The endless exposure on social media of the sins within the body of Christ has me thinking those who are bent on publicly exposing others may be working against the church.
Hear me out: I believe sin should be addressed in the church, but it should not be addressed by just any and everybody. The Bible teaches that sin in the church should be addressed by the Elders of the church. Mature, well-seasoned members of the Body, who are stable, have wisdom, filled with the Holy Spirit and carry the heart of Jesus.
The Church is a structured organism called the body of Christ. It is not a loose gathering, but a God-ordained structure designed for growth, correction, and spiritual health.
In that structure Paul writes in Eph. 4:11-12, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”
Similarly, Acts 20:28–31 says:
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”
Luke clearly points out that Elders are appointed by the Holy Spirit with the sacred task of shepherding and protecting the church, which includes identifying and correcting false teaching and sin.
Later, we see Paul instructing Titus in Titus 1:5: “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town…”
This shows that spiritual leadership must be orderly, God-appointed, and biblically qualified to guide, correct, and restore the flock.
We see clearly that Elders are the ones God has given authority to address sin within the church. It is not the responsibility of individuals to publicly expose others. To put it plainly, you got no business to bypass God’s design. Doing so only creates more harm than good, which wil lead to division, confusion, and destruction instead of restoration.
I’m a personal believer that when believers overstep their authority, deciding for themselves what is good instead of following and obeying God’s established structure and principles, they write themselves off from greater leadership in God’s kingdom. God rejected Saul for this exact behaviour.
In James 5:14-15 Paul writes, “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”
Here again, Scripture shows us that Elders were involved in restoration, specifically in guiding someone back to the Lord when sin was involved. Based on the qualifications of Elders in Titus 1, this restoration would have been done with integrity, wisdom, patience, and a heart fully devoted to healing and reconciliation. It wouldn’t have been done the way we see things being done today, impulsively, publicly, or out of personal offense.
If addressing sins is your thing, let me remind you of another truth that must be taken into consideration. Addressing sin isn’t about condemnation, criticism, proving you’re better, beating people over the head with the law, accusing them of not being a saved, calling them out, shaming, destroying their reputation, shutting them down, proving that they are not fit for service, getting your daily fix, or fulfilling your dream of being noticed and recognized as the “Elijah of our generation.” The Prophet of the Lord!
Addressing sin should always be saturated with humility, grace, and deep concern for the sinner. This is the sacred task of pointing those who have fallen, back to the Lord; the Shepherd to whom they belong.
I would dare to say that a broken spirit is necessary for anyone tasked with restoration. It’ll keep us grounded in the grace we ourselves have received and prevent pride from taking root in our hearts, which ultimately will ensures that correction comes from the right place and with the right motive.
May I remind you: none of us is righteous or without sin; not one of us. This is not about excusing sin, but about recognizing that those of us who think we are qualified to judge are, by the same standard, disqualified. We are on the same chopping block! What we sow, we could reap. Jesus Himself warned in Matthew 7:1–5 not to judge others hypocritically, for the measure we use will be measured back to us. Before pointing out the speck in another’s eye, we must first deal with the plank in our own.
Here is the problem we face: we all have struggles, flaws, and hidden areas in our own lives, that if exposed could cause embarrassment and a whole heap of mess. Yet, too often, people overstep their reality, pointing out the sins of others without addressing their own hearts first.
And let me ask you, if someone were to do to you what you have done to others, how do you think you would react? How would it feel to be judged, publicly exposed, or called out on social media, getting a taste of your own medicine? The world would watch you fall, self-destruct, and be humiliated, while you realize that the same standard you used on others has now been turned on you. Sobriety will come to you with a slap you will never forget! It will be a wake-up call that will leaves no room to publicly lift your head again or take a casual stroll in a park as if nothing has happened.
This is what these deranged and sick people are doing today, when they publicly go after the sins of the Church. They are calling out and exposing others not realizing the damage they are causing.
This is not of God! This not the heart of Jesus, who loves the church and died for it! This is not Gal. 6:1 which says, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.”
Let’s just say this happens to all of us: “Nothing concealed will remain hidden, and nothing secret will stay secret. What is said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what is whispered in private will be proclaimed openly.” (Luke 12:2–3, NIV)
What good does this do for the Church and the cause of Christ? Honestly, not much, if it’s used to expose, shame, or destroy. That, by the way, sounds demonic, (John 10:10).
If you look closely at the text, I believe there’s a prophetic element here. Jesus may be speaking to a timeline like ours, where social media, surveillance, and foolish people with smartphones can make private things public in an instant.
Interpret it as you wish, but don’t mistake it for a call to expose others, it’s not. This is a warning to His disciples about the importance of living openly for God. He is not giving instruction to you to expose His church. He is not giving you a tool to destroy His own bride! Any attempt to do so is demonic and the product of an unsanctified mind!
Sure, eventually everything and everyone will be revealed for whatever , but why don’t we let that revelation come in God’s way and in God’s timing, not through human judgment or public shaming.
Why don’t we stick to modeling Jesus.
We have alot of examples of how He handled the broken and the sinner.
#KICCPastor