Verses 14-15
‘And if any man does not obey our word by this letter, note that man, that you do not keep company with him, to the end that he might be ashamed. And yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.’
The word ‘obey’ means ‘hear and obey’. It is used of a doorkeeper who looks through the peep-hole and discovers a person’s business and then goes off to communicate it to his master. It means to hear, and then to act. The man who refuses to work or cease his tittle-tattle should be specifically taken note of and ‘sent to Coventry’ or boycotted. This would suggest that it is an official action by the church as a whole.
In order that he may learn to be ashamed of his behaviour, Christians should have nothing to do with him, so that he may recognise how deeply they feel about his behaviour. But notice that this is to be a loving action. He is not to be treated as an enemy but as a brother, and suitable gently admonished so that he comes to his senses. Sadly sometimes in the history of the church this sternness ‘with gentleness’ has been overlooked.
Be the first to react on this!
