offense, beginning in private and moving toward church involvement if necessary. The goal is always restoration, not rejection. Discipline removes leaven from the body, while forgiveness guards the heart from torment. A New Testament church must practice both correction and mercy to remain pure and effective as Christ’s witness.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 5:23–24, 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, Matthew 18:16, Ephesians 4:14, Galatians 6:1–2, 1 Timothy 6:3–5, Romans 16:17–18, 1 Timothy 4:1–3, Acts 15:28–29, 2 Timothy 2:25–26, 1 Corinthians 5:11, Galatians 5:19, Matthew 18:15–20, 1 Corinthians 5:4, 2 Corinthians 2:6, Acts 1:8, Matthew 18:21-22, Matthew 18:32-34, Matthew 6:12,14–15, Matthew 18:35,
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Church Discipline and Forgiveness
We are continuing in Matthew 18, looking at verses 15-35. I did not prepare a formal introduction, but this lesson is about what to do when someone sins against you. It leads directly into church discipline. We must ask ourselves where the church stands on discipline and where we stand personally.
We will also address forgiveness. The passage speaks about turning someone over to the destroyers. That raises a serious question about whether that applies to us today. The main focus, however, will be church discipline. I believe we understand forgiveness well, but it must be revisited often. Grudges must be exposed and removed. A small offense can bring serious consequences. A man forgiven an enormous debt can still suffer because he refuses to forgive a small one. I will return to that shortly, but first, I want to address church discipline.
Up to this point in Matthew 18, the Lord has taught that we must become as little children. Children argue, but they quickly reconcile. They say they are sorry and move on. That is the spirit we are to have. We must seek forgiveness, and we must forgive. Wrong must be made right. Sin must be removed. Relationships must be restored.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
This section teaches how to deal with a brother who trespasses against us. If we sin against someone, we are to reconcile with that person before offering our gifts to God (Matthew 5:23-24).
Matthew 5:23–24
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
The question is what to do when someone sins against us and does not come to make it right. That is the issue before us.
What do we do if we are the ones sinned against? What happens when we are personally violated, and the person does not come to reconcile? That is what this section addresses. Someone in this fellowship has hurt you. You have been wounded and offended. The question is how we respond.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
The Four Steps of Church Discipline
The Lord gives four steps to restore that relationship. First, we go alone to the person. Second, we take witnesses. Third, we bring it before the church in proper order. Fourth, if it remains unresolved, there is excommunication. Each step increases in seriousness. The reason is simple – there cannot be division, sin, or disunity in the body of Christ. The church must come to one mind and one spirit. We must grow up enough to say you hurt me. We must also be ready to say I am sorry and do everything possible to reconcile. Feelings cannot rule us. We must learn to reconcile.
Verse 15 states that if a brother trespasses against you, you go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Matthew 18:15
15 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.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
The whole purpose of going to him is to gain the brother or sister, the person. That is the heart of this matter. The goal is to preserve the relationship, not lose it. Even when the process advances toward excommunication, restoration remains the objective.
In 1 Corinthians 5:1-11, Paul addresses a man involved in fornication and incest with his father’s wife. Paul delivers him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. Yet the ultimate aim is not destruction but restoration. The man is brought back to the Lord and reconciled to the body of Christ in 2 Corinthians 2:6–8. The purpose, even in severe discipline, is to gain the brother.
2 Corinthians 2:6-8
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
If something like this happened here and we excommunicated someone, he could easily go find another fellowship. That is part of the problem in the body of Christ today. Discipline becomes difficult because people can simply move on, especially if they are strong financial supporters. The church must reach a point where it can handle discipline properly. Without that, correction and reconciliation cannot take place. People cannot be restored to a proper relationship with the Lord and the body.
The word trespass means to miss the mark. It means to sin. If a brother sins against you, you go to him alone. That means one-on-one and privately. The goal is not embarrassment or proving who is right. The goal is to gain the brother. If I go to prove myself right, my motives are wrong. I must go privately and tell him how he offended me. He may not even know he did it.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
I experienced this with Margie. She asked for prayer, and I said I would pray, but I forgot. She was hurt, and I did not know it. When I learned about it, I called her and apologized. The relationship was restored. Many offenses happen this way. People misinterpret something small to us but not to them, and become wounded. If I had ignored it and blamed her sensitivity, the relationship would have been damaged. The purpose is to gain the brother. My schedule and my busyness are not more important than reconciliation. The emphasis is on right motives and proper relationships in the body of Christ.
