Therefore, if you shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, or if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way unto your brother, and first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Agree with your adversary quickly while you are in the way with him, lest at any time your adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you should be cast into prison. Truly I say unto you, you shall by no means come out from there until you have paid the utmost farthing. (Matthew 5:23-26)
What happens if you don't quickly agree with your brother who you offended? Consequences up and to being cut off from among Christ's Church and thrust down to hell.
Why? Because repentance requires us to confess and forsake our sins. Those unwilling to repent are not worthy to be numbered among Christ's sheep. Therefore, we should be quick to admit our errors when a brother or sister comes against us having been offended by our disobedience.
There are many things that people do that may be offensive to us. Yet the only time I feel it appropriate to be offended is towards those who were taught and should have obeyed but are choosing not to.
We ought to forgive one another. Those who do not forgive their brother or sister their trespasses are condemned before the Lord for within them is a greater sin. Instead we should forgive and say in our hearts, “Let God judge between me and you, and reward you according to your deeds.”
When functioning properly, those who repent not and confess not their sins are to be brought before the Church and dealt with as instructed by the scriptures or by revelation.
And if your eye which sees for you — him who is appointed to watch over you to show you light — becomes a transgressor and offends you, pluck him out. … It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire; for it is better that you should be saved than to be cast into hell with your brother, where their worm dies not and where the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:46-48)
Or if your brother offend you, and confess not and forsake not, he shall be cut off. (Mark 9:43-44)
Those of us who desire to be members of Christ's Church are never to act the role of Satan. Satan is a title that means adversary, opponent and accuser. We cannot be Satan and be Christ's.
That said, Christ's church is intended to self-regulate. Satan and the accusers of his kingdom are unneeded. Therefore members of Christ's church must sometimes testify against those who were “taught and should have obeyed” but are willfully choosing not to. This isn't because we don't first forgive or because we don't have compassion but is instead in order to be justified in the eyes of Christ's law and to not offend him who is our lawgiver.
Currently, members of Christ's church can be found within all denominations claiming to be his. Christ's work in our day involves gathering all who are Christ's into one regardless of where else or who else they may individually choose to worship among.
