Thursday, September 18, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: 1 Corinthians 14

Isn’t the church community wonderful?

We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and love one another in faithful fellowship, right?

But what happens when there is conflict within that community? What do we do when a fellow follower of Jesus sins against another follower, or against the church itself?

If a similar situation happened in the workplace, the employee who committed the wrongdoing could be fired, essentially removed from the company’s community. If it happened on a sports team, that player could be kicked off the team, never to play again.

But, as Jesus followers, we are called to handle conflict in a drastically different way. If we look to Jesus’ teachings for the proper method to handle conflicts within the church community, we see his approach is restoration, and it takes priority above anything else.

Luke 17:3-4
“So watch yourselves!”

“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

This may seem like daunting instructions to follow, but it is what God calls us to do. Consider how many times you have sinned against God … and been forgiven.

If we followed Jesus’ instructions, simple conflicts would easily be resolved. But what happens when approaching the offending party doesn’t lead to resolution? That is where it is valuable to have a church community.

Matthew 18:16-17a
“But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church.”

Using the resources of church leadership provides a common ground that all parties can trust and relate to. These leaders need to be cautious not to take sides, and always keep the goal of restoration as top priority. While it may be necessary to set some boundaries, the offending party should never be ostracized. Instead, they should be encouraged to make their own choices, while also leaving an open path back to restoration.

The beauty of a church community that lives out the Bible’s clear instructions for restoration is that it creates every opportunity for an individual to return to the purpose God has planned for them.

Questions:
Have you ever had a situation where a fellow church member wronged you?

How did you handle it?

How would you want to be treated if you wronged someone within your church community?

Next Steps:
Seek to understand what Jesus requires of us in conflict, and follow his teachings and example.

Join a Group this fall to draw closer to other believers.

Prayer:
Father, you are the perfect example of unconditional love which overcomes all conflict. Help me to approach any conflict with others with that love in my heart. Give me the strength to forgive my transgressor when they ask. Also give me the courage to call on the church community when I cannot attain resolution myself. Thank you, Lord, for everything. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Romans 12:17-18
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

This post was written by Ned Miller, a Findlay attendee and regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.