The Body of Christ CP Schmitt

The Body of Christ is called to be a
redemptive, restorative, healing community.
The Holy Scriptures instruct
us (from The Message):
• "If you enter your place of worship and,
about to make an offering, you suddenly remember
a grudge a friend has against you,
abandon your offering, leave immediately,
go to this friend and make things right.
Then and only then, come back and work
things out with God" (Matthew 5:23-24).
• "If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell
him—work it out between the two of you.
If he listens, you have made a friend. If he
won’t listen, take one or two others along
so that the presence of witnesses will keep
things honest, and try again. If he still
won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t
listen to the church, you’ll have to start
over from scratch, confront him with the
need for repentance, and offer again God’s
forgiving love" (Matthew 18:15-17).
• "If someone falls into sin, forgivingly
restore him, saving your critical comments
for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness
before the day’s out. Stoop down and
reach out to those who are oppressed.
Share their burdens, and so complete
Christ’s law" (Galatians 5:1-2).
The spirit of the New Testament in dealing
with issues of offense and failure and sin is
reflected in these words of Paul to the Galatians:
"If someone is caught in a sin (in any
trespass, NASB), you who are spiritual should
restore him (literally, mend him, restore
him to good condition, attune him) gently,
meekly. But watch yourself, or you also may
be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens and
in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ"
(6:1-4). From these words, we see that our
actions are to be redemptive and restorative

The spirit of the New
Covenant, however,
declares that "love covers
over a multitude of sins"

in nature and are to be exercised with gentleness
and meekness of spirit. This is what Paul
calls "the law of Christ."
The spirit of New Testament dealings is exemplified
in how Jesus dealt with the woman
taken in adultery (John 8:1-11). The Pharisees
"made her stand before the group" (John 8:3);
they were into public accusation. The spirit
of the New Covenant, however, declares that
"love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter
4:8, NIV). Love covers over a multitude of
sins with the blood of Jesus (which satisfies
the justice and righteousness of God and extends
the redeeming mercy and transforming
grace of God to those in need). The Pharisees
were also into an unholy harshness: "In the
law Moses commanded us to stone such
women" (John 8:5). Jesus, on the contrary,
freely loved the woman, forgave her, protected
her, released her and empowered her
by His grace to walk in holiness: "Neither do
I condemn you … Go now and leave (a Greek
imperative) your life of sin" (John 8:11). This
way of dealing with offense and sin is called
"the law of Christ" by Paul in Galatians 6:2.
And this becomes for us the spirit in which
New Testament Church dealings are to be
carried out.
God desires His people to be a redemptive,
restorative, healing community. Amen!