In warning someone for divisiveness, does such a sin carry a "life sentence"? Titus 3:10-11 says, "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." The preacher in my church said a divisive person is forgiven but, carries the warning for life because the scripture does not make reference to any time frame. It seems strange that scriptures such as "love holds no record of wrongs" would not apply here. Would being warned for divisiveness three times in a lifetime mean condemnation to hell, even if the perpetrator meant no ill will or did not realize the seriousness of his wrongdoing? --Mat (New York)
While I think that the passage you allude to in 1 Corinthians has nothing to do with the matter of church discipline, I do agree that a divisive person does not need to be on perpetual parole. People change. I see not reason why the clock may not be "reset." On the other hand, there may be some people (like Shimei, who threatened King David) who may always be a menace. The leaders of the local church will need to use their judgment in each situation. For more on this, see my paper on Church Discipline.
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