Correcting Others Correctly, Part 3 – Covering Sin, Our Words, and Forgiveness

ByPeter Skov
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Correcting Others Correctly, Part 3 – Covering Sin, Our Words, and Forgiveness

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Covering up sin is never love; Part 3 of this Bible study on correcting others looks at more Scriptures, our words, forgiveness, and the fruit I have seen.

(Acts 17:11: Please learn to do your own Bible studies like this one – here.)

This Bible study on correcting others has 3 parts:

(Continued from Part 2.)

More Scriptures for Further Study on This Topic

Please look up all of these:

1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 1 Timothy 1:20, 2 Thess 3:6, 2 Thess 3:14-15, Romans 16:17, Galatians 6:1.

The Scriptures above are full-blown examples of how very serious sins where the person has not turned away from it after the first 2 steps are done, is handled in the church.

I would say – if you handle gossip well – as described above (even including the offer to pray for inner healing and spiritual freedom / deliverance for the person as well as offering a solid discipleship plan walking with good people) – it should only very rarely come to church exclusion.

But in reality – any unrepentant clear sin can come to that. We still have a free will to choose whether to repent or not – also we have a sinful nature that is evil and selfish – even without demons helping turbocharge the negative.

Further thoughts on gossip

Gossip is a coward’s tool to self-elevation, an unbelieving tool, a rebellious against God love, honor and people tool, a religious pharisee tool, a satanically accusatory tool and it shows a lack of faith in your own ability to deeply repent and change habits and personality (even though Jesus preached repentance, did deliverance and commands death to self and the Holy Spirit lives in all Christians to change us from the inside out I few will choose to say yes).

And it shows a lack of faith in other people to do the same based on the same. Acting humbly yet strongly though hurt – following every step in Matthew 18:15-20 including all cross-references to this is the antidote to this.

This is maturity, not children’s hurt play of throwing away the responsibility of obedience and personal ownership of decisions.

Fear of man in full operation

You cannot be afraid of leaders and be full of fear of people and their opinions of you and your status if you will do this.

No fear of father & mother or the opinions of others – including those you want to impress (selfish ambition) – will get you to this place of obedience and clarity where you can do Matthew 18:15-20 and all related Scriptures with love, humility, brokenness, clarity, servant attitude, including courage and boldness, which all is the true maturity of a father or mother in the faith.

Should we tolerate sin, evil, injustice, if leaders will not listen to us?

In no way does this mean we say nothing against a wrong that has been done. This is all about actually addressing what is wrong – but in the right way. We must address the wrong and do what is right to correct it. This takes courage and guts.

That is what this is all about as well. We must do it to the right people, in the right way, at the right time, with the right attitude. Pray for GOOD strong counsel from good strong, humble leaders in the church.

If the ones we say it to do not listen at first – then take it to the next level immediately. These procedures should be established in all churches and ministries globally – when it comes to correction of sin.

Should you feel condemned for seeing you did this wrong in the past?

All have done this wrong – except ONE, our resurrected Master, Jesus Christ. Is that an excuse for doing nothing right from now on? No. We should even go back in time and say sorry – if that is humble, repentant, and it is within justice. There is no condemnation – but repentance is now!

This repentance is shown in continual low, humble, holy, correct, obedient action.

There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) – but there IS conviction of the Holy Spirit to do certain things – not that if we do not do them – we go to hell – that feeling of condemnation is from hell, it is not from the Holy Spirit – that condemnation is from a demon of false religion, false theology, perfectionism, control, and fear.

No, the Holy Spirit will guide, convict, and gently but firmly lead us, so we grow and become more and more obedient to His guidance – in this area and all others. So – from now on – sin no more in this area of gossip versus correct correction!

And go and correct what was done wrong in the past.

Should these principles be followed even with sermons, prophecy etc.?

Yes. 1 Corinthians 14:29: Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh / judge / evaluate carefully (Greek: Strong’s G1252) what is said.

There should be accountability – also with prophetic words.

What about when the accusations are about an elder?

What about when the accusations are about an elder – a leader who sins either publicly or privately?

1 Timothy 5:19-21 & 1 Timothy 5:24-25 – Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. … The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

My Word will not return to me void

Isaiah 55:11

My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

If we will not do Matthew 18:15-20 and 1 Timothy 5:19-25 right and fully willingly – God will make sure it happens!! And rather now on earth – for others to be warned – than in eternity – where the warning will not reach those who cannot repent.

In the case of Dr. Brown (YouTube video) the husband and spouse of the married woman should not have been allowed to decide not to mention anything publicly before the church. It could and should have been anonymized for them unless they were elders = leaders – but not for Dr. Brown – for he was and is a leader.

Paul said: Is there no one wise among you who is able to judge such matters.

Paul was speaking to Timothy, who was the leader of churches. This is a very clear process of first 1 to 1, then 1 + 1 or 2.

