Dealing With Backsliders—Those who are sent by God to do a special work will be called to rebuke heresies and errors. They should exercise Bible charity toward all men, presenting the truth as it is in Jesus. Some will be most earnest and zealous in their resistance to the truth; but while their faults must be exposed unflinchingly and their evil practices condemned, long-suffering, patience, and forbearance must be exercised toward them. “And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garments spotted by the flesh.” Jude 22. (Ev 368.1) MC VC

The church may be called upon to dismiss from their fellowship those who will not be corrected. It is a painful duty that has to be done. Sad indeed is such a step, and it should not be taken until every other means of correcting and saving the one in error has failed. (Ev 368.2) MC VC

Christ never made peace by anything like compromise. The hearts of God’s servants will overflow with love and sympathy for the erring, as represented by the parable of the lost sheep; but they will have no soft words for sin. They show the truest friendship who reprove error and sin without partiality and without hypocrisy. Jesus lived in the midst of a sinful and perverse generation. He could not be at peace with the world unless He left them unwarned, unreproved, and this would not be in accordance with the plan of salvation.—Letter 12, 1890. (Ev 368.3) MC VC

Dealing With Wrongs in God’s Way—God is not pleased with the slothful work done in the churches. He expects His stewards to be true and faithful in giving reproof and correction. They are to expel wrong after the rule God has given in His Word, not according to their own ideas and impulses. No harsh means must be used, no unfair, hasty, impulsive work done. The efforts made to cleanse the church from moral uncleanness must be made in God’s way. There must be no partiality, no hypocrisy. There must be no favorites, whose sins are regarded as less sinful than those of others. Oh, how much we all need the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Then we shall always work with the mind of Christ, with kindness, compassion, and sympathy, showing love for the sinner while hating sin with a perfect hatred.—Manuscript 8a, 1888. (Ev 368.4) MC VC

How Paul Corrected Wrongs—Contentions in the body of believers are not after the order of God. They result from the manifestation of the attributes of the natural heart. To all who bring in disorder and disunion, the words of Paul are applicable: “I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” 1 Corinthians 3:1, 2. Paul here addressed a people whose advancement was not proportionate to their privileges and opportunities. They ought to have been able to bear the hearing of the plain Word of God, but they were in the position in which the disciples were when Christ said to them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” John 16:12. They ought to have been far advanced in spiritual knowledge, able to comprehend and practice the higher truths of the Word; but they were unsanctified. They had forgotten that they must be purged from their hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, and that they must not cherish carnal attributes. (Ev 369.1) MC VC