Love and Commitment in the Body
If we do not have proper relationships in the body of Christ, we are missing the whole point. We must love one another. Love is not a casual word to me. It means commitment. It means I am ready to lay down my life. That is how I understand love. I would do anything for my wife, and that is the picture I use. I do not use the word lightly. Love requires commitment and proper relationships.
If I offend you, you should be able to come to me and tell me. I will correct it because your relationship with me matters. That is what Christ is teaching. The body must walk in unity. When a brother or sister hears and responds, he or she is gained. The relationship is restored, and sin is forgiven. That is the purpose.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
I offended Margie by failing to pray for her as I had promised. I sinned against her. However, I reconciled it and received forgiveness. Every offense requires forgiveness. Most differences could be settled this way if addressed early. If ignored, small matters grow. People begin talking. Divisions form. Factions develop. Eventually, there is a split. The Lord is showing us that small problems must be handled before they spread. It is the little foxes that spoil the vine.
Then verse 16 says,
Matthew 18:16
16 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.
If the person will not hear you privately, you go back with two or three witnesses. They act as mediators. They listen to what is said and help work toward restoration. Those you bring must be open-minded and spiritual. They cannot come to point fingers. Their purpose is to restore, not to take sides.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
If it reaches this stage, the issue is serious. A problem that could not be settled one-on-one has grown. At this point, both sides must truly desire resolution. Each person must be willing to see their own errors. Only then can restoration take place.
Then verse 17 says,
Matthew 18:17
17 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 an heathen man and a publican.
If the matter is still not resolved, it must be brought to the church. That does not mean standing up publicly and accusing someone. It must go through the proper order. Elders and leadership are there for this purpose. If it is handled improperly, it creates more division. If handled through leadership, it can be addressed correctly. Divisions cannot be allowed in the body. The church is a family, even as it grows, and it must remain a family.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Eldership, Authority, and Covering
When I discipline my children, I am not rejecting them. I am correcting behavior. My commitment to them does not change because they fail. In the same way, our goal in church discipline is restoration. If our motive shifts from restoration to removal, we have failed. When someone refuses to hear leadership, that is disobedience. If the matter has been brought to the eldership and the individual still refuses correction, discipline must follow.
If a brother rejects the authority placed over him, he is rebelling against God. Membership in a fellowship means submission to its leadership. When leadership corrects doctrine, morals, or behavior, and the person refuses to obey, that rebellion is against the Lord. At that point, he is treated as a heathen.
There are no one-man shows in the kingdom. Every believer needs spiritual supervision. I submit my life to five men. I want them to correct me if I am wrong. That is the purpose of father ministry and eldership. A father in the home brings security. In the same way, eldership brings stability and security to the church.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
When there is trouble in the fellowship, eldership brings security. I experienced that myself. During a difficult time, I did not feel secure until I had godly men around me. That is the purpose of father ministry. When dissension and hard feelings arise, and a matter reaches the elders, it means something serious is happening. Eldership surrounds the situation and gives clarity. They identify what is right and what is wrong. That fathering presence restores stability.
If I do not exercise authority in my home, my children will grow lawless and rebellious. The same principle applies in the church. Leadership must exercise proper authority. Without it, disorder spreads. With it, the body is protected.
Father ministry and eldership exist to guard and protect the church.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Ephesians 4:14
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Ephesians 4:14 teaches that the five-fold ministry was given so the church would mature and not be tossed by every wind of doctrine or deceived by crafty men. Without father ministry and proper leadership, there will be division and false teaching. That is why eldership exists. It keeps the body together and protects it from error.
The Purpose of Excommunication
If someone refuses to repent, they must be viewed as outside the kingdom, like a heathen. His stubbornness places him there. Discipline becomes the church’s painful duty. The goal is not rejection but restoration. Every step is meant to remove sin and restore the brother. No one in the kingdom is without authority. Every believer has a covering. Elders are plural because authority is shared and accountability is required.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Excommunication removes a person from that covering. As long as they remain in fellowship, they enjoy that protection. When they are put out, they are exposed. Paul described turning such a one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. The purpose is correction and eventual restoration.
Church discipline is difficult because people misunderstand its purpose. Many think it is about proving someone wrong. It is not. Its purpose is to remove lawlessness, immorality, disruptive behavior, and false doctrine. When properly applied, it restores the person to the right relationship with Christ and the body.
Human sympathy also interferes. Others gather around the one being corrected, making discipline harder. That confusion must be overcome. The purpose is to gain the brother, not condemn him.
When I come to the elders, I should come asking to be corrected. I want restoration and a proper relationship. That is what restore means in (Galatians 6:1-2).