The case will not be brought to Timothy – and Timothy should not take action on it – should not take it before the church – until after a person has been corrected 1 to 1, then 1 + 1 or 2.

There is no difference between elders and non-elders, then the correction is to be done publicly if the sin continues after the 1 + 1 or 2 witnesses (= 2-3) – just like it says in Matthew 18:15-20.

What About Covering Up the Sin?

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

So, this is not about sweeping the sins under a rug – but going only to that one person to begin with – for you “turn a sinner from their error”.

Practicing this honorably and well leads to the fulfillment of this for the sin is not spread out to everyone for judgment and in gossip behind their backs – but dealt with in a merciful loving very respectful way according to the level and gravity of the sin and according to the depth and speed of repentance.

Covering sins is not hiding and ignoring the sin, but exposing it at the right level – remembering that elders = 5-fold ministry gifts and leaders in the church who sin – need to be “rebuked” (= corrected) before all: 1 Timothy 5:20 – But those elders (leaders) who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.

It is to judge accurately, expose accurately, and restore all involved accurately according to the steps in Matthew 18:15-20.

The exposure, rebuking, ownership, and public repentance should happen at the level of influence and leadership and responsibility a person has.

Cover over – in the perspective of the fullness of the Word cannot mean that no one can know – that what was done is hidden. It clearly would mean that gossip does not spread and that the matter is treated with honor, with truth, with respect, and with accurate truth.

Matthew 18:15 says: “Go to that person in private.” That is covering and protecting the person from your gossip and the gossip of others.

But if it then turns out that the person owns their sin in a one on one private rebuke – then that sin should be brought into the open, and ownership should be taken, and this would also mean that a solid freedom and restoration plan (including deep repentance to the love of Daddy, deep inner healing, and deep deliverance as well as accountability and ample time) should be established and kept.

If all is done right – the person can be restored – like King David and the apostle Peter were restored.

If they are a leader – those they lead should see a public clear, wise, loving, correction of the sin committed with the person present. It should be loving, truthful, exacting justice and with a restoration plan. And all are a leader of some level of influence.

We certainly see Paul doing this with Peter in Galatians (Galatians 2:11-21) – and we see Jesus doing it in front of the disciples with Peter in the rebuke in Mark 8:31-33 – where Peter had a private talk with Jesus about counseling him not to go to the cross.

If there is clear public sin done by church people of responsibility before all – in the open – it should be addressed publicly and immediately if at all possible

Some examples of immediate public correction / rebuke / warning of believers:

  • Jesus rebuked Peter immediately during their conversation – and Jesus rebuked him before all the disciples – even though Peter had pulled Him aside: Matthew 16:22-28, Mark 8:32-33.
  • Jesus often corrects the disciples: Sons of Thunder you don’t know what spirit you are of (Luke 9:52-56, Mark 3:17). Etc.
  • Jesus often addressed publicly what was wrong with the Pharisees and Sadducees, teachers of the law, etc. They saw themselves as perfect kids of God who were better than all others due to their own performed perfection – so Jesus had to correct them. Also with the sabbath.
  • Peter rebukes / corrects Ananias and Sapphira publicly for a public “before all” sin (and they die publicly): Acts 5:1-11
  • Paul rebuked by Peter and Barnabas immediately and publicly when he had double standards publicly: Galatians 2:11-14

Our Words Are So Important

Our words of either life and faith or death, defeat, and destruction are so important.

Matthew 12:33-37 (see also Luke 6:43-45) – 33 Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Every empty / careless / idle word… (Greek: argos)

About repentance and then doing right

James 3:6 and James 3:9-10 – 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

Let this admonition from James and Paul be our pistol shot to start running so much better in this

This must go deep – this must be wholehearted before God.

James 4:7-11 – 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. Brothers, do not slander / speak evil against / speak against / speak down to / defame / mock (Greek: Strong’s G2635) one another! Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

The law here – is the law of love and liberty. The law of the New Covenant of forgiveness, restoration, and freedom. The inner healing, the deliverance given for free by faith.

So, we are not to judge in terms of now judging with the final judgment of God – for it “ain’t over till it’s over” – and not without first mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, humility, suffering, free choice obedience and brokenness, inner healing and deliverance – which has healed us first – and can heal all who are willing.

It is through those eyes of love – we are to see and help all to be restored and corrected into freedom, love, and fullness of identity as fully beloved, fully pleasing kids of Daddyo outliving the holiness of God.

So, let’s do this – and do this well. We can do better than we have previously.

Founded on Forgiveness From the Heart

Very important – this is not against, but founded on, forgiveness from the heart.

Read Matthew 18:21-35 – which comes right after Matthew 18:15-20 and is Peter’s response to Jesus giving them Matthew 18:15-20

If you have unforgiveness toward the one who has missed the mark (sinned) – you cannot truly believe for them to be won and restored which is a pre-condition for carrying out the process correctly. You hate them and want to hurt them. You have bitterness in your heart against them.

