A woman in West Virginia writes of a pastor who has decided that it is an infringement of people's "rights" to call things sin. Within the Body of Christ, he says, there must be no judging of one another. Hence he has given the church's approval to a man who deserts his wife and children. The pastor says the man's "gut feelings" may be the voice of God. Who takes responsibility nowadays to reprove, exhort, and correct Christians who are acting irresponsibly? Whose business is it to inquire into private lives when it becomes known that Christians are not "walking worthy of the Lord" and thereby are causing others to stumble? Who will submit to questioning or follow godly counsel? We shudder to think of being"cross-examined," "judged," called to account for what we say is nobody's business but our own. Am I suggesting some sort of police
state in the church, a Big Brother Watch? No. I am asking not for legal action but for Christian love, the kind that cares enough to obey Scripture, to risk its own reputation for kindness, in order to help another carry his load. "We must not be conceited, challenging one another to rivalry, jealous of one another. If a man should do something wrong, my brothers, on a sudden impulse, you who are endowed with the Spirit must set him right again very gently. Look to yourself, each one of you: you may be tempted too. Help one another to carry these heavy loads, for in this way you will fulfill the law.of Christ." (Gal 6:2-3) (How different that law is from politics which has an eye only for its own success!) "My brothers, if one of your number should stray from the truth and another succeed in bringing him back, be sure of this: any man who brings a sinner back from his crooked ways will be rescuing his soul from death and cancelling sins." It is important to note that this was written by the same man, in the same epistle, as this: "Who are you to judge your neighbor?" (Jas 4:12; 5:19-20) Jesus said we are to judge righteous judgment. Look at the fruits of a man's life. Take the log out of your own eye before you try to take the splinter out of another 's-but when you've removed the log, you must remove the splinter. "Instruct and admonish (warn, caution against specific faults, reprove mildly, advise, exhort) each other with the utmost wisdom." (Col 3:16) "If anyone disobeys our instructions given by letter, mark him well, and have no dealings with him until he is ashamed of himself. I do not mean treat him as an enemy, but give him friendly advice, as one of the family." (2 Thes 3:14-15) Of men who were "out of control, talking wildly," Paul told Titus to "pull them up sharply," for such men were ruining whole families. Please don't write and ask me for details as to how individuals or churches ought to put these precepts into practice. I confess I am far from sure. I only know that both Old and New Testaments clearly teach the godly man's responsibility to try to help others be obedient to God. Whatever we can do to make that obedience a delight rather than a chore we ought to do. When real love requires confrontation, we ought to lay down our lives to do it. "Encourage one another so that no one of you is made stubborn by the wiles of sin." (Heb 3:13)
Yes, very good eye exercise! In fact, it makes it even better to read! (not!) :);)
ReplyDeleteGod bless