Galatians 6:1–2
1 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.
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
This is a chiropractic word. Galatians 6:1 and 2, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, and that’s exactly what happens.
When a man is overtaken in a fault, the sin has captured him. Galatians 6:1-2 says that those who are spiritual are to restore him in a spirit of meekness, remembering that they also can be tempted. We are to bear one another’s burdens, and that fulfills the law of Christ. If I bear your burden, I am my brother’s keeper. That is our responsibility.
The ones who go to restore must be spiritual. That means not carnal. Carnality only makes matters worse. Mature believers who live in prayer and the Word are the ones who should handle restoration. This shows the importance of eldership and father ministry.
I have seen men try to restore others and later fall into the same sin. Galatians 6:1 warns that the one restoring must consider himself, lest he also be tempted. That is why this work requires humility and spiritual maturity. Discipline is correction that leads to repentance and restoration. It is not a rejection of the person. We accept the person while rejecting the sin.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
The purpose is always restoration. When someone falls, we do not condemn him. We seek to bring him back under proper covering and guidance. Restoration means repair and adjustment. That requires repentance and real spiritual oversight. We love the sinner but refuse the sinful behavior. Behavior that harms the fellowship must be addressed.
Church discipline follows the same principle as discipline in the home. A child is corrected, not condemned. There is unconditional acceptance of the child, but not of wrong behavior. In the same way, the church corrects in order to restore.
Doctrinal and Moral Offenses
There are two primary areas where discipline applies in the New Testament. One is doctrinal offenses. The other is behavioral or moral offenses. Both must be dealt with, as seen in 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
1 Timothy 6:3–5
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
It speaks about doctrines that are not according to godliness. When someone teaches things that do not lead to righteousness, we are told to withdraw from such. There are teachings that say you are free to do anything you want. While we are free, that kind of message is not in accordance with godliness. From such, we are to turn away.
Romans 16:17-18 talks about doctrines that are contrary to what has been taught. We are instructed to mark those who cause divisions and offenses and avoid them. False doctrine must be identified and separated from the body.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Romans 16:17–18
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 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.
When a teaching does not line up with the apostle’s doctrine, it must be marked and avoided. Paul makes that clear. If it does not agree with the words and teaching of the apostles, we are not to receive it. We are to identify it and separate from it.
First Timothy 4:1-3 warns about the doctrines of devils. It shows that false teaching will arise and must be recognized. Such doctrines cannot be allowed to remain in the church.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
1 Timothy 4:1–3
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
It speaks about doctrines of devils. We often think of them as signs of the last days, but church history shows they have existed in every age. We are told to refuse profane and old wives’ tales. Scripture repeatedly warns about false teaching that corrupts the church.
Revelation 2:12-17 addresses the church at Pergamos and mentions the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. These teachings were stumbling blocks. When we look back to Numbers 22-25, we see Balaam’s desire to curse what God had blessed. Balaam sought personal gain and prosperity. That spirit still exists when people try to oppose what God is blessing for selfish reasons.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Revelation 2 also refers to eating things offered to idols and committing fornication – Balaam and Jezebel. That directly contradicts the instruction given by the apostles in Acts 15:28-29. False doctrine always works against apostolic truth and leads people away from godliness.
Acts 15:28–29
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
In Acts 15:28-29, the apostles clearly instructed believers not to eat things offered to idols and not to commit fornication. Revelation shows that the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans lead people back into those very practices. Those teachings are erroneous, and the Lord will judge them. They are still present today. People still try to curse what God is blessing.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
I admit there was a time when I resisted truth that I now preach. I once thought certain teachings were wrong. In doing so, I was opposing what God was doing. Like Balaam, I had to have my eyes opened.
Revelation 2:12-17 records the Lord saying to repent, or He would come quickly. Second Timothy 2:17-26 shows how false teaching spreads and must be corrected so that people may recover themselves out of error.
2 Timothy 2:25–26
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
First Timothy 1:1-20 speaks of Hymenaeus and Alexander, who held false doctrine concerning the resurrection. Paul dealt with them and delivered them to Satan. False doctrine must be identified. Those who teach it must be disciplined so correction can take place. If they refuse to change, they are to be marked and avoided as in Romans 16, purged and shunned as in 2 Timothy, withdrawn from as in 1 Timothy, not received as in 2 John, and delivered to Satan as in 1 Timothy. I often wonder what Paul would do with some modern doctrines. I believe he would take strong action.
