Does Matthew 18:15-17 Apply To False Teacher?

Does Matthew 18:15-17
Apply to False Teachers

Louis Rushmore, Editor

Must one go personally to a false teacher before exposing him as a false teacher? Is that what Matthew 18:15-17 requires?
The context of Matthew 18:15-17 pertains to interpersonal relationships between brethren and has no direct correlation to false teachers. On that basis and because other passages of Scripture do deal with false teachers, Matthew 18:15-17 does not require one to go personally to a false teacher before exposing him as false teacher?
Romans 16:17, though, does pertain to false teachers and the action warranted respecting them because of their false teaching. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” The Greek word translated “mark” means to inspect something or someone critically to hold something or someone up as a model. This model can be bad and something to avoid (Romans 16:17) or it can be something admirable that is worthy of imitation (Philippians 3:17). The word “avoid” in Romans 16:17 means, “to shun.”
False teachers may be approached personally and taught “the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:26), or they may be corrected publicly (Galatians 2:11-13). Due to the serious, negative impact of false teaching by false teachers on souls, especially every impenitent false teacher needs to be identified publicly. In context, Matthew 18:15-17 does not related directly to false teachers, but Romans 16:17-18 does pertain specifically to false teachers.