In other words, Have you not received the information I am about to impart; or have your senses become so dulled by your departure from right principles that you do not perceive the truth in this matter? There are those who are extremely sensitive concerning what they are pleased to call their “rights.” Such persons take offense easily, when no offense is intended. The true cause for this jealous regard for their rights is self-love. When the repentant sinner really surrenders self to Christ, he no longer seeks to defend self, but is continually concerned about doing the will of God. Pride is at the root of most disputes that arise in the church; but there is no room for pride in the heart of him who understands his great indebtedness to Jesus. The truly converted child of God will be on the alert to see what he can do to help his brother along life’s road, rather than to spend time cherishing imagined insults and offenses (see Isa. 57:15; Rom. 12:10; 15:1-3; Gal. 5:14; Phil. 3:7, 8; see on Matt. 7:12; 18:1-35).

 This is a reference to a period following the second advent of Christ. The saints ascend to heaven with Christ at His second advent (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17); there they are seated on thrones to share with Jesus His authority and power to judge and execute judgment (Rev. 20:4; cf. on Dan. 7:22). The saints will judge the fallen angels (1 Cor. 6:3) and unrepentant human beings who have not made peace with God through Jesus Christ. This work will be done during the millennium, that is, the thousand years that elapse before Christ, with the saints, comes back to this earth (Rev. 20:4, 6). The judgment of the wicked will take the form of an examination of the records of their lives, and the apportioning of the punishment to be meted out to them. Their destruction has already been settled by their voluntary rejection of God’s offer of salvation through Christ, by which rejection they have deliberately chosen eternal death. The examination of the life records of the wicked will enable the righteous to see the justice of God and the appropriateness of His dealings with those who remain rebellious to the end (Rev. 15:3; see GC 661; cf. 544).

 In view of the part the saints will have in the judgment of the wicked, should they not be able to settle the differences that arise in the church without exposing their quarrels to unbelievers? Troubles among church members should certainly be small compared with those of the wicked. Surely the believers, guided by the Holy Spirit, should be competent to deal with these. If a church member refuses to respond to the counsel of the brethren when he is approached in the manner described in Matt. 18:15-17, he automatically places himself outside the circle of the believers, and is to be treated as an unbeliever (v. 17). When a church member allows his faith to decrease to the point where he loses hold on Christ and permits his unregenerate heart stubbornly to refuse to be reconciled to his brother, he is not worthy to be called a Christian. He should be regarded as in need of conversion. Such a person should be labored with in the spirit of Jesus, and every effort put forth to win him back to the fold (see Gal. 6:1; Heb. 12:12-15; James 5:19, 20).

 Gr. kritēria, “tribunals,” or perhaps “cases” (cf. on v. 4).