A Loving Warning 爱的警戒
Dexu Xia
If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. Matthew 18:15
In 2010, a tsunami struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing more than four hundred people. But the deaths could have been prevented or minimized had the tsunami warning system been working properly. The tsunami detection networks (buoys) had become detached and drifted away.
Jesus said His disciples had a responsibility to warn fellow disciples of things that could harm them spiritually—including unrepentant sin. He outlined a process in which a believer who’s been sinned against by another can humbly, privately, and prayerfully “point out” the sin to the offending believer (Matthew 18:15). If the person repents, then the conflict can be resolved and relationship restored. If the believer refuses to repent, then “one or two others” can help resolve the conflict (v. 16). If the sinning person still doesn’t repent, then the issue is to be brought before “the church” (v. 17). If the offender still won’t repent, the individual is to be removed from assembly fellowship, but he or she can certainly still be prayed for and shown Christ’s love.
As believers in Jesus, let’s pray for the wisdom and courage we need to care enough to lovingly warn one another of the dangers of unrepentant sin and of the joys of restoration to our heavenly Father and other believers. Jesus will be “there . . . with [us]” as we do (v. 20).
By: Marvin Williams
How can you humbly and lovingly confront someone regarding a sin issue? What are the dangers of unrepentant sin?
Dear God, help me to love others enough to lovingly warn them when I see them falling into sin.
倘若你的弟兄得罪你，你就去趁着只有他和你在一处的时候，指出他的错来。—马太福音18章15节
在2010年，印尼群岛的苏门答腊岛遭海啸侵袭，超过四百人罹难。然而，如果当时海啸预警系统运作正常，人们得到警戒，就可避免造成伤亡，或是将伤害降至最低。在海啸发生之前，侦测海啸的感测器网络（浮标）早就掉落飘走了。
耶稣说门徒有责任警戒其他主内肢体，要小心那些会危害他们属灵生命的事物，包括不悔改的罪。耶稣教导我们该怎么做：若一位信徒受到另一位信徒的冒犯，可以带着谦卑和祷告的心，私下向这冒犯人的信徒“指出他的错来”（马太福音18章15节）。若这人悔改，就化解了冲突，恢复了关系。但若这人拒绝悔改，那么就“另外带一两个人”帮忙解决纷争（16节）。若这犯罪的人依旧不悔改，就要把这个争议告诉“教会”（17节）。假使这人还是不肯悔改，就要将其逐出教会，不过众人当然仍继续为这人祈祷，并展现基督的爱。
身为基督徒，让我们为自己所需的智慧和勇气祷告，使我们能对别人有足够的关心，能怀着爱心彼此警戒和提醒：不悔改的罪会带来多么大的危害，以及回到天父和其他众信徒身边是多么喜乐。让我们时时谨记，“有[耶稣]在[我]们中间”（20节）。
作者： 魏马文
你要如何谦卑慈爱地向人指出他所犯的罪？
不悔改的罪会带来什么危害？
亲爱的上帝，当我看见某些人堕落犯罪时，求祢使我能有足够的爱心劝诫他们。