Once or Twice

Titus 3:10 (KJV)
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

The word heretic carries implications today that probably clouds our understanding of the word. The Catholics and Protestants of 400 years ago viewed a heretic as someone whose doctrine was so wrong, they were worthy of confinement, torture and even death. We have come to see heresy as akin to the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost.[1]

The word means schismatic. He is someone who causes division and hinders the unity of the church. He may not be a horrible person and his actions may not seem to be that offensive. If he causes division or separation he is to be corrected. If he refuses the correction he is then to be rejected or avoided, trusting that God will either bring him to himself or judge him appropriately. We don’t need to use our resources on the one who is unteachable. We try to help them once. We try a second time[2] then we let them to their devices and focus on those who are teachable.

[1]A concept that also is misunderstood.
[2]I would go so far as to suggest that the phrase “first and second admonition” is not a strict term to be taken literally but a general one to represent a reasonable number of times.

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Titus 3:10 (KJV) Once or Twice

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