Your forgiveness for them and love for them drives you to want to help them be healed and well and restored and to not hurt others in the same way you were hurt.

If you have not already forgiven them – you cannot do Matthew 18:15-20 right and well – with the right broken, loving heart – yet filled with justice and action that brings freedom and cuts lies, sin, and bad action chains off.

What is forgiveness not?

  • Saying what they did is ok. Matthew 18:15-20 says: Talk with them about the problem. And if they will not listen – turn up the heat of consequences.
  • It is not to become best friends with them. Forgiveness is not the same as trusting them again. Matthew 18:15-20 says: Set boundaries if they will not change. It does not matter if they are your relatives, parents, friends, family, or church leaders.
  • It is not to say – you can now come and destroy me again.

What is right forgiveness – how do you do it?

  • Receive complete forgiveness of all your sins for all eternity from the Father, through Jesus, by the Spirit.
  • Completely give the judgment, hate, death, and shame they deserve to God.
  • Trust God – that He will judge, take vengeance, punish with the fullness of justice.
  • Ask God for forgiveness for your unforgiveness and repent = Forgive – let it go. Pray for them – and bless them – that they would find grace and mercy, forgiveness and restoration.
  • According to Matthew 18:15-20: Correct them in love for what they have said or done that was not love and that was not justice.
  • Set proper boundaries for yourself to not be hurt and negatively influenced by them if they will not repent.
  • Find people to stand with you in humility, justice, and love.

Experiences, Conclusions, and Summary

As I have tried to practice this, I have found a very low level of understanding and therefore very poor practice of these principles – even among top leaders. They follow secular principles of:

  • If people will not receive a correction one on one – leave them alone (going against Matthew 18:16-20)
  • If you are not invited to give input and correction – don’t give any (going against Matthew 18:16-20).
  • If someone is over someone else in authority, and the “subject” – the one under the leader – complains about the leader to leaders above – then the leadership will anonymize the complaint, say: Don’t worry about it – we will talk to the person, and they will separate the 2 parties (going against Matthew 18:16-20).
  • There will not first be a clear dialogue: Have you humbly, clearly, and sharply gone one on one and talked specifically with them about this problem?

Therefore, this must be taught well and fully – with all cross-references. If not – it cannot be acted on.

I have supposed very mature ministers and ministries knew about this and practiced it and could – with a little mentioning of the Scriptures involved – be included in dialogues and processes according to Matthew 18:15-20 – but I have found it almost impossible…

The understanding of the church being “called to even judge angels” and “the world”, and we should have enough internal understanding of truth, justice, mercy, action, responsibility, what is right and what is not, what is love and what is not – to be able to judge in internal matters.

Here – Jesus – who Himself is the victim of our mistreatment – becomes the corrector. The victim becomes the healer, the judge, the forgiver, and restorer. The offended heals, forgives the offender and brings them to justice and sets boundaries – and also restores them!

For All Churches And Leaderships

Every church and church leadership should have a solid understanding and grasp of the fullness of the teaching and practice on the judgment of God as it is delegated to wise, loving, just, holy, humble, gentle people, mature leaders who can judge and evaluate well what good decisions are on a certain matter.

Great wisdom and true maturity in both understanding and action is required to do loving humble correction correctly!

Lists of Scriptures on gossip and slander

Articles and books for further reading

Articles / books etc. for further reading / other angles etc. Note: These deal with church discipline – which can remove the focus from “daily living sin” and move the responsibility over to “others – away from us personally. But above I specifically talk about gossip as a sin to be addressed in the context of Matthew 18:15-20

My issue with many of these is that calling it “church discipline” and only taking the examples of the really big cases where Paul had to take it all the way to step 4 – negates the necessity to practice these principles in our ordinary day to day lives where we with mildness and meekness help each other by correctly (humbly, lovingly etc.) correcting each other.

Scriptures about accurate, fast, healthy judgment – on top of all those mentioned above

  • Deuteronomy 32:4 – He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
  • Psalm 11:7 – For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.
  • Genesis 1:27 – So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17, 20 – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! … 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
  • Luke 18:8 – I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.
  • Ecclesiastes 8:11 – When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong.
  • Matthew 5:25 – Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
  • Proverbs 21:3 – To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
  • Deuteronomy 27:19 – Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.
  • Deuteronomy 16:20 – Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you
  • Romans 12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
  • Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
  • Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
  • Luke 11:42 – Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
  • Zechariah 7:9-10 – 9 This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’
  • Proverbs 18:17 – In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
  • Proverbs 18:13 – To answer before listening–that is folly and shame.
  • And so many others in every book of the Bible.

Read the whole series: Part 1 · Part 2 · Part 3

To read positive life changing and selfish life breaking teaching – see All Bible Studies of Peter Skov of Action Christianity. Let God lead you to what to engage with first.

And here is my YouTube course on the very minimum foundations of normal discipleship.

Become an Action Christian

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