09/06/2026
In every congregation, there are those who once sat together with us in the pews but have since been lost to error or sin. Those who used to be Christian may constitute a number larger than those who are currently Christian. It is one thing to lament this and criticize from the sidelines. It is quite another to warn the wicked. Though some might assume that the chief purpose of church discipline is to condemn the sins and errors of others, our Lord reminds us that discipline is an act of love that seeks to restore the fallen. While this idea may seem out of step with the emphasis in our times on tolerance without judgment, if our Lord loves the lost enough to save us, then we are called to do no less. Key to this is warning the wicked (as Ezekiel puts it) with the voice of God’s Word. This certainly includes condemning sin and error, but it also includes restoring the fallen through forgiveness. It is not the will of our Father in heaven that any should perish, and it is the joy of heaven to welcome them back. Is it also our passion to seek them out, to warn them with the voice of God’s Word, and to welcome them home through forgiveness?