Ephesians 4:14 shows the necessity of the five-fold ministry so believers are not carried about by every wind of doctrine. Elders must know the Word and understand God’s eternal purpose. First John speaks of fathers who have known Him from the beginning. They grasp His eternal nature as Alpha and Omega. That eternal vision keeps doctrine aligned with God’s purposes.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Moral Offenses – 1 Corinthians 5
There is also moral or behavioral offense in the New Testament. This concerns brothers and sisters within the fellowship. Such matters must be dealt with in the church. First Corinthians 5:11 addresses this directly and shows that these issues require discipline within the body.
1 Corinthians 5:11
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
First Corinthians 5:11 shows that the behaviors listed there must be dealt with. The church cannot ignore sin because someone is a strong financial supporter or an influential member. Selling pornography, promoting drunkenness, or living in open immorality is not biblical behavior. It must be addressed.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
First Corinthians 5 begins by describing fornication within the church. It was so serious that even the Gentiles did not speak of such things. A man had taken his father’s wife. Paul rebuked the church for being puffed up instead of mourning. He declared that the man should be taken away from among them. Paul judged the matter and instructed that when they were gathered together, they were to act as a body. This was not the decision of one individual but of the church assembled.
If such a situation happened today and every step of restoration had been attempted, yet the person refused to repent, then removal from fellowship would be necessary. Human sympathy would arise. Divisions could form. Yet the principle remains that discipline protects the body and removes leaven.
The example of Job shows that Satan cannot touch what God protects (Job 1:10-12; Job 2:6). God allowed the testing. The adversary operates only within God’s permission. First Peter describes the devil as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). If someone steps out from under covering and protection, he becomes vulnerable. That is the principle behind removing someone from fellowship.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
If a fornicator refuses repentance after private confrontation, witnesses, eldership, and church involvement, the church cannot allow him to remain and spread leaven (Matthew 18:15-17). Sympathy and misunderstanding often cloud judgment. Yet discipline is required to preserve the purity of the body.
When the church is gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:4-5). The purpose is restoration. Every act of discipline must aim at removing the sin that separates him from Christ and from the body. A little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6). If sin remains in the church, it corrupts everything, including eldership, doctrine, and preaching.
I cannot preach against fornication if I am in it. I cannot confront pornography or drunkenness if I allow it in the fellowship. We must deal with these matters and pursue godliness. We are told to purge out the old leaven and be a new lump, keeping the feast with sincerity and truth because Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Paul wrote not to keep company with fornicators, not meaning those outside the world, but anyone called a brother or sister who lives in fornication, covetousness, idolatry, railing, drunkenness, or extortion. With such a one we are not even to eat (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). That is excommunication.
We are not called to judge those outside. God judges them. We are to judge those within. The church must deal with sin in its own body. We are to put away from among ourselves that wicked person (1 Corinthians 5:12-13). That is a New Testament command. If we are to be a bride without spot and a true witness, we must uphold godliness (Ephesians 5:27).
These behaviors include fornication, covetousness, which is love of money (Colossians 3:5), idolatry, railing, which is contentious and abusive speech, drunkenness, which Galatians 5:19 identifies as a work of the flesh, and extortion. Such things spread if not confronted. Discipline in these areas protects the purity of the church.
Galatians 5:19
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
An extortioner is one who gains by pressure. Such behavior works like leaven, spreading through the body if left unchecked. If these things are ignored, the church will never become a bride without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
God administers discipline first. Whom He loves, He chastens. I discipline my children because I love them. I correct them so they will think and act rightly. My goal is not rejection but restoration. Lawlessness and rebellion cannot be allowed to grow.
Those who are spiritual are to carry out restoration as Galatians 6:1 teaches. Spiritual means not carnal. A child cannot correct a child. Mature believers must handle these matters. Finally, the whole church becomes involved when necessary, as shown in Matthew 18:15-20.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Matthew 18:15–20
15 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.
16 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.
17 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 an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
I believe we can address this now because we have been taught these principles and understand God’s purpose. Many churches would not address this. They avoid First Corinthians 5 because immorality exists within their own congregations. Pastors know there are fornicators and other ungodly practices among their people, yet they do not confront them. As a result, they cannot teach these truths with authority.
First Corinthians 5:4 shows that when the church is gathered together, it is the body that acts to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. Discipline is not private opinion. It is a corporate responsibility carried out under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:4
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Second Corinthians 2:6 says, “…which was inflicted by many.”
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
2 Corinthians 2:6
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
The whole church carried out the discipline together. This was not a private act. Jesus said that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven Matthew 18:18. Binding and loosing here relate to church discipline.
