Jesus said to his disciples:

15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

Matthew 18:15-20 - World English Bible

How can a Christian address scandal? Jesus provided a practical, three step method to deal with the problem: one-on-one, privately with a committee, finally in public before the community. Each step increased in seriousness. Notice, however, the more obstinate the sinner was, the more the burden fell on the accuser to rally support for his cause. The first step occurred among friends, in private, to avoid shaming the sinner. The next step increased pressure on the sinner, since witnesses and supporters of the accuser confronted him, but, again, in private (see Deuteronomy 19:15). If and only if the sinner refused correction and the testimony of witnesses, then the full community would sit in judgment. But, what would be the punishment? Certainly, leadership would ask the sinner to leave, but would not ostracize the person. Indeed, Christians would treat the sinner like they addressed the target audience of the Lord: the Gentile and tax collector. They would reach out to the ex-member and attempt to evangelize him.

Notice the power of the community to bind and loosen in 18:18 reflected that given to Simon Peter in 16:19 and to the apostles in John 20:23. This was the power of evangelization, welcoming (and, in this case, “re-welcoming”) people into the community, but his power had a cosmic dimension, admitting (and readmitting) people into the Kingdom.

Finally, notice the power of the second step in process, the presentation of two or three witnesses to testified against the sinner. Implicitly, they should gather with the sinner in prayer; the sinner should realize their prayer has power, for, indeed, “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in their midst.”

Have you ever had to confront another to correct him? What happened?