Notes: June 10, 2008 – Judges 20

The congregation’s response to gross immorality among its members

  • The tribe of Benjamin defended the wicked men of Gibeah as brothers.
  • The other tribes, seeking to rid the land of such heinous sin, were forced to fight against the city of Gibeah and the whole tribe of Benjamin.
  • Many on both sides of the three-day battle died; but, in the end, Gibeah was destroyed.

Meditation Points:

  1. How sinful must we be that we defend blatant sin in others? Soft evangelism that suggests God loves those who willfully violate His commandments is much like the Benjamanite defense of Gibeah-it encourages the sinner to continue in his sin without fear of reprisal from a holy God.
  2. Church discipline, the process of denouncing the public sin of members, with the goal of recovering them to the fellowship, is never easy.

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