Binding and Loosing – Authority and Witness
To bind means to remove a person’s effectiveness when he teaches false doctrine. The church identifies him and restricts his influence. He remains bound until he repents and is restored. When the church binds on earth, heaven confirms it. When the church loses on earth, heaven confirms it as well.
The church has a duty to uphold scriptural principles. We are called to be God’s witnesses on the earth. If discipline is neglected, sin spreads like leaven. A bride filled with sin is no different from the world and cannot be a true witness.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Revelation 11 speaks of two witnesses. Acts 1:8 declares that we are to be witnesses after receiving power. The church must walk in discipline if it is to fulfill that calling.
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Jesus told the disciples to return to Jerusalem and wait until they were endued with power from the Holy Ghost. Then they were to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth Acts 1:8. The church is called to be that witness. Revelation 11 speaks of two witnesses. A witness must die to self. Christ died, and we are called to that same principle.
Violations of Scripture cannot be tolerated in the church. Those who persist in sin must be bound and made ineffective. When the church binds on earth, heaven binds also. When the church loses on earth, heaven loses. We must act according to Scripture. The Lord did not say heaven would bind first. He said what we bind on earth He will bind in heaven. The responsibility rests with us.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Jesus also said that if two agree on earth concerning anything, it will be done by the Father. Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in the midst, Matthew 18:19-20. Revelation 1:13 shows Him walking in the midst of the candlesticks. Even a small gathering that stands on biblical truth carries His authority and presence.
Revelation 1:13 shows Him walking in the midst of the candlesticks, which are His churches. Even if only two or three gather, that is a church. If they stand on biblical principles, properly bind and loose, and agree together, He will act. Matthew 18:19-20 makes clear that this agreement is connected to discipline. His presence confirms what is done according to His Word.
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
The Unforgiving Servant – Matthew 18:21-35
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Peter then asked how many times he must forgive someone. He suggested seven times. Jesus answered that forgiveness is not limited to a number but is seventy times seven Matthew 18:21-22. Forgiveness is not arithmetic. It is a way of life. It is a heart condition.
Jesus then told a parable about a servant who owed his king ten thousand talents. The debt was impossible to repay. The king forgave him completely (Matthew 18:23-27). That picture shows the debt of sin we could never pay. Romans 6:23 declares that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
After being forgiven an unpayable debt, the servant found someone who owed him a small amount and demanded payment. He refused mercy over a minor sum (Matthew 18:28-31). That exposes the danger of holding small grudges after receiving great forgiveness. Matthew 18:32 begins the king’s response to that unforgiving servant.
Matthew 18:32-34
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Then the lord of that servant called him back and said he had forgiven him a great debt because he asked for mercy. He asked why he did not show the same compassion to his fellow servant. The king was angry and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due, which he could never pay Matthew 18:32-34. That servant was forgiven an impossible debt, yet he refused mercy over a small one, and he was turned over to torment.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Jesus ties this directly to prayer in Matthew 6. In Matthew 6:12, He teaches us to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” In Matthew 6:14-15, He says that if we forgive men their trespasses, our heavenly Father will forgive us, but if we do not forgive, neither will our Father forgive our trespasses. That connects forgiveness with our own standing before God.
Matthew 6:12,14–15
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
I am not talking about eternal security. The text does not say the servant went to hell. It says he was delivered to the tormentors, Matthew 18:34. I believe many torments and problems we face come from unforgiveness. When we refuse to forgive, we open ourselves to torment. We are not walking in a life of forgiveness.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Matthew 18:35
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Verse 35 makes it plain. Matthew 18:35 says that my heavenly Father will do the same if we do not forgive from our hearts. That shows how serious forgiveness is. If we do not forgive, we are not forgiven. Forgiveness is essential in the kingdom of God. Righteousness, peace, and joy mark the kingdom. Unforgiveness steals peace and joy. It keeps us from right standing with God because we hold something against a brother.
We have looked at two heavy matters – church discipline and forgiveness. I see that the Lord is calling us to walk as a New Testament church. Discipline must be practiced. Forgiveness must be lived. We are learning not only theory but experience. I believe He wants to raise up a fellowship that walks in what the Bible teaches and affects this area for Him.
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Matthew 18 Verses 15-35 How to Restore a Brother
Other Related Sermons:
Prisoners Of Unforgiveness Audio
Forgiveness Matters: The Tale of the Unmerciful Servant
Matthew 10 24-42 How to Choose Loyalty Over Safety
Matthew 6 1-18 How to Give, Pray, and Fast God’s Way
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