Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
If a brother trespasses, his fault must be told to him in rebuke as the direct response to the trespass. The wrong must not be passed by as if it were righteousness or treated lightly, but must be plainly identified, called by its right name, laid before the wrongdoer, and faithfully reproved without neglecting the work. The duty of rebuke applies whether the wrong was done against the viewer or against another soul purchased by Christ's blood, and the wrong must not be allowed to rest upon a brother because God sees differently than people see. Indignation against wrongdoing is right because Christ is dishonored by it, order must be maintained in the church through faithful sentinels, and the one who rebukes must not be charged with being a faultfinder or an accuser.
If the brother repents, he must be forgiven, so that the law of forgiveness springs into life whenever occasion demands it. The duty to forgive does not wear out with repetition but requires forgiving even when the brother sins and repents seven times in a day and turns expressing repentance, indeed seventy times seven, just as often as God and Christ forgive, and the one who suffered must not grow weary or decide that enough forgiveness has been given. No one has the right to refuse forgiveness on the ground that the confession does not seem humble or sincere enough, for no one can read the heart, none but Christ can read the heart, and by Him actions are weighed. Forgiveness means not holding the repentant one off as unworthy of confidence.
The opening command to take heed to yourselves calls the forgiver to remember personal danger of being tempted and to consider self vulnerability to temptation. Rebuke and forgiveness must treat the brother and his errors as the forgiver wishes God to treat personal offenses against Him, because the debt owed to God is immense and God forgives it through mercy. The verse calls for mercy, compassion, pity, patience, forbearance, and sympathy toward an erring brother rather than harshness and severity, and it forbids as selfish and satanic anger, threats, violence, resentment, revenge, coldness, indifference, contempt, pride, envy, and evil-surmising, for charity does not rejoice in evil while revenge does.
God's forgiveness is the example and free gift without any equivalent from man or human righteousness, given for Christ's sake, and those who receive it must cherish kindness, love, and a forgiving spirit toward erring brethren and forgive willingly, freely, and thoroughly without cherishing a revengeful spirit in thought or action, since forgiveness is received as it is given and is indispensable to receiving forgiveness from God, and only the overcomer through Christ's righteousness with long forbearance, mercy, and forgiveness will be saved. Repentance and a plea for help call for forgiveness and another chance rather than a demand for proof that character has already changed, and forgiveness should be joined with practical help so the erring person can find hope and avoid further harm. The verse condemns failing to forgive a repentant wrongdoer and lift the burden placed on her, as in the case of Jennie Gayer who repented but was not forgiven, and it warns against excessive severity and censure where blame is undeserved.
If a brother trespasses, his fault must be told to him in rebuke as the direct response to the trespass. The wrong must not be passed by as if it were righteousness or treated lightly, but must be plainly identified, called by its right name, laid before the wrongdoer, and faithfully reproved without neglecting the work. The duty of rebuke applies whether the wrong was done against the viewer or against another soul purchased by Christ's blood, and the wrong must not be allowed to rest upon a brother because God sees differently than people see. Indignation against wrongdoing is right because Christ is dishonored by it, order must be maintained in the church through faithful sentinels, and the one who rebukes must not be charged with being a faultfinder or an accuser.
If the brother repents, he must be forgiven, so that the law of forgiveness springs into life whenever occasion demands it. The duty to forgive does not wear out with repetition but requires forgiving even when the brother sins and repents seven times in a day and turns expressing repentance, indeed seventy times seven, just as often as God and Christ forgive, and the one who suffered must not grow weary or decide that enough forgiveness has been given. No one has the right to refuse forgiveness on the ground that the confession does not seem humble or sincere enough, for no one can read the heart, none but Christ can read the heart, and by Him actions are weighed. Forgiveness means not holding the repentant one off as unworthy of confidence.
The opening command to take heed to yourselves calls the forgiver to remember personal danger of being tempted and to consider self vulnerability to temptation. Rebuke and forgiveness must treat the brother and his errors as the forgiver wishes God to treat personal offenses against Him, because the debt owed to God is immense and God forgives it through mercy. The verse calls for mercy, compassion, pity, patience, forbearance, and sympathy toward an erring brother rather than harshness and severity, and it forbids as selfish and satanic anger, threats, violence, resentment, revenge, coldness, indifference, contempt, pride, envy, and evil-surmising, for charity does not rejoice in evil while revenge does.
God's forgiveness is the example and free gift without any equivalent from man or human righteousness, given for Christ's sake, and those who receive it must cherish kindness, love, and a forgiving spirit toward erring brethren and forgive willingly, freely, and thoroughly without cherishing a revengeful spirit in thought or action, since forgiveness is received as it is given and is indispensable to receiving forgiveness from God, and only the overcomer through Christ's righteousness with long forbearance, mercy, and forgiveness will be saved. Repentance and a plea for help call for forgiveness and another chance rather than a demand for proof that character has already changed, and forgiveness should be joined with practical help so the erring person can find hope and avoid further harm. The verse condemns failing to forgive a repentant wrongdoer and lift the burden placed on her, as in the case of Jennie Gayer who repented but was not forgiven, and it warns against excessive severity and censure where blame is undeserved.