How does this verse connect with Matthew 18:15-17 on addressing sin?

Setting the Scene

• Matthew 18:15-17 lays out a step-by-step process for confronting personal sin within the body of Christ.

• Ephesians 5:11 commands believers to “have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them”.

• When read together, these passages give a balanced picture—both the attitude and the procedure for addressing sin.

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Core Principles Shared by Both Passages

• Holiness Matters

– Sin cannot be ignored; it must be dealt with (Matthew 18:15, Ephesians 5:11).

• Loving Confrontation

– Goal is restoration, not humiliation (Matthew 18:15; cf. Galatians 6:1).

• Progressive Accountability

– Matthew supplies the orderly method—private, small group, church-wide (vv. 15-17).

– Ephesians adds the motivation: reduce partnership with darkness and bring sin to light.

• Witness and Verification

– Matthew’s “two or three witnesses” (v. 16) ensures fairness when “exposing” sin (Ephesians 5:11).

• Church Purity and Testimony

– Both passages protect the church’s witness (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).

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How Ephesians 5:11 Enriches Matthew 18:15-17

• Supplies the “why” behind the “how.”

• Guards against indifference—believers must not tolerate sin quietly.

• Reminds that exposure is moral, not personal; the darkness is what’s confronted.

• Keeps the process from turning into gossip: sin is exposed only through the biblical steps Matthew outlines.

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Practical Implications

• Private First, Public When Necessary

– Begin discreetly (Matthew 18:15). Only escalate if the sinning believer refuses to repent, fulfilling Ephesians 5:11 without unnecessary shame.

• Check Motives

– Are we exposing sin to restore or to retaliate? (Proverbs 27:5-6; 1 Corinthians 13:6).

• Cultivate a Culture of Light

– Regular confession and accountability groups create spaces where darkness loses its grip (1 John 1:7).

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Related Scriptures

• Galatians 6:1—“restore him gently.”

• James 5:19-20—turning a sinner back saves a soul from death.

• 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15—do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

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Takeaway Points

• Matthew 18:15-17 gives the method; Ephesians 5:11 supplies the mandate.

• Both passages aim at repentance, reconciliation, and a pure testimony for Christ.

• Faithful obedience to these texts keeps the church both loving and holy.