Implications of Matt. 18: 15-17

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Mushroom

Puritan Board Doctor
Mat 18:15-17 "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (16) But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (17) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
I have often heard this to be understood as the process by which a believer is to deal with offenses against themselves on the part of another professing believer, and I fully agree. But I see other obligations implied by the text that I'm wondering if others share. Specifically, that when we are witnesses to said offenses, it is incumbent upon us to be willing to stand as such, i.e. that we be willing to go with the offended brother to the offender to confront him. Is that implied by the text, or is it acceptable for christians to take an "I don't want to get involved" posture?

I would assert that such a posture would sabotage the process, and therefore is both sinful and cowardly. Am I wrong?
 
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