If your brother sins — chapter-and-verse disobedience to the Bible — and the sin is against you, rebuke him. Not a demeaning humiliation. Just sit down with him and say, “Brother, here in [biblical text], God says… But last Tuesday, you and I were in that meeting and, as I recall, you said/did… Brother, I can’t see how that behavior lines up with this verse. How do you see it?” No vague generalities, but verifiable facts, clearly addressed by the Bible. We need to have the freedom to rebuke one another’s sinful and foolish behavior. But let’s be gentle and respectful. Let’s offer the brother an opportunity to explain himself. After all, there might be more to it than one realizes. And let’s avoid the verb “to be” (“You are…”) or “always” and “never” (“You always/never…”). Those categories are too absolute to be fair. They blast the brother to smithereens, with no dignity left.

— Ray Ortlund (b. 1949), Pastor, Theologe und Autor

Related Bible passage: MAT.18.15

Topics: Church & Congregation, Guilt & Forgiveness, Love

Ray Ortlund

Ray Ortlund (* 1949) ist ein US-amerikanischer Theologe, Alttestamentler und Pastor im reformiert-evangelikalen sowie anglikanischen Raum, der unter anderem am Trinity Evangelical Divinity School lehrte und die Immanuel Church in Nashville gründete. Er steht für die theologische Verbindung von biblischer Lehre mit einer gelebten Gemeindekultur der Gnade, Barmherzigkeit und geistlichen Erneuerung. Für Bibelleser verknüpfen seine Auslegungen und Schriften theologische Reflexion mit einer seelsorglichen, auf Christus zentrierten Alltagspraxis.

All quotes by Ray Ortlund (67)

Ray Ortlund

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