Luke 17:3
Rebuke in Love
We should rebuke in love—not eagerly hoping to injure the person, but earnestly taking care to improve him. If we have such a mindset, we practice what Christ commanded: “If thy brother shall sin against thee, rebuke him between thee and him alone.”
Why do you rebuke such people? Because you are grieved that they sinned against you? God forbid. If you do it out of love for yourself, you don’t do anything. If you do it out of love for the other person, you act in excellence.
Notice what these words say about whom you should love in doing so—yourself or the other person: “If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Do it for other people’s sake then, so that you can “gain” them. If by doing so you “gain” them, they would also be lost if you hadn’t done it.
Therefore, don’t let anyone disregard it when he sins against a fellow Christian. For the Apostle Paul said, “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ,” because we have been all made members of Christ. How can you not sin against Christ if you sin against a member of Christ?
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
Rebuke in Love
We should rebuke in love—not eagerly hoping to injure the person, but earnestly taking care to improve him. If we have such a mindset, we practice what Christ commanded: “If thy brother shall sin against thee, rebuke him between thee and him alone.”
Why do you rebuke such people? Because you are grieved that they sinned against you? God forbid. If you do it out of love for yourself, you don’t do anything. If you do it out of love for the other person, you act in excellence.
Notice what these words say about whom you should love in doing so—yourself or the other person: “If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Do it for other people’s sake then, so that you can “gain” them. If by doing so you “gain” them, they would also be lost if you hadn’t done it.
Therefore, don’t let anyone disregard it when he sins against a fellow Christian. For the Apostle Paul said, “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ,” because we have been all made members of Christ. How can you not sin against Christ if you sin against a member of Christ?
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
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