A Time to Keep Silent and a Time to SpeakSample

Confront sin

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…” (Colossians 3:16)

Comforting and encouraging someone with words demonstrates love. Such words are precious. But correction can be just as valuable! Even though the recipient is not usually eager to be confronted, we owe it to our fellow believers to alert them to sinful patterns in their lives or serious misconceptions in their understanding of the Bible. However, this must be done “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). Our goal should never be to lecture someone. Rather, an admonition is meant to get someone on the right track again and so prevent anything worse.

Jesus' command to confront a fellow believer who has sinned is in the direct context of God's love for people: “It is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14). Likewise, we do not want anyone we know to be lost. And for this very reason, we do not remain silent when someone takes a path that leads them away from God. However difficult it may be, we need to talk to them.

Have you ever had such a conversation? How did it go?