Matthew 18, Public Sinning or False Teaching, and Gossip Versus Revealing a Matter

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
                                                                      1 Peter 4:8

"Charity" is "love" (agape).  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, "Love beareth all things."  I usually say, b-e-a-r and not b-a-r-e.  Of course, something exposed is something that was private.  People didn't know it.  Proverbs 11:13,

A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs 20:19,

He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets.

The order of Matthew 18 says, keep it to the least number of people possible, that is, one on one.  If someone has repented already without a confrontation, then one-on-one isn't even needed.  Bringing another person into a secret is to b-a-r-e, not b-e-a-r.  It isn't love.  It can be something someone is ashamed for having done, has repented, has cleared himself, and taken a new and different path (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:9-11).  It is being a talebearer, revealing secrets, not being a faithful spirit.

On the other hand, there is public sinning about which someone is not repentant.  He does it in public.  When confronted, he doesn't change.  Matthew 18 doesn't apply to that person.  Someone can still go to him one-on-one, to take the most charitable approach, but it isn't required.  If someone promotes his sin or behavior or his false teaching in public, it is appropriate to deal with it in public.  It isn't gossip, it isn't talebearing, if it isn't secret.  Secret is kept secret with going one-on-one and not talebearing or gossiping.  Public is already public.  This isn't that difficult, but it seems to be, especially when it is convenient.

If you warn someone about another person's false teaching or repudiate his behavior, that he puts out in public, that isn't gossip.  That is required in scripture out of love.  Calling it gossip is wrong.  It isn't gossip.  Gossip reveals secrets, doesn't expose public and many times, add to that, unrepentant behavior or teaching.

On the other hand, consider the following scenario.  You warn in private to someone about public wrong behavior and erroneous teaching, and the warned person then runs to the one of the wrong behavior and erroneous teaching and says, "He talked about you or he talks about you," that is revealing a secret.  That was said in secret as a warning.  This is someone being unfaithful, not of a faithful or loyal spirit to someone who cared and is caring about someone else by warning him.

What I'm writing is not difficult.  People weaponize the term "gossip," to use it against the biblical practice of warning about ungodly living and false teaching.  When I name names here, I do it only with people who have made something public and most often are unrepentant of their public actions and beliefs.  Some uncharitably call this, "taking potshots."  Merriam Webster defines "potshot":

1 : a shot taken from ambush or at a random or easy target. 2 : a critical remark made in a random or sporadic manner.

Furthermore, "random" means:

made, done, happening, or chosen without method or conscious decision.

A careful exposure, using scripture, of something that is public and unrepentant, which could damage other people, isn't "random" or a "potshot."  The word "potshot" ironically is a potshot.  I would take potshots with my b-b gun at various targets when I lived and worked on a farm when I was a child.  I understand the concept -- random targets almost with no consideration.

On occasion a public sin would be better to treat in a private manner.  It could save embarrassment.  Sometimes someone needs public exposure.  Both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John deal with people in public even in the church.  It's needed even more now with the growth of apostasy in these days.