Mat 18:15-18, 1Cor 5:4-5 | Family | STEP | Hear thee ; if he is reclaimed. Gained thy brother ; thou hast been instrumental in restoring him. The way to reclaim an offending brother is for some brother to go and converse with him alone . If this is not effectual, he is to take one or two more, and converse with him again. If that is not effectual, then it is their duty to communicate what has been done to the church. If, under their discipline, he will not reform, he is to be cut off.

Matthew 18:15-18

Hear thee; if he is reclaimed.

Gained thy brother; thou hast been instrumental in restoring him. The way to reclaim an offending brother is for some brother to go and converse with him alone. If this is not effectual, he is to take one or two more, and converse with him again. If that is not effectual, then it is their duty to communicate what has been done to the church. If, under their discipline, he will not reform, he is to be cut off. Not hear; if he persevere in the wrong.

Established; fully proved. De 19:15. Neglect to hear them; if they cannot reclaim him.

Heathen man; let him have no more connection with the church than you would allow to an open idolater. Ye shall bind--loose; that is, the disciples who constitute the church spoken of in the preceding verse. This, which had been before said to Peter, chap Mt 16:19, is now said to the disciples generally, and it conferred as much power on them, as it did on him, and it promised as many blessings to them as it did to him. Whatever he or they should do in accordance with the directions of Christ, and in obedience to his will, would be ratified in heaven. This is true of the church and ministry of Christ in all ages. See note on chap. Mt 16:19.

1 Corinthians 5:4-5

In the name; by the authority.

Any my spirit; acting with you as if I were present.

The power of our Lord; to sanction and give effect to their proceedings. Deliver such a one unto Satan; exclude him from the visible kingdom of Christ, not to destroy him, but to bring him to repentance and thus save him.

For the destruction of the flesh; many think that these words imply the infliction, along with the exclusion from the church, of some bodily evil through the miraculous power conferred by Christ on the apostle, which should cooperate with the exclusion to lead him to repentance. There are but two kingdoms on earth, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. All who do not belong to the one, belong to the other.