We know God wants us to be aware of false teachings and false teachers (Matthew 7:15-20; Ephesians 5:11; 1 John 4:1-6).
But someone recently asked me if Matthew 18 requires that we privately confront celebrities, politicians, authors, pastors, and teachers before addressing their beliefs.
Great question.
Matthew 18:15-17 discusses church discipline and commands private confrontation before passing formal church judgment on someone. This gives the person the opportunity to repent.
Luke 17:3-4 talks about personal relationships, and while it doesn't specifically command private confrontation, it seems to suggest it.
Other passages such as Galatians 6:1 and James 5:19-20 talk about confronting sinners, but they don’t specify private confrontation.
In Galatians 2:11-16, Paul confronted Peter publicly when Peter reverted to Jewish law-keeping.
So what's the answer?
The only time private confrontation is commanded is in relationship to church discipline. However, it seems both biblical and logical to privately confront people who've personally offended us.
No matter how we confront someone, it's important to avoid mockery and hearsay, making sure our information is correct and our quotes are accurate and in context.
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