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| Conflict Resolution |
The third step to Jesus’ conflict resolution trilogy in Matthew 18:15-20 is to take the dispute to the church. Who is the church? Does that mean the whole congregation or merely the appointed representatives? This can be interpreted both ways and depending on the size of the church or the nature of the complaint wisdom could lead us one way or the other. What does the decision to count the unrepentant offender as a heathen and a tax collector mean? In rare severe cases it might mean excommunication. In lesser cases a judgment may be simply realizing that they need to be treated with kindness, like someone new in the faith or not even in the faith at all. Perhaps the person still needs grace and time to grow and should not be put in any position of influence.
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