YOU MAY GAIN YOUR BROTHER

A Final Effort to Gain Him

If step two fails to settle the matter, congregation overseers are definitely involved in the third step. "If he does not listen to [the one or two], speak to the congregation, if he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a tax collector." What does this entail?

We do not understand it as a directive to bring up the sin or wrong at a regular or special meeting of the whole congregation. We can determine the appropriate procedure from God's Word. See what was to be done in ancient Israel in a case of rebellion, gluttony and drunkenness: "In case a man happens to have a son who is stubborn and rebellious, he is not listening to the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and they have corrected him but he will not listen to them, his father and his mother must also take hold of him and bring him out to the older men of his city and to the gate of his place, and they must say to the older men of the city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he is not listening to our voice, being a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his city must pelt him with stones." -Deuteronomy 21:18-21.

The man's sins were not heard and judged by the whole nation nor by all of his own tribe. Rather, the recognized "older men" dealt with it as representatives of the congregation. (Compare Deuteronomy19:16, 17) about a case handled by 'priests and the judges who were acting in those days.') Similarly today, when it is necessary to take the third step, the elders, who represent the congregation, handle the matter. Their goal is the same, to gain the Christian brother if at all possible. They reflect this by showing fairness, not prejudging the case or being partial.

They will strive to weigh the facts and hear the witnesses needed to establish whether sin truly has been committed (or continues to be committed). They want to protect the congregation from corruption and to keep the spirit of the world out. (1 Corinthians 2:12; 5:7) In line with their Scriptural qualifications, they will endeavor "to exhort by the teaching that is healthful and to reprove those who contradict." (Titus 1:9) Hopefully, the wrongdoer will not be like the Israelites of whom Jehovah's prophets wrote: "I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen; and you kept doing what was bad in my eyes, and thing in which I took no delight you chose." -Isaiah 65:12.

In a relatively few cases, however, the sinner reflects that same attitude. If so, Jesus' direction is clear: "Let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector." The Lord did not recommend being inhuman or desirous of any hurt. There is, though, no ambiguity about the apostle Paul's direction to exclude unrepentant sinners from the congregation. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Even this may eventually result in the goal of gaining the sinner.

We can see that potential from Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. As illustrated, after a period of living outside the loving fellowship of his father's house, that sinner "came to his senses." (Luke 15:11-18) Paul mentioned to Timothy that some wrongdoers would in time repent and "come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil." ( 2 Timothy 2:24-26) We would certainly hope that nay who unrepentantly sin and must be excluded from the congregation will feel their loss-both of God's approval and of the warm fellowship and social contact with loyal Christians-and then come to their senses.

Jesus did not consider people of the nations and tax collectors as being beyond redemption. One of the latter, Matthew Levi, repented, sincerely 'followed Jesus,' and was even chosen as an apostle. (Mark 2:15; Luke 15:1) Consequently, if a sinner today does "not listen even to the congregation" and is excluded from it, we can wait to see if he, in time, will repent and make straight his paths for his feet. When he does and is again a member of the congregation, we will then be happy to have gained our brother back in the fold of true worship.

Next time: A MILESTONE FOR LOVERS OF GOD'S WORD

Watchtower, 1999