This same principle in Galatians 6 is taught in Matthew 18:15-17. It reads,
“Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.”
Once again, the context concerns the personal responsibility of individuals who have been sinned against. Be advised that we are discussing sin, not someone’s assessment of poor judgment or ill-advised wording or misunderstanding that has caused one to experience hurt feelings. Sin is a violation of the will of Christ, our king. When we defraud a fellow Christian by stealth, defamatory lies, or by violating their conscience in putting a stumbling block in their way, we sin and need to repent. Who is going to hold us accountable and correct it? The one who is privy to the information is the one who is responsible to approach the other. This is especially true when committed in a private setting with only one other Christian. It is true that if you had violated your conscience by the prodding or encouragement of another, you would not be the one going to the Christian who put the stumbling block in your way because of weak faith. But, an observer might be responsible.
Fellow-Christians hold each other accountable and watch out for one another because sin separates us from God. This cannot be taken lightly. If it is unrepentant sin or a matter that is unknown to a brother or sister, we are doing them an injustice to keep silent. Today’s church member fails miserably in this responsibility. By contrast, as members of the church, we are immediately erecting our defenses and respond in a hateful way. We feel attacked and abused. Seeing that no one wants to experience such hurt, we do little about sin because we do not want anyone to treat us the same way. The excuse is offered that we all sin and have our short-comings — so don’t accentuate it if you don’t want it to escalate into unresolved conflicts and retaliation. This attitude is not a problem among the ekklesia of individuals who are part of a loving family and apply the rule of Galatians 6:1-3. It reads,
“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”